PROPAGANDA:
INFORMATION OR IDEAS METHODICALLY SPREAD TO PROMOTE A CAUSE,
MOVEMENT, OR NATION.
PROPAGANDA: INFORMATION OR IDEAS METHODICALLY SPREAD TO PROMOTE A CAUSE, MOVEMENT, OR NATION.
PROPAGANDA IN AMERICA
Before mid-1940, there were not many wide-scale government-sponsored attempts at influencing American citizens on international matters. Propaganda was viewed as un-American and alien by the American people. Fear of propaganda was confirmed by seeing Communist and Fascist propaganda in the 1920's and 1930's. There was a short-lived Committee on Public Information set up by President Wilson in WWI. It was disliked by many in Congress and even the Secretary of State. It was disbanded after WWI was over.
PRE-WAR DOMESTIC PROPAGANDA
Before the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had the task of rallying the American people in favor of entering WWII during a period of isolationism in America. Numerous groups, such as America First, started campaigns to fight America entering WWII. Roosevelt set up the Office of Facts and Figures in 1940. He insisted that this propaganda office must retain the essence of truth. In other words, the Office of Facts and Figures was not supposed to flat out lie to the American people. Later, two offices were formed for work domestically and abroad, the Office of War Information and the Office of Strategic Services.
HOLLYWOOD AND PROPAGANDA
Film was a distinguishing, if not revolutionary, aspect of American propaganda. Just because propaganda is not produced by a government, does not mean it isn't propaganda. Refer to the definition of propaganda. Before Pearl Harbor, many people in Hollywood thought that America should fight with the allies. Hollywood wanted to help the cause, but still profit from work. Consequently, the bad guys started to become Nazis and the good guys started to become the British. Movies such as "Secret Service in Darkest Africa" used these tactics. Even Batman and Spiderman had a chance to fight the fascists. Others included "The Man Is Down" and Chaplin's "The Great Dictator." Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo and their followers were butts of humor in films such as Walt Disney's "Der Führer's Face."
DOMESTIC PROPAGANDA: WWII
Influencing people in a democracy with propaganda is not as easy as it is in a Fascist government . Propagandists can't force people to watch or look at propaganda, and lies are easily discovered. The Office of War Information produced a series of films after America entered the war called "Why We Fight" by famed director Frank Capra. The successful films, shown all over the United States and all over the world deterred isolationist sentiment and put the war in simple moral terms. It separated good and bad. Footage in American propaganda was supplied by footage in Axis propaganda. Seeing the Axis propaganda made Americans know something needed to be done. This revolutionary tactic was used in the "Why We Fight" films. It touched people to the core. There was much opposition from both Congress and Hollywood to official propaganda films, so there were few domestic films made by the federal government. OWI stopped producing motion pictures in 1943.
Support for the war was sought by the government in numerous medium including rallies, newsreels, posters and pamphlets. Messages included support for war bonds, ration support, carefulness in talk (spies), support civilian patrols, and anti-discrimination in factories.
Steven Dohamos
This is a 1943 American propaganda poster urges Americans not to talk about troop movements, equipment, inoculations, etc. Notice that the enemy's hand is purposely barbaric-like with a lot of hair and veins.
THE INTERNATIONAL PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN: WWII
In WWII, The United States had numerous medium for international propaganda. Of important note are the leaflet and the radio.
LEAFLETS: The United States achieved the most results through its leaflets. In Europe alone, 7 million leaflets were dropped by OWI every week in WWII. Leaflets were dropped for a number of reasons. Some were dropped on troops to weaken morale. Some warned of "overwhelming odds" and told of "honorable surrender" Others were dropped over enemy territory describing allied production and victories. News dropped over Germany was sometimes objective to gain the credibility of the leaflets. Sometimes leaflets warned civilians of attack. Safe conduct passes were successful in getting enemy troops to surrender. In July 1945, Japan was discussing surrender with the United States government without telling its troops. OWI dropped leaflets over Japan and there was a widespread reaction in favor of the Allies.
RADIO: Another important aspect of American international propaganda was radio. Voice of America was the government network that carried US propaganda abroad. The first VOA broadcast was in February of 1942. VOA told the truth to the people in enemy territory. The effect of VOA was wider-reaching. About 2/3 of the German population listened to western broadcasts (including VOA)(source). Germany tried to jam airwaves, but usually failed. . OWI broadcasts were so powerful that the Italian Navy surrendered (source) to allied forces after being bombarded by broadcasts every 15 minutes. VOA was white propaganda, because the recipient knew where it came from. Conversly, black propganda, where the recipient thinks the information is from their own side, was also employed by OWI.
United States psychological warfare is known to have helped defeat Germany quicker.
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U.S. Dept. Of The Army, Psychological Operations |
This image is a representation of the multitude of leaflets that were dropped not only in enemy territories, but also in other parts of Europe, Asia, and even Africa to rally people against the axis powers.
United States propaganda around and during WWII was revolutionary for a variety of reasons. The United States actually made wide-spread attempts to influence American citizens on international matters. The medium for the propaganda was also quite revolutionary. The mass-communication of radio and film changed propaganda forever. WWII was the first war in which propagandists on both sides had motion pictures. In retrospect, WWII was an important turning point for American propaganda that set a course for the Cold War and beyond.
WORKS CITED:
Grubin, David (Producer and Director). (1984). A Walk Through the 20th Century with Bill Moyers: World War II: The Propaganda Battle [Video]. Alexandria: PBS Video (Distributor).
Olson, Tod. "Loose Lips Sink Ships." Scholastic Update. 23 Feb. 1998: v130, n10, 15(3). General Reference Center (Magazine Index). InfoTrac Web. Online Database. (7 Nov. 2001)
Rhodes, Anthony. Propaganda: The Art of Persuasion: World War II. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1976. 139-176, 292-294.
Sorensen, Thomas C. The Word War: The Story of American Propaganda. New York: Harper & Row, 1968. 8-20.
Thum, Gladys, and Marcella Thum. "War Propaganda of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries: The Beginnings of War." The Persuaders: Propaganda in War and Peace. New York: Atheneum, 1972. 41-66.
Dohanos, Steven. Untitled Poster ("bits or careless talk are pieced together by the enemy"). Illus in Propaganda: The Art of Persuasion: World War II. By Anthony Rhodes. New York: Clark House Publishers, 1976.
This poster is a primary source. It is a 1943 poster by American Steven Dohanos. It illustrates a Nazi's hand putting together a puzzle that reads, "Convoy sails for England tonight," These types of posters encouraged Americans not to talk about troop movements, sailings, war equipment, etc. This is a photo of an original poster from the years of WWII.
Unknown Artist. Untitled Poster ("stop him and the job's done") . Illus in Propaganda: The Art of Persuasion: World War II. By Anthony Rhodes. New York: Clark House Publishers,1976.
This poster is a primary source. It was an official US Army poster used in World War II. It illustrates an oversized Japanese soldier pointing a gun at the viewer. These types of posters rallied American troops. This is a photo of the poster used during the war. It is an era poster, with no editing after its era.
Unknown Creator. Translation of Untitled Leaflet ("to the German women"). Photo in The Persuaders: Propaganda in War and Peace. By Gladys & Marcella Thum. New York: Atheneum, 1972.
This translation of a US Army propaganda leaflet is a primary source. It was dropped in Germany during World War II. It asks the German women to tell their troops to surrender. It also calls Nazis fanatics and says that Germany will "be a Theater of War." It is a primary source because it is a translation of something that was actually dropped in Germany during WWII.
