The First World War: A Documentary Record

Series One: European War 1914-1919, the War Reserve Collection (WRA-WRE)
from Cambridge University Library

Part 3: Allied Propaganda
Part 4: German Propaganda

Publisher's Note

The First World War: A Documentary Record is a major microfilm series which is making available for the first time the riches of the Cambridge War Reserve Collection.
This collection is acknowledged to be one of the finest sources of documentation concerning the First World War in the world, with much unique, rare and ephemeral material. Dr J M Winter, of Pembroke College, Cambridge, is the Consultant Editor for the microfilm edition. The emphasis is on the inclusion of materials unlikely to be held in most libraries.

Part 1 made available the complete card catalogue and manuscript listings of the War Reserve Collection which highlight the great range of the material held at Cambridge, and provide an invaluable bibliographical source for all aspects of the war.

Part 2 commenced coverage of the Collection itself and focused on Trench Journals, Personal Narratives and Reminiscences.

Parts 3 and 4 focus on one of the great strengths of the War Reserve Collection - its holdings of Allied and German propaganda. Part 3 offers Allied Propaganda; Part 4 offers German Propaganda.

The Propaganda War was a war within a war and - more than any other aspect of the conflict - it reveals the international dimensions of the war. Whilst the war on the ground took place mainly in Europe and the Middle East, the war of wars was truly intercontinental - affecting North and South America, the Far East, North Africa, the Middle East, Australasia and Scandinavia.

Iin addition to attempts to raise the morale of friendly troops, and to depress the morale of the enemy, propaganda campaigns were also fought to encourage neutrals to enter the war, or to persuade them to stay neutral: to encourage international condemnation fro the acts of one’s opponent, and to generate approval for one’s own acts; and to destabilise sources of support for the enemy, whilst solidifying one’s own.

The range of places of publication for the items included makes this internationalism abundantly clear. In Part 3 (Allied Propaganda), the chief places of publication are : London, Paris, Rome, New York, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Washington DC, Copenhagen and Chicago. But there are also imprints for Petrograd, Cairo, Valencia, Napoli, Bombay, Torina, Ohio, Milan, Peru, Oxford, Zurich, Berne, Rio de Janeiro, Bordeaux, Sydney, York, Birmingham, Geneva, Edinburgh, Uppsala, Limoges, Tokyo, Pennsylvania, Lausanne, Manchester, Algiers, S. Paulo, Rabat, Mexico, Wisconsin, Melbourne, Londonderry, Stockholm, Buenos Aires, Constantinople, Cambridge, Caracas, Providence and Quito.

In Part 4 (German Propaganda) the chief places of publication are Berlin, New York, Barcelona, Munich, Stockholm, Leipzig, Rio de Janeiro, Chicago and San Francisco. But there are also imprints for Frankfurt a.m., Utrecht, Bremen, Hamburg Vienna, Buenos Aires, Bielefeld, Lisbon, Nancy, Calcutta, Lausanne, Zurich, Brooklyn, Madrid, Bruch, Bogota, Köln, Berne, S. Paulo, Helsingborg, Geneva, Stuttgart, Bonn, Portland, Oldenburg, Los Angeles, Dortmund, Basel, Singapor, Graz, Istanbul, Bayreuth, Bismark, - North Dakota, Zaragoza, Pittsburgh, Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Augsburg, Kristanta, Glasgow and Boston.

The Propaganda produced comes in a variety of forms all of which are well represented in this collection.

Part 3 commences with the series of Leaflets, dropped by Allied aeroplanes and balloons. War Maps - intended to mislead and discourage - are one of the central features of these leaflets, which also feature grotesque caricatures, encouraging words about good treatment in P.O.W camps for defectors, and digs at authority.

Posters are among the most striking propaganda efforts, and were designed to have n immediate, visceral effect on the reader. WRB 19.46 (Part 3, Reel 1) contains a selection of the most effective posters of the First World War (Allied and Axis).

