Propaganda was used in World War One to make sure that people only knew what the Government wanted them to. To make sure everyone thought the same way as the government all information was controlled. Newspapers were expected to print what the government wanted and the newspapers started using emotional headlines, even if they weren’t true.
Some examples of these headlines are: -“Belgium child’s hands cut off by Germans”
-“Germans crucify Canadian officer”
Anyone caught spreading the truth would be arrested.
Propaganda aimed at Women
While the men were fighting it was left to the women to do the men’s jobs and treat injured soldiers. To get the women to do this propaganda was used.
Untrue stories:
“Monks in Antwerp were being forced to ring bells to celebrate the Germans invading the city. The monks refused to do this so were tied to the clappers of the bells and being used as human clappers which killed them.” This was untrue but a brilliant way for the British government to make people hate the Germans even more.
German Newspaper headlines
-English soldiers put plague germs in German wells. -German prisoners blinded by their Allied Captors.
Women during WW1
While the men were fighting someone had to do their jobs so this usually fell to the women. Some of the jobs they were given were; nurses, working in munitions factories (which often turned their hair and skin yellow due to the chemicals), in public transport, as police women, ambulance drivers, fire fighters, in post offices, making weapons and farming. Towards the end of the war some women were being recruited into the army as cooks, clerks and electricians so that all the men could fight. Most women would still have to do the cooking, cleaning and other household chores as well as their day jobs. The women also knitted scarves, hats and gloves to send to the soldiers. This is not often recognised and they didn’t always get there but if they did the