The Canadian Propaganda of World War One
The proper definition of propaganda is a deliberate attempt to control the attitudes of a group of people. When, in the history of Canada was it the most important to control the attitudes of people? During the First World War, when the feelings of skepticism and fear were high. The most common devices used were pageants, door to door visits, newspaper ads, songs, and most important, billboard size posters. These depicted anything from dying men, to boy scouts doing their part, to the enemy, killing our soldiers. The key role of propaganda within World War One was to convince men of ages 18 to 45 to join the military. Due to this being the target audience of recruiting posters, the style of advertising was very similar to that of current day car and truck ads. The posters featured attacks on specifically male emotions and thoughts. A prime example of this mentality was a poster featuring an attractive woman in a navy uniform saying, "If I were a man, I'd join the navy." A ___contrasting poster used guilt to attack men’s conscience by showing the back of a soldier in a trench, and asking, "Who is going to back me up?" The most well known image of propaganda was the United States Uncle Sam; England used another character of similar style named Lord Kitchener, who was frequently depicted standing triumphantly over the enemy. Posters involving recruiting also focused on vilifying Germans. A well-known poster shows a German, stabbing children in the back and another raping a woman. The same poster also insinuated that though a German may live in the same country as you, they still have a spiked helmet, and are just waiting for you to turn your back. The importance of recruiting declined in 1917, mainly due to the instatement of conscription which rendered recruiting useless. Propaganda was used for many things in WW1 but one in particular would be the advertising for victory bonds or war loans. These posters would usually be depicted towards the recruits' wives, mothers, sisters or any females in general. The slogans used would be something like "Bring your Boys home" or "Support your country’s victory". They also had slogans using guilt against the women letting their boys leave and having to support them with no other choice. The drawings used on the posters would be things like a wife waiting by her bedroom window for her husband to come back, or a group of recruits placing their flag into the ground with pride to symbolize victory. Another use of propaganda during the war was to make those who stayed at home try to help out. Although women and children could not go to France or Belgium, they could be helpful in other ways. The posters promoted recycling, thriftiness, as well as joining the Red Cross. This was very important, as resource were low; metals and other such items were needed to build parts for planes, guns and ammunition. Thus, promoting recycling was key. Also very important was the Red Cross. With so many men injured and dying, nurses were vital for the survival of soldiers. Posters depicted women bandaging wounded men, wearing halos and angelic wings. Since religion was so important in those times, doing God's deeds was a common device used in the propaganda. So what was left for the children to do? Young boys were persuaded to join the boy scouts. Posters displayed them contributing to the War in many ways; they ran food drives, collected clothes and money donations, helped elderly people as well as crippled or injured men. Also, the boy scouts ran first aid centers, in which they helped the nurses with injured men returning from war. Many of these deeds were depicted on posters or newspaper ads. Propaganda persuaded all to help out, men and women, young and old. Propaganda was a great concept for world war one. It helped the war greatly. Without it the war would have been much more difficult for both sides. By Jonathan Hackett, Lauren Maddocks, and Samantha Sears
A School Link Article. Courtesy of Samantha Sears, Your School, Date .