Cartoons were also intended to have an immediate visual impact and the work of the Dutch-born cartoonist, Louis Raemakers, became familiar to soldiers and politicians alike. We include a comprehensive edition of his cartoons with supporting descriptions by Hilaire Belloc, John Buchan et al

(WRB 19.30, Part 3, Reel 1) as well as a popular cigarette card set (Cards 1-140) from Black Cat cigarettes (WRE 19. 303, Part 3, Reel 20).

Cartoons were also a prominent feature of Humorous Journals - of which two examples are included in this microfilm edition. The Cartoon (WRB 106: Part 3, Reel 4) is an allied Humour Journal including large fold-out cartoons as well as humorous articles. Much of the propaganda in journals of this type is subliminal - the reader if carried along with the general whimsy, which is embedded with the development of stereotypical attitudes to “the Hun” or “ the Britisher”. Bull (WRB 303. 1-2. Part 4, Reel 2) is the German counter-point, mimicking the style of Punch.

Newspapers aimed at sympathetic (often expatriate) residents abroad are also represented. The Bulletin des Français Résident à L’Etranger (WRB 420, Part 3, Reel
4, Nouvelles de France (WRB 421, Part 3, Reel 4 ), Reality: The World’s Searchlight on Germany ( WRB 429, Part 3, Reel 5 ), and Heraldo Americano (WRB 429, Part 3 , Reel 5) are Allied examples of the genre. Deutsch-Amerika (WRA 507, Part 4, Reel 1) and The Fatherland (WRB 305.1-8, Part 4, Reels 3-5) are German examples - aimed particularly at Germans and German sympathizers in America. These titles play on the innate sympathies of the reader - selecting and shaping the news to confirm existing prejudices.

However, by far the most common form of propaganda adopted throughout the war was the pamphlet offering a concise argument intended to persuade, cajole, mislead, or otherwise transform hundreds of such intellectual issues of the war to be thoroughly examined, as well as the specific propaganda campaigns, such as that to try to encourage or discourage America to enter the war.

The ad authoritem use of leading politicians and writers as authors of the pamphlets was a common practice. Amongst the authors of Allies Propaganda in Part 3 are to be found the names of:
Guy Aldred, William Archer, H H Asquith, A J Balfour, John Buchan, G K Chesterton, Winston Churchill, Will Crooks, Arthur Conan Doyle, Emile Durkheim, H A L Fisher, David Lloyd George, Sir Edward Grey, Otto Kahn, Rudyard Kipling, Gilbert Murray, Han Smuts, Booth Tarkington, A J Toynbee, G M Trevelyan, Mrs Humphrey Ward, H G Wells and Woodrow Wilson.
Amongst the authors of German Propaganda in Part 4 are:
J Dunshee de Abranches, O G Baumgarter, W J Bryanm, K Helfferich, Frank Koester, J E Ribera, Paul Rohrbach, G S Viereck and K H von Wiegand.

The issues covered by these pamphlets are many and varied and it may be instructive to look at a number of these.

Who started the war and war continues are common themes and both sides attempt to gain the moral high ground to underwrite the justness of their cause. Some allied examples are:
Pre Justitia. 1914-1916 (WRB 35a. 314, Part 3, Reel 1);
J H Beck and C W Eliot’s America’s View of Germany’s Case (WRC 35a 326, Part 3, Reel 5);
What caused the War (WRC 35a. 319, Part 3, Reel 6);
R Lansing and L F Post’s A War of Self-Defence (WRC 35a. 326, Part 3, Reel 6);
Sir E. Cook’s How Britain Strove for Peace (WRC 35a 370, Part 3, Reel 7);
H H Asquith’s Why we are at War (WRC 35a. 396, Part 3, Reel 7);
The Great War and How it arose (WRC 35a. 426, Part 3, Reel 8);
A Lupton’s What are fighting for ? (WRC 35a 427, Part 3, Reel 9);
David Lloyd George’s Für die Demokratie und den Weltfriden. (WRC 35a, 505, Part 3, Reel 10);
J W Garner’s Why we are at war with Germany (WRD 35a. 587, Part 3, Reel 12);
Aims and Efforts of the War. Britain’s case after four years (WRD 35a. 360, Part 3, Reel 17);
F Laudet’s The Responsibility of War (WRD 35a. 386, Part 3, Reel 18);
And P Sabatier’s The Ideals of France (WRD 35a. 423, Part 3, Reel 19).

