Propaganda in WWI Essay

Propaganda in World War I

Lord Kitchener wants you – As they were still trying to recruit volunteers, a poster used during 1915-1918, it depicts a stern Lord Kitchener pointing straight forward, with large words saying ‘Britons Wants you’ and to ‘Join Your Country’s Army!’ The large bold Briton shows that it tried to conscript people to join the army for the sake of their country, instead of their king or for themselves. The striking you with Lord Kitchener himself summoning them was to make the person feel important, so that they would think that their country needed them to need the war, and that it was a duty.

Eat less bread – This poster shows a woman cooking, saying ‘The kitchen is the to victory’, with EAT LESS BREAD on the bottom. This poster was published during a time when there were food shortage in Britain during the war, especially when ships supplying Britain with food were sunk. During April 1917, conditions were close to completely running out of wheat, with prices soaring. The King first asked the people to eat 25% less bread, although there were still terrible shortages. Then the government tried to persuade people to eat less bread by publishing the eat less bread poster, and tried to convince them that doing so would help win the war.

Daddy – This is a postcard which shows a father with two children. A son on the floor, playing with tin soldiers and a daughter on his lap asking ‘Daddy, what did you do in the Great War?’ The father sits with a confused and guilty expression on his face, from which we can draw that he did nothing. Clearly it shows that being in war is supposed to be a glorious and heroic feat, and so if you didn’t go to war, you were viewed as cowardly and fearful. This poster manipulates the viewer by making them feel guilty, and that it’s their duty to go to war.

Propaganda in wars – There were various types of propaganda, including emotional appeals, demonization, and assurances such as ‘This is the war to...