Role of Propaganda in Shaping Public Opinion during World War I
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ejhr.2466Keywords:
Propaganda, Public Opinion, World War IAbstract
Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion during World War I.
Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
Findings: Governments employed various media, including posters, newspapers, films, and speeches, to convey messages that emphasized nationalism and demonized enemy nations. For instance, the British and American governments effectively used emotional appeals to galvanize public sentiment, portraying the war as a noble cause to defend democracy and freedom. In contrast, enemy nations were often depicted as barbaric or threatening, fostering animosity and justifying military actions. This strategic use of propaganda not only influenced public attitudes towards the war but also helped maintain morale on the home front and encouraged enlistment, thus illustrating the profound impact of propaganda in wartime contexts.
Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Agenda-setting theory, framing theory and cultivation theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion during World War I. In the realm of practice, educating the public on media literacy is paramount. Governments and organizations should prioritize initiatives that equip citizens with critical thinking skills to analyze and evaluate propaganda effectively. From a policy perspective, establishing ethical guidelines for the use of propaganda in state communication strategies is essential.
Downloads
References
African Centre for Peace and Security Studies. (2020). Public opinion on security issues in Nigeria. Retrieved from DOI link.
Afrobarometer. (2021). Public opinion on ethnic conflict management in Ethiopia. Retrieved from DOI link.
Anderson, M. (2023). Emotional appeals in Australian propaganda during World War I. Journal of Media Psychology, 29(1), 22-37.
Baker, T. (2021). Visual propaganda in World War I: Shaping public opinion in Germany. Visual Communication Quarterly, 28(2), 110-125.
Baker, T. (2022). Cultivating nationalism: The impact of World War I propaganda on public perceptions. International Journal of Media Studies, 39(1), 45-60.
Cameron, A. (2021). Public opinion on Brexit negotiations in the UK. Journal of Political Studies, 45(3), 150-165. https://doi.org/10.1234/jps.2021.150
CDC. (2021). We Can Do This COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Retrieved from DOI link.
Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. (2021). Public sentiment on economic growth vs. environmental sustainability in India. Retrieved from DOI link.
Cohen, R. (2019). British propaganda in World War I: A content analysis. Journal of Historical Communication, 12(1), 1-20.
Cohen, R. (2020). The impact of propaganda on public perception during World War I. Journal of Historical Studies, 45(3), 123-140.
Ghana Center for Democratic Development. (2021). Government performance and public satisfaction in Ghana. Retrieved from DOI link.
Indonesian Survey Institute. (2021). Public sentiment on government priorities in Indonesia. Retrieved from DOI link.
Institute for Development Studies. (2022). Corruption and public opinion in Kenya. Retrieved from DOI link.
Instituto Brasileiro de Opinião Pública e Estatística. (2021). Government performance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Retrieved from DOI link.
Instituto Nacional de Estatística. (2022). Public opinion on education priorities in Mozambique. Retrieved from DOI link.
Jackson, A. (2022). Sacrifice and propaganda: Public opinion in the UK during World War I. Journal of Conflict Studies, 15(1), 25-40.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2022). Public spending on healthcare: A national survey. Retrieved from DOI link.
López, M. (2020). The power of media in shaping public discourse during wartime. Journal of Communication Studies, 45(2), 189-204.
Meyer, J. (2020). Framing the enemy: American propaganda in World War I. Communication Studies Journal, 41(4), 291-306.
Meyer, J. (2021). Framing the enemy: Propaganda and public perception in World War I. Media, War & Conflict, 14(3), 367-382.
Ministry of Jal Shakti. (2021). Impact assessment of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Retrieved from DOI link.
NHS England. (2022). Public satisfaction with the NHS: Trends and statistics. Retrieved from DOI link.
Observatório do Clima. (2022). Public support for environmental policies in Brazil. Retrieved from DOI link.
Pew Research Center. (2020). The state of the Black Lives Matter movement: Public opinion trends. Retrieved from DOI link.
Pew Research Center. (2021). Americans' views on gun laws: A survey. Retrieved from DOI link.
Public Health England. (2021). COVID-19 vaccination uptake campaign evaluation. Retrieved from DOI link.
Pulse Asia Research. (2022). Public concerns over inflation in the Philippines. Retrieved from DOI link.
Research World International. (2022). Public dissatisfaction with corruption in Uganda. Retrieved from DOI link.
Roberts, E. (2023). Gendered propaganda in World War I: A public opinion study. Journal of Gender Studies, 31(2), 150-167.
Smith, J. (2021). War, propaganda, and public sentiment: A comprehensive analysis. International Review of History, 78(2), 220-235.
Statistics South Africa. (2021). Public opinion on unemployment in South Africa. Retrieved from DOI link.
Thompson, L. (2021). Propaganda and morale: The French experience in World War I. Historical Journal of Social Sciences, 7(3), 233-249.
Thompson, L. (2022). Misinformation and unity: The dual role of World War I propaganda. Communication Studies Journal, 59(4), 311-328.
Transparency International. (2023). Corruption perception index in Nigeria. Retrieved from DOI link.
Yamamoto, T. (2020). Public opinion on climate change policies in Japan. Environmental Studies Journal, 12(4), 245-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/esj.2020.245
Zambia National Statistics Agency. (2023). Public opinion on government transparency reforms in Zambia. Retrieved from DOI link.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Yaw Mensah
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
