How was propaganda used in World War One?

What is propaganda?

Propaganda is used to try to make people think a certain way.

Stories about bad things the Germans had done were told to make people angry and frightened so everyone would want Britain to beat them in the war.

But many tales were untrue and Germany told the same stories about Britain.

What the public thought about the war really mattered.

The government needed to recruit lots of soldiers and wanted people to support them.

Posters were printed that made the army look exciting.

Other posters told men it was their duty to join, that they would feel proud if they did and guilty or embarrassed if they didn't join.

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This famous poster used the face of Lord Kitchener to persuade men to join the army. Kitchener died when his ship hit a German mine.
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Posters brought together people from different jobs and backgrounds. As well as soldiers, this poster shows a blacksmith, a munitions worker, and gentleman and a nurse.
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Dramatic depictions of events were used to motivate people to join the army. 1,000 civilians died after the Lusitania, a passenger ship, was attacked by a German submarine in 1915.
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Posters tried to persuade men to join friends and family who had already volunteered by making them feel like they were missing out.
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The fear and the anger that people felt against air raids was used to recruit men for the armed services.
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Posters urged women to help the war effort. The Women's Land Army worked on farms to grow crops for people to eat.
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Women were encouraged to put pressure on their sons, brothers, husbands and fathers to join the army.
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Before rationing was introduced, posters encouraged people to cut down on resources that were becoming harder to come by, like bread.

At first journalists were not allowed to report from the Western Front.

Many found secret ways to travel there. One journalist, Basil Clarke, hid on a train full of French soldiers.

In April 1915 the ban was stopped and some journalists went to the front.

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People in Britain wanted to know what was happening
But the Government knew spies might read the papers. A law was passed to stop newspapers from printing information which could help the enemy or make British people feel unhappy about the war.
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Most journalists were strongly patriotic
They wrote stories in a way that made the British and their allies look successful. If the Army or Navy had done well in battle, the story would be on the front page with a bold headline.
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Newspapers carried a list of officers and men killed in battle
Local papers would list those in their area who were dead or missing. It all made very sad reading since so many soldiers and sailors were young men.