1. Propaganda in World War One

2. What is Propaganda?
Propaganda is a specific type of message presentation aimed at serving an agenda. At its root, the denotation of propaganda is 'to propagate (actively spread) a philosophy or point of view'.
The most common use of the term (historically) is in political contexts; in particular to refer to certain efforts sponsored by governments or political groups. (Wikipedia)

3. Why do we use Propaganda?
Each of the nations which participated in World War One from used propaganda posters.
They used posters to:
justify their involvement to their own populace
As a means of recruiting men
A way to raise money and resources to sustain the military campaign.
To urge conservation

4. Why Posters? Television had not yet been invented
Not everyone owned or had access to a radio
Posters were the most effective means of getting a message across

5. Government Support
Quite often propaganda is connected with negative emotions
During the Great War the governments needed money for the war effort so they focused their efforts on posters aimed at raising money from citizens for the war effort

6. Propaganda uses Seven Tricks to get their message across
1.Name Calling: getting people to associate a negative label on a person, place, or idea
2. Card Stacking:  only using facts that support one side of an argument  / issue
3. Band wagon:  creates the impression of widespread support. It reinforces the human desire to be on the winning side. 
4. Testimonial:  associate a respected person or someone with experience to endorse a product or cause hoping that the audience will follow their example.
5. Plain folk:  convince the audience that the spokesperson is from humble origins, someone they can trust and who has their interests at heart.
6. Transfer:  taking a positive emotional response from something we respect and like and associating it to something the propagandist want us to like (e.g., waving the flag) 
7. Glittery Generality:  vague, sweeping statements (often slogans or simple catchphrases) using words associated with values and beliefs deeply held by the audience without providing supporting information or reason. They appeal to such notions as honor, glory, love of country, desire for peace, freedom, and family values.

9. Activity:
Examine a poster and identify the ‘tricks’ used.
Present your conclusions to the class.
You will be marked on:
Explanation of the poster
Identification of the ‘tricks’ used
Comments on its effectiveness
Clarity and accuracy

22. Censorship
To censor something means: to change, limit or deny access to
During WWI, soldier at the front wrote letters to loved ones back in Canada telling them of their experiences.
To prevent the enemy from getting secret information and to stop loved ones at home from receiving upsetting news, many letters were censored by military.
This involved striking sensitive passages with a black marker, cutting out sections with a knife or sometimes confiscating the entire letter.

23. What do you think?
Is military security more important than individual freedom of expression?
When do you think censorship is acceptable?
How would you feel if a letter you wrote was censored by a stranger?

24. In an effort to ease the job of censors during WWI, ready-made postcards were developed for quick use.
These were named after artillery shells that arrived without warning, called “whiz-bangs”.
Soldiers checked boxes from a list of pre-selected answers.
Here is a wartime postcard …

26. What do you think?
How would you react if you received one of these from a loved one in place of a written letter?

35. Resources
World War I Posters- Canada