Unit Iv: Ultra-Nationalism and the Return of War

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HIS 270 3/7/2013 Unit IV Response Essay Unit IV: Ultra-Nationalism and the Return of War Media has become a strong tool for persuading the masses of a certain thought or ideology. Media of all kinds were used during the war and during peacetime to make situations seems better or worse than they really were. Film was the primary media of choice at this time, as it was still an evolving and developing media format. All forms of media available at this time were used to try and persuade people to believe what the government believed in. France and Germany had never been on good terms with one another, but some films, such as The Eye of Vichy, attempted to make the Franco-German relationship seem better than it really was. It especially focused on making the Germans appear to be more giving to the French and making their lives better. (The Eye of Vichy) Many politicians attempted to make statements to ease the people’s minds and to make them believe that peace was the only possible solution to truly keep Europe from going to war again. Many of these speeches were broadcasted on radio, recorded through film and sound for later play, written down and held at large gatherings. This helped them to reach out to the masses easier than ever before. An example of this is a piece of the statement given by Neville Chamberlain: "We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted to deal with any other questions that may concern our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference, and thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe. ("Peace in Our Time", 1938) Newspapers, articles, and other written and published pieces were also used to persuade the masses thought on government, its policies, enemies, actions, and so forth. Although nowadays some actions taken before or during
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