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Impact of propaganda in WW1 and WW2
Effects that war has on society
Consequences of war on civilians
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Was World War One a total war? Why? Why not?
The First World War of 1914-1918, also known as the Great War, was the first total war in history. What began as a European struggle over the balance of power between the triple alliance of France, Britain and Russia on one side and the central powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary on the other, soon became a global conflict that involved the imperial powers of Europe, their colonies and lands such as the Ottoman Empire, Japan and the United States. Although the sheer number of countries involved in the conflict is enough to describe the First World War as a mass war, what makes it total is the fact that it was waged not only against the enemy’s armies, but also against the civilian population. Military attacks, the use of propaganda and the fact that governments had to mobilise every available human and material resource for the conduct of war affected non-combatants and made World War One a war not fought between armies, but entire societies.
Civilians became targets of warfare because their efforts were crucial to the outcome of the war. While fifteen million soldiers died , untold millions suffered off the battlefield. One weapon that had a major effect on warfare in 1914-1918 was the submarine. Since all Britain’s supplies were seaborne, enemies such as Germany resorted to starving the population by destroying British supply ships. The British also found it an effective tactic to blockade supplies to Germany, starving the German war economy and population. Air raids were also a reality for citizens and the general populace had to be ready for the enemy to strike at any time. Attacks were not always so random. An Armenian woman tells of her experiences of being taken from her city with her children, knowing that she was going to be killed - “I was in the last caravan to leave the city; we knew they were leading us to our deaths…there was a well wide open where the executioners immediately threw the women they were stabbing.” This is an example that shows how women and children suffered in a conflict that many did not understand or want to be a part of.
The use of propaganda and the war of words between belligerents played a big part in making the First World War total, as “the orgy of killing on the battlefield took place against the backdrop of an orgy of loaded words.” The government and press were able...
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...d be directly or indirectly involved in the war – if not physically involved in battle, they could be emotionally affected by the use of propaganda or manipulated by misleading information. Finally, the First World War was waged with armaments that require entire economies to produce them. This means that the war was total because non-combatant involvement in the war effort was essential.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bentley, Jerry H. & Ziegler, Herbert F., Traditions & Encounters, (New York, 2003).
Demm, Eberhard, ‘Propaganda and Caricature in the First World War’, Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 28, No. 1. (1993), pp. 163-192.
Hobsbawm, Eric, ‘The Age of Total War’, Age of Extremes, Michael Joseph, 1994. 21-53.
Marquis, Alice Goldfarb, ‘Words as Weapons: Propaganda in Britain and Germany during the First World War’, Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 13, No. 3. (1978), pp. 467-498.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Lines of Fire. Women Writers of World War I, edited by Margaret Higonnet (New York, 1999): Gadarinee Dadourian, ‘A Mother’s Deportation’, pp.280-1.
Mike Iavarone, “Trenches on the Web: Posters from the Great War,” http://www.worldwar1.com/posters.htm#ger
World War I is marked by its extraordinary brutality and violence due to the technological advancement in the late 18th century and early 19th century that made killing easier, more methodical and inhumane. It was a war that saw a transition from traditional warfare to a “modern” warfare. Calvary charges were replaced with tanks; swords were replaced with machine guns; strategic and decisive battles were r...
Harris, Carol. "Women Under Fire in World War Two". BBC News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2014
that comes to mind is the scale of war. It was tremendous. I am going
Words and images were silent weapons used by all governments involved during World War II. Wars are generally fought between soldiers, but the different ideologies often meet on the battlefield as well. The support of the people is crucial during these times since general knowledge of strength relies on numbers. Propaganda targets people’s emotions and feelings and changes people’s perception about a particular idea, people, or situation. Propaganda goes hand in hand with the art of persuasion and convincing; these tools can control and manipulate the collective minds of a massive amount of its audience.
