April 22, 2004
Undermining morale: wartime propaganda leaflets
From H.D. Miller's Travelling Shoes:
Today, I just stumbled onto something remarkable, a collection of German propaganda leaflets designed to sap the will of American soldiers fighting in Europe during WWII.Leaflet link here; Miller notes one leaflet follows a similar format to that of a recent Andy Rooney challenge to American soldiers in Iraq -- compare and contrast for extra credit.
Posted by David on April 22, 2004 8:48 PM
Nobody can dodge the necessity of making up his own mind on any given question that calls for decision, whether it is international policy, local politics, or even the selection of one toothpaste over another. In making up his own mind he can look at all the propagandas and also bring into play all the information that is to be found outside propaganda and use every standard and criterion available to him in weighing values.He should not forget that there are safeguards and checks for sizing up the merits of propaganda and the self-interest that may lie back of it. One authority on propaganda suggests two, tests:
l. Is it really propaganda? Is some individual or group consciously trying to influence opinion and action? Who? For what purpose?
2. Is it true? Does a comparison of independent reports show that the facts are accurate? Does such a comparison show that the suggestions made are soundly based?
There are other tests that can be applied by the thinking citizen:
Which fact or set of facts in a piece of promotion are really important and relevant? Which are irrelevant?
If some individual or group is trying to influence opinion and action, is the effort selfish or is it unselfish? Will action resulting from the propaganda benefit the individual or group responsible for it? Or will it benefit those who act upon the suggestion given in the propaganda? Or will it benefit both?
What is likely to be the effect of the action or of the opinion that the propaganda is trying to set in motion?
All these points boil down to some very simple questions: What is the source of the propaganda? What is its authority? What purposes prompted it? Whom will it benefit? What does it really say?
From the US Army publication What is Propaganda?, part of the G.I. Roundtable Series produced in 1943-45 by the Army’s Division of Information and Education.
Much depends upon who is speaking, and when, and where; but even more depends upon who is listening, and when, and where.
Listen (and watch), but verify.
Posted by: Peter Shriner on April 23, 2004 1:10 AM
I believe Roger Bacon said:
A soldier is a poor man hired to protect a rich one.
Posted by: joel on May 1, 2004 1:10 PM
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