Propaganda During WWI

George Creel 

How Propaganda in the News was used to Cover WWI

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“We did not call it propaganda, for that word, in German hands, had come to be associated with deceit and corruption.”

–George Creel

During WWI, George Creel was head of the United States Committee on Public Information. Woodrow Wilson created this as a propaganda agency to release government news and distribute propaganda abroad. The committee became known as the ‘Creel Committee,' and influenced American’s opinion on participation during the war. The Creel Committee did everything it could in order to gain public support for war efforts. The propaganda that resulted from this shaped American news coverage of the war as well as public opinions. 

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This propaganda effort influenced the minds of Americans by creating posters, sculptures, paintings, and cartoons to instill emotions. These emotions included fear, patriotism, and most importantly an interest in the war.

 

                                       George Creel Biography

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George Creel was born on December 1^st, 1876. He worked as a reporter for the Kansas City World in 1894, and eventually ended up publishing his own newspaper called the Kansas City Independent. He developed a reputation as a ‘mukracker,’ and reported news that supported the war efforts. Creel was a supporter of Woodrow Wilson, and wanted to help in any way possible and became involved in Wilsons re-election campaign. When Wilson wanted to impose censorship on the press, Creel opposed and instead suggested that they should not control the news but censor what was released. He sent Wilson a brief arguing for this, and was then assigned to be the head of the U.S. Committee on Public Information.  

For further details on Creel, click here.

Creel was able to pull together talented artists to create war effort images. This included artists such as James Montgomery Flagg, Joseph Pennell, and N.C. Wyeth.

          Example of James Montgomery Flag Propaganda:

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Creel was all for “unparalleled openness” and against the publication of things that be believed to be enemy propaganda. He was against lies, and anything that would have a negative impact on American’s ideas and opinions of the war. He saw this as “a publicity proposition, a vast enterprise in salesman ship, the world’s greatest adventure in advertising.”

Here are examples of a propaganda cartoons featured in the news during WW1:  

Crops

Evening Journal 1917

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The Kaiser Commits Atrocities in Belgium 

New York World 1914 

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New York World

1915

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Out of the Depths

New York Sun 1915 

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Creel based his propaganda mainly on visual forms. He believed in espression not repression when it came to censorship.

                                                Example Of Joseph Pennell Propaganda

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Example Of N.C. Wyeth Propaganda

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To see more propaganda posters from WW1, click here.

Creel’s ad campaign influenced newspapers, magazines, and press. Not only did he focus on this, but it eventually extended to photographic media. This led to the creation of propaganda films. Stereoview cards were created by newspapers when Creel expanded into still images.

Minute Men Poster

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Creel created the “four-minute” minute men who gave patriotic speeches for four minutes on topics given to them by the Committee on Public Information. By the end of the war, it was estimated that the men had given over 7.5 million speeches to over 314 million people.

“Our effort was educational and informative throughout, for we had such confidence in our case as to feel that no other argument was needed than the simple, straightforward presentation of facts.”- Creel

Creel had an effect on the war efforts and American people by leading a committee that worked to raise awareness and interest in the war. By using propaganda in the news and throughout the United States, citizens opinions were influenced. The distribution of pamphlets, cartoons, images, and movies shaped societal ideas of war in a much different way than ever before.

Works Cited 

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "George Creel (American Journalist)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. 

"George Creel Quote." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. 

"How America Was Sold on World War." Reason.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. 

"WWI Home Front: Manipulating Minds: The War Propaganda Machine." WWI Home Front: Manipulating Minds: The War Propaganda Machine. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. 

"WWI Home Front: Manipulating Minds: The War Propaganda Machine." WWI Home Front: Manipulating Minds: The War Propaganda Machine. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.