Introduction
Propaganda
is the psychological tool of war and its use during wartime is indispensable.
For it is propaganda that sways public opinion and it can determine the
victors and losers of major conflicts. Throughout history there have
been many examples that stress the emphasis of importance of public
opinion. It has always played a major role in the grand theater of
diplomatic history. Whether it was the yellow journalism of Randolph
Hearst in the Spanish-American War or the Nazi"isms" of Hitler during World
War II, propaganda has proved to be a powerful tool. The Committee
of Public Information that was set up by the executive orders of Woodrow
Wilson, is a great example on how influential propaganda can be.
The committee was headed by George Creel, an former newspaper editor, who
had such great influence on the committee that it is generally known as
the Creel Committee. He had the uncanny sense of knowing how to target
right at the American heart and how create an unwavering support for the
Great War. The Creel Committee knew that develop a strong support
in America it needed to flood the all forms of media with pro-war sentiment.
Another important aspect of the committee was patriotism, it needed to
stamp out the belief of hyphenated Americans. Hyphenated Americans
still had strong ties to the Old World, but Creel and his committee emphasized
the importance of patriotism and the greatness of being an American citizen.
The effects that George Creel and his committee had on the the way both
Americans and Europeans viewed the Great War, left lasting impact of how
we view World War I and on how to sell the concept of war at home.