What is propaganda?
‘By the skilful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even
heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise.’
ーAdolf Hitlerー
Propaganda is the information used to manipulate the public opinion to support a particular agenda, often by operating by distorted facts to arouse an emotional rather than rational impression to the information presented. Propaganda has played an important role in political and military strategies. Governments during the First and Second World Wars devoted great effort to producing posters, film and radio broadcast to raise the morale of soldiers and persuade people to behave in certain ways.
There are three types of propaganda: white, grey and black propaganda.
i. ‘White propaganda’ comes from credible sources and has a transparent purpose.
ii. ‘Gray propaganda’ is the mixing of true and false facts. Its accuracy of information is doubtful.
iii. ‘Black propaganda’ is false information to derogate the opposition, and it spreads fabrications
and deceptions.
(1) Lacoste, G. "Tittle Tattle Lost The Battle". WW2 (1939-45)
https://i.redd.it/7u9vssfrigb31.jpg
This poster was made to call attention to the dangers of “careless talk”. British government wanted the public to pay great care to the security since their “careless talk” might be used by enemy spies listening in.
(2)Scott, Septimus E. “These women are doing their bit” 1916. British Library
https://prints.bl.uk/products/these-woman-are-doing-their-bit-g70109-94
This poster encouraged women to work in factories to make weapons. During the war, government propaganda was responsible for the change in society's acceptance of women in the workplace.
(3) Howard Chandler Christy."Gee!! I Wish I Were a Man!"1917. Wikimedia Commons
This poster was made to galvanise support from women for the war effort. Female imagery was utilized for the purpose of enlisting soldiers. This one used the woman as a sex appeal for recruiting men to the navy.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Howard_Chandler_Christy_-_Gee_I_wish_I_were_a_Man,_I%27d_Join_the_Navy_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
Ten principles of war propaganda
Belgian historian Ann Morelli enumerates the basic principles of war propaganda as the following principles:
1. Avoid war where possible but defend ourselves at all cost.
2. It is not our fault, it is the enemy’s.
3. The enemy’s leader is corrupt and merciless.
4. We are fighting for our noble mission, not our individual interests.
5. The enemy’s actions are deliberate whereas we make some mistakes which are not deliberate.
6. Unauthorised means of war are employed by the enemy.
7. The losses of the enemy far outweigh those that we suffer.
8. Our cause has the backing of people of artistic and intellectual backgrounds.
9. Our campaign is divinely motivated.
10. It is traitorous to doubt our cause.
These ten principles can be applied to all conflicts; not only war but also economic and social conflicts.
Atrocity Propaganda
British wartime propaganda centred on the inhumanities carried out by the German forces. The impact of atrocity propaganda can be observed in events such as the sinking of the Lusitania, which resulted in the loss of 1200 civilian lives, as well as the execution of Edith Cavell.
‘Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually, they will believe it.’
ーDr Joseph Goebbelsー
Germany established a central bureau for foreign propaganda in the foreign ministry. Propaganda posters were published in order to arouse the morale of the nation and create hatred to depict the enemy, which may or may not itself have been accurate.
‘All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension
of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.’
ーAdolf Hitlerー
The German military did not think the people were smart enough to differentiate between reality and false propaganda. Propaganda can induce the public to leap to conclusions without examination of evidence. One man’s lie can be another man’s article of faith. People tend to accept as fact what they want to believe. During the war, people were gripped by fear and viewed things subjectively, as objective thinking is hard to maintain, however, it is important to keep emotion under control and take things from various viewpoints.
"When war is declared, truth is the first casualty."
ーArthur Ponsonbyー
Low-credibility content tends to be spread quickly rather than accurate information. This is because people will be keen on the content which piques their empathy, even though it may not be accurate. What you do not see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears might not be true. The opposite of ‘justice’ is not ‘wrong’, it is simply 'another justice'. The world is complicated. It is not just black and white, and people need to pay more attention and read a variety of different sources. Social biases are likely to influence people. We need to see the facts with our own eyes.
References
Michael, B.(1979). Propaganda in War. London: The Gresham Press
Anne,M.(2001). Principes élémentaires de propagande de guerre. Bruxelles: Editions Aden
K.R.M.Short.(1975).Film and Radio Propaganda in World War II. New York: Chelsea House Publishers
#Propaganda #Ten principles of war propaganda #"Tittle Tattle Lost The Battle" #“These women are doing their bit” #"Gee!! I Wish I Were a Man!"
Commentaires