The British government wanted to encourage men to enlist for war.

They said the war would be safe, hardly any fighting, a good lark and over by Christmas.

They used advertising posters to encourage this idea!

A picture of soldiers going ‘Over the Top’

The reality of ‘going over the top’ was very different!

Soldiers were expected to carry all of their equipment with them at all times.

They were supposed to keep it clean and in good condition – they were British after all.

PropogadaPropogada

►Almost immediately after war broke Almost immediately after war broke out, out, David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George was charged was charged with setting up a War Propaganda with setting up a War Propaganda Bureau. The WPB had a big task ahead Bureau. The WPB had a big task ahead - Britain needed recruits for the army - Britain needed recruits for the army and navy. Lloyd George also and navy. Lloyd George also understood that propaganda could be understood that propaganda could be used for a number of purposes:used for a number of purposes:

► To keep To keep moralemorale up at the Home Front and up at the Home Front and encourage people to give their time and encourage people to give their time and money to the war effort money to the war effort

► To portray the enemy as an evil that needs To portray the enemy as an evil that needs to be fought to be fought

► To recruit more soldiers To recruit more soldiers ► To stop information from being published To stop information from being published

which might help the enemy which might help the enemy ► To psychologically dishearten the enemy To psychologically dishearten the enemy

troops troops ► To give civilians a government-approved To give civilians a government-approved

version of the Warversion of the War

► It was this final use that the British It was this final use that the British government felt the work of the WPB should government felt the work of the WPB should be top secret. Some of the best writers in be top secret. Some of the best writers in Britain (Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Britain (Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, among others) were Doyle, H.G. Wells, among others) were asked to participate in a conference on how asked to participate in a conference on how written propaganda should be used. They written propaganda should be used. They wrote stories and leaflets to persuade the wrote stories and leaflets to persuade the public to join the war effort. Propaganda public to join the war effort. Propaganda also took the form of posters, paintings, also took the form of posters, paintings, photographs, films, postcards, newspaper photographs, films, postcards, newspaper articles, medallions and books. articles, medallions and books.

How the uniform and equipment changed after just three weeks in the

trenches…

Posters always showed men ready and willing to fight.

They never showed the boredom of the trenches or actual fighting taking place.

Why do you think the government showed no fighting?

No smiling and relaxed faces…

No clean uniforms…

Their equipment is scattered everywhere…

Boredom and sleep are obvious…

The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats.

These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers.