Figure 1.-- This illustratio appeared in the British "The War Illustrated". The caption read, "There were many proved instances of Germans using women and children as battle-screens." There were manu illustrations like this in the first year of the War. The Germans did behave brutally, for example, seizing civilian food supplies. I know, however, no proven instances of such German battlefield tactics. |
British propaganda proved more effective than German propaganda. The German war propaganda lacked subtlety and was seen as strident by most Americans. The British, however, had important advatages. British propaganda was to play an important part in the Allied victory. The British had no propaganda office when the War began, but quickly created one. The War Propaganda Bureau was placed in the hands of Charles Masterman (September 1914). The British had two concens with one broke out. First, The British from the onset needed to influence domestic public opinion. This was more important in Britain than any other because Britain entered the War with only a small all-volunteer army. Thus Britons until 1916 had to be persuaded to volunteer. And the British public as the War progressed will apauling casualties had to be persuaded to continue the War. Second, the British needed to influence world opinion and here it was the United States that most concerned the British. This became increasingly important as the War progressed and neither the Allies or the Central Powers could break the deadlock on the Western Front. By 1917 with the virtual collaose of the French Army and the disolution of the Russian Army that Allied success would depend on America. Here the Germans had given the British a substantial advantage. However the Germans tried to explin it, the fact remained that the War began wjen they invaded Belgium--a neutral nation. And the brutal German occupation regime in Belgium gave the British material for their progand mill. Certainly the British blew iy up out of all proportions, but the Germans provided plenty of material for the British to work with. Had not America rushed food shipments to Belgium, there would have been mass starvation. The British had another important advantage, they controlled the Trans-Atlantic cabels, which meant they controlled the War news America received. Thus from a very early stage in the War, American sympathies were with the Allies. The German introduction of sunmarine warfare and poison gas only confirmed American attitudes toward the Germans and British propaganda made full use of both in their propaganda.
British propaganda proved more effective than German propaganda. The German war propaganda lacked subtlety and was seen as strident by most Americans. The British, however, had important advatages. British propaganda was to play an important part in the Allied victory.
The British had no propaganda office when the War began, but quickly created one. The War Propaganda Bureau was placed in the hands of Charles Masterman (September 1914).
The British had two concens with one broke out. First, The British from the onset needed to influence domestic public opinion. This was more important in Britain than any other because Britain entered the War with only a small all-volunteer army. Thus Britons until 1916 had to be persuaded to volunteer. And the British public as the War progressed will apauling casualties had to be persuaded to continue the War. Second, the British needed to influence world opinion and here it was the United States that most concerned the British. This became increasingly important as the War progressed and neither the Allies or the Central Powers could break the deadlock on the Western Front. By 1917 with the virtual collaose of the French Army and the disolution of the Russian Army that Allied success would depend on America.
The Germans had given the British a substantial advantage. However the Germans tried to explin it, the fact remained that the War began when they invaded Belgium--a neutral nation. The British charged that German soldiers committed henous war crimes against civilians. They also targeted the brutal German occupation regime in Belgium which gave the British material for their progand mill. Certainly the British blew it up out of all proportions, but the Germans provided plenty of material for the British to work with. Had not America rushed food shipments to Belgium, there would have been mass starvation in Belgium. Another major them was the inhuman nature of German U-boat warfare. This also proved effective when Americans were killed in the U-boat attacks. Much of the most aggressively anti-German material appeard in the ealy phase of the War. Later British propaganda seem to be more oriented toward positive patriotic themes. I'm unsure just why the British shifted their propaganda focus.
We are not sure at this time how much of the British anti-German was the direct result of stories planted by the War Propaganda Bureau and how much was the imagination of private British authors and illustrators. The War Propaganda Bureau engaged the services of important authors. We are unsure to what extent they directed their work. Of course after reading newspaper items, authors wrote stories that were not created by the War Propaganda Bureau. It is probably impossible to differentite between the two at this time. And of course with the press censorship at the time, material could not be published unless the Government approved.
The British had another important advantage, they controlled the Trans-Atlantic cabels, which meant they controlled the War news America received.
With the invasion of Belgium, from a very early stage in the War, American sympathies were with the Allies. The German introduction of sunmarine warfare and poison gas only confirmed American attitudes toward the Germans and British propaganda made full use of both in their propaganda. The German sinking of Lusitania (1915) had aparticularly important impact on American public opinion bcause of the loss of American lives--including some prominent Americans. After the War mny Americans rethought this, but during the War it had a very significant impact on public opinion, adding to anti-German sentiment.
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