Propaganda as a weapon? Influencing International opinion - Summary

http://www.bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/propaganda-as-a-weapon

Propaganda as a Weapon? Influencing International Opinion
British Library

by Ian Cooke

Key Points

• In World War I, propaganda was a massive factor in helping to manipulate international opinion - Global influences.
• Influencing the News
• It was in the interest of the countries at war to try and gain the support of independent countries.
• Including drawings or photographs within the printed propaganda newspapers was effective in gaining the interests and attention of the masses.
• Sending out copies of newspapers in many different languages included a variety of cultures in having an opinion on the conflict of World War I. Offered a biased viewpoint on hat was happening.
• German and British covert propaganda
• Propaganda was used to try and influence countries against the motives and interests of their economy - Power of persuasion. Germany trying to stop America from giving financial support to Britain.
• Tactfulness is important when appealing to the public. The propaganda was less effective when used in a certain way. - Obvious.
• Certain areas/people were targeted for their influence on a greater number of people - PR.
• Britain enhanced support by distributing propaganda from other countries, made it look like these external countries were supporting them out of choice over Germany - Pressure.
• Official propaganda
• Propaganda was used by the government to try and gain acceptance for their actions from the masses.
• Exploiting mistakes made by the enemy
• Warfare was not just evident on the battlefield, but also evident within media and the way events were made aware to the public - The sinking of the Lusitania, publicising failures of the enemy to get the public on side.
• Propaganda against enemy armed forces
• Influencing people outside of the direct reach of the conflict using print media helped to gain support from the masses universally.
• Germany tried to appeal to people's emotional investments and what matters to them in their personal lives.
• The impact of International propaganda
• Distributing printed propaganda was a useful way of getting information seen by a majority, so it was adopted by everyone (all sides). It was so effective that people were willing to risk their lives to distribute them.
• Germany believed that the war had been lost through the lack of support from the German people who had been influenced heavily by the external source of foreign propaganda.

Key Quotes

• 'the newspapers, books and cartoons produced in an attempt to influence both neutral and enemy countries'.
• 'to shape opinion and action internationally... justify their actions... build international support... resulted in some of the most powerful propaganda ever produced'.
• In 1914 'Wellington House printed its own newspapers for circulation around the world... Illustrated news, carrying drawings or photographs, was viewed as particularly effective'.
• 'By December 1916, the war pictorial was running at a circulation of 500,000 copies per issue... covering 11 languages... such a powerful effect upon the masses that the Chinese government were able to declare war against Germany'.
• - 'a plot by unscrupulous financiers to draw the USA into a war which would be against its own interests and ruinous to its economy... pamphlets, cartoons and longer books'.
• 'German propaganda tended to lack subtlety... British efforts, directed through Wellington House for most of the war, took a different approach'.
• '... produced independently of state direction... books and pamphlets were published in huge numbers and circulated to lists of people identified as opinion makers'.
• - '... an attempt by the government to set out its justification for war'.
• - 'British propaganda aimed at neutral countries also made effective use of Germany's misfortunes or misjudgements during the war' - Sinking of Lusitania (claimed 1198 lives) Britain 'circulated to highlight the 'barbarity' of the enemy'.
• - 'aeroplanes and balloons were used by all sides to drop leaflets and posters over fighting forces and civilians'.
• 'German propaganda included material written in Urdu... leaflets and posters played on resentments of British rule in India'.
• - 'leaflets and posters were circulated in vast numbers by all sides'.

Summary

'Propaganda as a weapon? Influencing International Opinion' is an article written by Ian Cooke for the British Library, which examines the ways in which Propaganda print was used to manipulate global viewpoints during World War I.

Cooke looks at how it was in the interest of conflicting countries to try and gain the support of those who were independent. By using 'newspapers, books and cartoons' as a form of printed propaganda, Britain and Germany were able to effectively gain the attention of 'both neutral and enemy countries'. Copies of newspapers printed in many different languages were sent out to try and 'justify their actions' on the battlefield and 'build international support'. This meant that many cultures could have an informed opinion on the conflict of World War I, however biased the source of their information may be. Just how effective this method of distribution could be was demonstrated by Wellington House, Britain's war propaganda bureau, in 1914. Illustrated newspapers containing drawings and photographs were printed 'for circulation around the world' and by December 1916, 11 different languages were covered. There was 'such a powerful effect upon the masses' that the repercussions following this had a significant impact on the rest of the war.

Propaganda of 'pamphlets, cartoons and longer books' were used as a means of persuasion to try and influence countries against the motives and interests of their economy. However, it became evident that tactfulness is very important when appealing to the public. Cooke suggests that German propaganda 'tended to lack subtlety' and was less effective when utilised in an obvious way. Britain approached distribution much differently, using knowledge of Public Relations, by appealing to certain areas/people who were targeted for their influence on a greater number of people. Pressure to support Britain was enforced when pamphlets and book were produced 'independently of state direction' and issued to people who were 'identified as opinion makers' to influence external countries.

The government used propaganda within their own country to try and gain acceptance for their actions from the masses. Cooke describes this as 'an attempt by the government to set out its justification for war'. Warfare was not just evident on the battlefield, but also within the media and the way mistakes of the enemy were presented to the public. Neutral countries were the target for British propaganda to highlight the 'misfortunes or misjudgements' of German action in war. The sinking of the Lusitania, which claimed 1198 lives, was fuel for Britain's Wellington House, which was 'circulated to highlight the 'barbarity' of the enemy'. Publicising the failures of opposing countries was successful in influencing public opinion.

'Aeroplanes and balloons were used by all side to drop leaflets and posters over fighting forces and civilians', reaching the support of the masses universally and influencing people outside of the direct reach of the conflict using printed media was very important in establishing the victory of the war. Germany tried to appeal to people's emotional investments and what mattered to them in their personal lives to get them on side. This was evident when leaflets and posters written in Urdu were issued, displaying the endorsements of the 'resentments of British rule in India'. The production of printed propaganda was a useful way of getting information seen by a majority, so it was adopted by all sides of the conflict. It was so effective that people were willing to risk their lives to ensure they were distributed accordingly. German people had been influenced so heavily by foreign propaganda, which was 'circulated in vast numbers by all sides', that it was thought the war had been lost, prematurely, due to the lack of public support.