The German case is put in titles such as :
Franck Koester’s The lies of the allies (WRA 35b. 301, Part 4, Reel 1);
Who broke the peace of Europe? (WRB 35b, 303, Part 4, Reel 1);
A Geiser’s Das perfide Albion.. (WRB 35b 311, Part 4, Reel 1);
J Dunshee de Abranches’ A Conflagraçãs européa e suas causas (WRC 35b 330, Part 4, Reel 8);
England’s complicity on the Great War (WRC 35B. 353, Part 4, Reel 9);
K Helffereich’s Germany’s case in the Supreme Court of Civilization
WRC 35b. 377, Part 4, Reel 10);
(WRC 35b. 377, Part 4, Reel 10);
J W Burgess’ The causes of the European conflict (WRC 35b. 393, Part 4, Reel 11);
And H S Chamberlain’s Who is to blame for the War? (WRD 35b. 301, Part 4, Reel 16);

The violation of Belgian neutrality is another particular theme within this overall category and is dealt with in pamphlets such as:
La violation de la neutralité belge (WRC 35a. 404, Part 3, Reel 7);
J M Beck’s El caso de Belgica (WRC 35a. 440, Part 3, Reel 8);
W J Pincombe’s Britain and gallant Belgium (WRC 35a. 527, Part 3, Reel 10);
Lettre de l’épiscopat belge au cardinaux ..d’Allemange.. (WRD 35a. 440, Part 3, Reel 19);
Die Belgische Neutralität (WRB 35b. 316, Part 4, Reel 2);
R Grashof’s La culpa de Belgica (WRC 35b. 316. Part 4, Reel 8);
E Hobhouse’s Belgien Just nu (WRC 35b. 482, Part 4, Reel 14);
PLevides’ Gréce et Belgique (WRD 35b. 332, Part 4, Reel 17);
And Why did no British army help Belgium? (WRD 35b. 362, Part 4, Reel 19).

The conduct of war and, in particular, the drawing of attention to alleged atrocities and acts of vandalism is another element of the moral argument. Some interesting examples featured are:
Charles D Davison’s The Lusitania murders and the responsibilities of Presidents (WRC 35a. 361, Part 3, Reel 7);C A McCundy’s Guilty (WRC 35a. 510, Part 3, Reel 10);
A J Toynbee’s The destruction of Poland (WRC 35a. 584, Part 3, Reel 12);
A Michel’s The martyred towns: Reims, Soissons. (WRD 35a. 387, Part 3, Reel 18);
P Ford’s The criminal history of the British Empire (WRC 35b. 389, Part 4, Reel 11);
I G McDonald’s German “atrocities” and international law (WRC 35b. 396, Part 4, Reel 11);
O Hartwich’s England’s War Guilt (WRC 35b. 507, Part 4, Reel 15);
Dortmund’s Horrible deeds by the French (WRC 35b.550, Part 4, Reel 16);
And M Ruiz’s Les atrocidades francesca ec España (WRD 35b. 378, Part 4, Reel 19).

