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Student worksheet
Annex 1. Propaganda posters
Austria-Hungary, 1917 (National Library of
France)
War Bonds for 1917 – Get 5 ½ % free
Applications will be accepted by the loan bank of
Landskron on original conditions.
Information will gladly be provided
Britain, 1914, (Imperial War Museum)
Austria-Hungary, 1916 (National Library of
France)
Sign Up
War Bonds
Britain, 1915 (Imperial War Museum)
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 1 of 10
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Britain, 1915
(Imperial War Museums)
Britain, 1918, (Library of Congress)
Britain, 1916( Imperial War Museums)
France 1916,
(National Library of France)
2me Emprunt de la Defense Nationale
En avant armee de l'epargne, c'est pour la patrie
2nd National Defence Loan
Forward army of saviours, it is for the fatherland
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 2 of 10
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France, 1917 (National Library of France)
France, 1919 (National Library of France)
1914 - 1918
Par deux fois j'ai tenu et vaincu sur la Marne,
Civilian, mon frere,
La sournoise offensive de la "paix blanche" va
t'assaillir
Comme moi, tu dois tenir et vaincre, sois fort et
malin.
Mefie-toi de l'hypocrisie boche
Journee des Régions Liberees
Que votre aide a nos frere malheureux soit
generouse
Day of the liberated regions
Your help to our unfortunate brothers is generous
On ne passe pas!
They shall not pass!
1914 - 1918
The soldier says he has defeated the Germans
twice
and that he needs other French people to be
strong and
stand with him as the enemy is sneaky,
hypocritical and strong.
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 3 of 10
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Germany, 1917, (Imperial War Museums)
Germany, 1918 (Library of Congress)
Germany and its enemies at the end of the third
year of War
1 kilo bread costs in Germany 40/Russia
43/England 55
1 kilo sugar costs in Germany 64/England
104/France 111/Russia 119?
1 kilo potatoes costs in Germany 13/ England 31/
France 40
The loss of ships by the Entente
Merchant ships
War ships 926 888
The entire American fleet consists of 910 000
Increase of the freight rate in England
Price per ton
The loss of humans by the Entente
Prisoners
Over 3 million men
Approximately the entire population of
Switzerland
Dead and wounded
Russians
French
English
Italian
Belgians, Serbs and Romanians
Approximately as much as the entire population of
Belgium, Holland and Switzerland
The enemy loss of artillery aircraft until the end of
July 1917
2298 enemy aircraft have been shot down so far
Enemy territory occupied by Germany
The entire German empire measures 540 500
square km
9000 square km occupied by the enemies
Your fatherland is in danger
Sign up!
Infantry division
Voluntary acceptance – Berlin
Conditions – Mobile Salary 5 Marks daily addition
– field rations
Free clothing and quarters – short contract
termination period – discharge pay
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 4 of 10
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Germany, 1919 (Library of Congress)
Enter border protection East.
Protect the home [heimat] against Bolshevism!
Report to closest garrison or regional command
Italy, 1915 (Istituto centrale per il catalogo
unico)
Roman Committee for the civil organization
during the war
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Italy, 1916 (Istituto centrale per il
catalogo unico)
Watch out!
The German snake is near!
Now one must rip out the fangs!
Italy, 1918
(Istituto centrale per il catalogo unico)
The Austrian offensive
and the harvest… of grain in Italy
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 6 of 10
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Italy, 1918
(Istituto centrale per il catalogo unico)
The German Peace
Russia, 1916 (National Library of France)
5 ½ % Bond
Those who have relatives and friends serving in
the army, are encouraged to show them help by
buying bonds.
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 7 of 10
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Russia, 1916
(National Library of France)
Russia, 1917 (Library of Congress)
Bond of independence or loans for independence.
War until victory is gained!
5 ½ % Bond
Help the Army
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 8 of 10
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United States, (Library of Congress)
United States, 1918, (Library of Congress)
United States, 1917, (Library of Congress)
United States, 1917, (Library of Congress)
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 9 of 10
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Annex 2. The techniques of propaganda (as identified by the British Library exhibition
‘Power and Persuasion’ exhibition in 2013)
Establish authority
Establish a
leadership cult
Exploit existing
beliefs
Appeal to patriotism
Use humour
Imply everyone
agrees
Hammer it home
Make false
connections
Be selective
about the truth
Create fear
Disguise the source
How does propaganda work? | Helen Snelson | Page 10 of 10