In conclusion I believe that the most useful Source for a historian studying the use of propaganda during World War one is Source B as it is a primary source and is from a newspaper rather than a novel. It was also made in 1915 which was the high point of the war whereas Source A was from a novel, was written after the war and talks about the situation in 1914 which was at the very beginning of the war.
2. I was given two Sources made at the beginning of the war both of which had very different messages. Source C encouraged hatred of the Germans by showing a German soldier standing over the dead body of a woman who was holding her dead daughter. Source C was taken from “Punch” which was a British magazine written mainly for the middle class. Source D explains to the working classes how this is not their war and that the fight is between the ruling classes of Europe. It was taken from “labour Leader” which was the newspaper of the independent Labour Party. We were told to explain why the attitudes of these Sources differ.
The main reason why the attitudes of the Sources differ is because they are aimed at completely different classes of people. Source C is aimed at the rightwing, whereas Source D was leftwing. Source C is aimed at the middle classes where Source D is aimed at the working classes. At this early point in the war before the huge death tolls of 1915 had been seen, it was believed that mainly the working classes would end up fighting in the war. The Labour Party made Source D to explain to the working class how they were against the war and that it was unfair that the working class should have to fight the war of the ruling classes. However Source C is aimed at the middle classes. At this point in the war it was believed that they would suffer less from the war, as it was the working class that would do all of the fighting. Source C was made to encourage hatred of the Germans as in 1914 when this Source was made the middle classes were not yet opposed to the war.
In conclusion, I believe that the reason why Source C and Source D have such different attitudes is because they were aimed at different classes of people.
3. I was given nine Sources from A to I and had to decide if in these Sources there was sufficient evidence to support the interpretation,
“The most important aim of wartime propaganda was to encourage hatred of the enemy.”
I first looked at Source A. This is an extract from a novel written in 1961. The article talks about how a man went to the cinema, but instead of the film that he had expected, there was a woman who came on stage to sing a patriotic song about the men at the frontline. This was clearly not intended to provoke hatred of the enemy but instead to encourage patriotism for the men in the trenches.
Source B is an extract from a local newspaper “The Bath Chronicle” it show the picture of six men who you are told are five brothers and a brother in-law. Across the top of the page reads
“For King and Country. Brave Bath lads who have answered the call.” I would not say that there is any evidence in this Source to support the interpretation that propaganda was to encourage hatred of the enemy. Even though this was made at the most brutal part of the war, instead of encouraging hatred of the Germans, it was much more useful to encourage people to join the army and fight for their country.
Source C is a picture of a German soldier holding a pole with the German flag on in one hand while standing over the dead bodies of a mother and her child. This Source was definitely made to encourage hatred of the enemy as it shows the German showing no sign of mercy towards the mother and daughter. This does support the interpretation that propaganda was made to encourage hatred of the enemy.
Source D is from the Labour Party newspaper. It talks to the working classes about how it is unfair that they should have to fight the wars of the ruling classes, and actually refers to the Germans as friends. This does the opposite to what you would expect of propaganda, however this source was made before the high point of the war and the need for new soldiers or hatred of the Germans was very small. This extract was also meant to gain supporters for the labour Party rather than convincing existing supporters to hate the Germans.
Source E is a British newspaper report made during the Battle of the Somme. It talks about how heroic actions of the British soldiers, this Source was certainly made to encourage patriotism and also to encourage people to sign up for the army, however there is only a small amount of hatred towards the Germans being shown as it talks about how the German soldiers received mercy although they deserved none. Either way I do not believe that this source supports the interpretation.
Source F is a private view on the reporter’s job in wartime. This Source does not encourage hatred of the enemy or patriotism. Instead it just talks about a reporter’s stories and how he could not mention the true terror of what war is like. This Source shows only a small amount of hatred towards the enemy but not enough to support the Interpretation.
Source G is a First World War song for the home front. The song says how when a woman writes to her husband oh the frontline that she should send him a cheerful rather than a sad one. This Source definitely does not encourage hatred of the enemy but instead is brings compassion towards the men on the frontline.
Source H was a poster saying
“Britons wants you. Join your country’s army!” but on top of that was written,
“Your King and Country needs you
You hardy sons of toil
But will your King and Country need you
When they’re sharing out the spoil?”
Instead of being propaganda that encouraged hatred of the Germans, this is encouraging people to sign up for the army. But the warning rhyme written on the top is anti-war. Therefore this also does not support the interpretation.
Finally Source I is a drawing of a British cavalryman charging a group of Germans and overcoming the whole group of them. This propaganda portrays the cavalry as heroes where the truth was that the cavalry during World War One were useless, they could not move through the mud, gun fire and shells scared the horses and if the horse was shot the rider was likely to then die or be captured as a result. However this propaganda still does not support the Interpretation.
In conclusion, I believe that wartime propaganda was not to encourage hatred of the enemy but instead to encourage patriotism and to encourage people to join the army.
