Discussion Questions

January 27, 2009

1. What is propaganda?  Why specifically do countries need it and how specifically is it used?
2. What is meant by Marquis in "Words as Weapons" when she refers to the open and closed societies of Britain and Germany?  How did the nature of each society shape the type and content of the information provided to their respective publics?  Examples?
3. Why did the British "manage" the war news in the manner that they did?  Why did the British journalists seemingly comply so willingly in suppressing war news?
4. Why were the atrocity stories so important to the British propaganda efforts?  Why did German propaganda appear so unsuccessful when compared to that of the British?
5. What insights does Vera Brittain provide on this issue?
6. How does Creel define the nature of American propaganda?  What were its attributes?
7. What was the role of the state in American propaganda?  Why was it seemingly so different from the other belligerents?  Or was it really that different?
8. How does  the Canadian War Book chapter "What Germany Stands For" highlight the prevalent themes of British propaganda outlined by Marquis?
9. Compared to the other countries, what was unique about Italian propaganda and why was that so?
10. List the themes that are evident in the posters, with an example to support the theme.  Of all the propaganda posters, which do you feel is the most powerful, and why?
11. Overall, do you think that propaganda changed the course of the war?  If so, why and how?  If not, why not?