The Uses of Propaganda in Order to Promote the War Effort During World War One

The Uses of Propaganda in Order to Promote the War Effort During World War One

Propaganda was used in world war one to promote the war effort for

many reasons. The reasons for using propaganda varied greatly

depending on the area of the war being promoted. Also, different

propaganda started at different times in the war and not all types of

propaganda lasted until the end of the war.

Recruitment propaganda was used from the start of the war until

conscription was introduced in 1916. It was intended to get the fit

and able men of Britain to join the army. Recruitment propaganda was

also aimed at the women of Britain. They were bombarded with

propaganda to try and get then to send their husbands and partners to

war.

At the start of the war there was no need for propaganda surrounding

the topic of food and the supply of food in Britain, as it was not in

short supply. However by 1917, at on point Britain had only a few

weeks supply of grain left. This was down to the sinking of nearly a

quarter of the supply vessels entering and leaving Britain from

America and Canada. To try and help the crisis the government took

over most of the food production industry under DORA and began to

publish propaganda that encouraged the people of Britain to ‘EAT LESS

BREAD!’ When compulsory rationing was introduced, the government began

issuing propaganda that displayed the punishments that people had been

given when they broke the rationing act in an attempt to scare the

people that had not yet been caught and people that were thinking of

cheating the system. As well as the propaganda and the rationing act

the government also imposed bans that prevented people from feeding

animals certain foods. As the war went on the propaganda became

increasingly less subtle and by the end was very clear and blunt.

Women were not exempted from propaganda either. Propaganda was

targeted at them to try and get them to take up work in the places