Propaganda

This battle for the hearts and minds used the printed word, cartoons, illustrations and photographs as the tools to attempt sway public opinion toward militarily and materially supporting the Allies. Roughly 5% of the U.S. population had been born in one of the Central Power countries** and a significant percent more had ties to those countries. It would take until 1917 for the United States commit troops to the trenches in Europe. 

These are some examples of printed matter that arose out of attempts to sway public opinion from the collections in the WCSU Archives.

Politicians and the War

With Three Armies

Private Peat

My Four Weeks in France

The Big Fight

Under the German Heel

From "Poilu" to "Yank"

The war and America

Period Literature and Monographs

Before and during American involvement in the First World War, book publishers provided the American market with personal narratives from the front.  Some were propagandistic and aimed at influencing public opinion in favor of the war.  Even after the war, propagandistic materials were published in order to justify the loss of life in the trenches of Europe.

Displayed are examples of this period literature in the Special Collections at WestConn.

Selling Liberty Bonds to pay for the War.

Fragments from France - a precursor to World War II's Sad Sack. A light-hearted look at the life of a British soldier, Ol' Bill, in the trenches.

Germany's peace offering.

Propaganda for propaganda.

Cartoons

Cartoons were an effective way to communicate to all strata of society. All the examples here anti-German/Central Powers, but pro-German materials also existed (see: Villanova Universities online exhibit)