• The Nazi regime created a Ministry of Propaganda and Popular Enlightenment, under Joseph Goebbels (the original ‘spin doctor’) to unite the nation behind the aims of the regime. Goebbels was a brilliant speaker and his radio broadcasts reached into every German home. (McDonough 49)
World War Two was the most devastating conflict in the history of humanity. It crippled many nations and caused millions of people to die. One of the major causes of this disastrous war was the Treaty of Versailles which ended the First World War. This treaty was destructive towards the Germans. Germany had to pay large amounts of reparations to the Allied nations at the end of World War One resulting in a Great Depression in Germany. Additionally, the Treaty of Versailles’ war guilt clause forced Germans to admit full responsibility for starting the war. Furthermore, to gain the support of the German populace, Adolf Hitler adopted an effective propaganda campaign. Adolf Hitler employed a successful propaganda campaign to gain the support of the German people combined with the Treaty of Versailles harsh economic and political sanctions ignited World War Two.
O'Neill, William L. World War II: A Student Companion. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. Print.
During the early 1900s a new era of warfare emerged as governments began to employ all economic, technological and psychological resources available to defeat their enemies. This concept of Total War altered the direction of humanity and governments understanding in their allocation of resources. This essay will examine the relationship between propaganda used during World War I, its effect on the masses and the absolutely essential need for the success of such campaigns in obtaining military victory. While leaflet propaganda used during the war will be the main focus, considerations will be given to other forms to illuminate the necessity of understanding and utilizing the tools of this very powerful weapon.
In the most destructive war in the history, propaganda became a new way of attempt to influence in a huge manner a notable percent of public opinion by using media or any alternative via of communication. Somehow, in World War II the known term ‘’propaganda’’ started to present negative connotations. In Germany this new way to express information among the population was invented by the Nazi’s which name given was ´´negative propaganda.’’ The Völkischer Beobachter, that means, ``People´s observer´´, serves as an example of Nazi´s ideology to disturb human’s minds in order to make them do something they did not felt comfortable doing. Perhaps newspapers were established in many territories that were conquered during the war, Nazi’s journalist made negative propaganda tending to persuade. Hitler, in contrast, was a great speaker. His oratory was his major and most powerful weapon, a factor in his rise.
The First World War started on the 28th July 1914 and ended once the armistice was signed on the 11th of November 1918. World War one is also widely known as the Great War. It impacted the lives of countless people around the world with the majority being in Europe. This war also dubbed the War to End all Wars involved 32 countries from around the globe. World War one was one of the most tragic and destructive conflicts involving the human race. There was upwards of 18 million deaths and another 23 million people injured due to this horrific battle, despite the fact it only spanned close to four and a half years.
World War 1 was called “The Great War”, “The war to end all wars”, and “The first modern war”. It had many causes and a few repercussions and I will describe them in detail.
World War I, commonly referred to as “The Great War,” began on July 28, 1914. It lasted four years and ended with the signing of peace treaties on November 11, 1918. This war was a battle between the Allies and the Central Powers. The main members of the Allied Powers were France, Russia, and Britain. In 1917 the United States joined the Allies due to Germany sinking The Lusitania and killing many Americans on board. The main members of the Central Powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. Most of the war was fought primarily in Europe and the Middle East. After four years of fighting, the Allies won, but sadly, approximately 19 million people lost their lives.
Jerod Ford 3/20/14 Period 6 Why Was WWI Inevitable? Europe has seen many wars over its vast and broad history, some of which are quite immense and destructive. One such war would undoubtedly be World War One. A war powered by the brainwashing ways of militarism and the stubborn pride of nationalism.
Curnalia, Rebecca. "A Retrospective on Early Studies of Propaganda and Suggestions for Reviving the Paradigm." Routledge 5.4 (2005): 237-257. Web. 14 Jul 2010.
WWII was one of the wars that had the most devastating effects on peoples live in Europe. During five years citizens of the different countries suffered from this brutal war to which they were condemned by their government. Two of the most affected home fronts during this war, were Britain, and Germany. Women, children were the most affected, and by many they were the moral support for their brigades, while men wre fighting in the front line. When war broke out in September 1939, the British government expected that the effects on life in Britain would be very serious. Throughout the 1930s there had been many predictions about the effects that bombing would have on cities.