Both sides were also anxious to achieve not just moral, but also formal religious support for their cause .The religious dimension of the war is revealed in numerous pamphlets evoking the support of the major religions, often claiming that the other side has systematically suppressed that creed. For instance:
German attempt to suppress Islam in East Africa (WRB 35a. 321, Part 3, Reel 1);
Sir Frederick Pollock's The Fight for Right Movement (WRC 35a. 339, Part 3, Reel 7);
Germany's two Gospels (WRC 35a. 405, Part 3, Reel 7);
L Wolf’s Jewish ideals and the War (WRC 35a. 426, Part 3, Reel 8);
J Cohen’s The German Attack on Hebrew schools in Palestine (WRC 35a. 553, Part 3, Reel 11);
F Melgar’s A Spanish Catholic's Visit to England (WRD 35a. 419, Part 3, Reel 19);
Liut El Hadj Abdallah’s L’Islam dans l’armée française (WRD 35a. 421, Part 3, Reel 19);
La Guerra alemana y el Catolicismo (WRC 35b. 307, Part 4, Reel 8);
And Kriget och protestanterna (WRC 35b. 339, Part 4, Reel 9).

It is a small step from appeals for support on account of religious conviction to appeals for support on account of race. Examples illustrating this include:
G E Lewis’s The black slaves of Prussia (WRC 35a. 600, Part 3, Reel 12);
Alemania y la cultura latina (WRD 35a. 308, Part 3, Reel 16);
A M Hyamson’s Grossbritannien und die Juden (WRD 35a. 357, Part 3, Reel 17);
And Outcry against the Black Horror! (WRB 35b. 306, Part 4, Reel 1).

The attempt to win the support of Islamic states is also picked up in a number of Arabic pamphlets such as those to be found at WRC 35A 602-605 (Part 3, Reel 12); WRC 35b. 2 (items 1-12, Part 4, Reel 6); and WRD 35b. 402-408 (Part 4, Reel 20). Another interesting title is Propaganda in Palestine (WRD 35a. 453, Part 3, Reel 19).

The Colonial dimension of the war is the focus for numerous propaganda pamphlets. Allied propaganda hinted at German imperialist aims - especially in South America and South East Asia. German propaganda may have inflicted long-term wounds on British and French colonial rule as it continually attempt to drive a wedge between, for instance, England and India. Needless to say, both sides also produced their own propaganda aimed at stabilising colonial relationships and rekindling such as:
Honour to the Flag. French Mussulman’s testimonies of loyalty (WRB 35a. 303, Part 3, Reel 1);
R de la Cara’s Venezuela ante el conflicto Europeo (WRC 35a. 336, Part 5, Reel 6);
Les Ambitions allemandes sur l’Amerique du Sud (WRC 35a. 470, Part 3, Reel 9)
E W M Grigg’s Why the dominions came in (WRC 35a. 519, Part 3, Reel 10);
Jan Smut’s The British Commonwealth of Nations (WRC 35a. 534. Part 3, Reel 10);
B Basu’s Why India is heat and soul with Great Britain (WRC 35a.. 537, Part 3, Reel 10);
Siam and the Germans (WRD 35a. 310, Part 3, Reel 16);
Some Australian Common Sense Views (WRD 35a. 393, Part 3, Reel 18);
Le nouval Empire germanique (WRD 35a. 398, Part 3, Reel 18);
Loyal India (WRD 35a. 500, Part 3, Reel 19);
G. Puaux’s The German Colonies (WRD 35a. 505, Part 3, Reel 19);
Condor por Sudamerika (WRC 35b. 352, Part 4, Reel 9);
Indien unter den Britischen Faust. (WRC 35b. 372. Part 4, Reel 10);
R M McCann’s The Fable of the stuffed lion (WRC 35b. 387, Part 4, Reel 11);
W J Bryan On British Rule in India (WRC 35b. 240, Part 4, Reel 12);
La domination anglaise aux Indes (WRC 35b. 459, Part 4, Reel 13);
Gibralter y España (WRC 35b. 478, Part 4, Reel 14);
Ist Indien Loyal ? (WRD 35B. 323, Part 4, Reel 17);
A few Facts about British rule in India (WRD 35B. 324, Part 4, Reel 17);
H Poeschel The Voice o f German East Africa (WRD 35b. 355, Part 4, Reel 18); and
India’s loyalty to England (WRD 35b. 359, Part 4, Reel 19)

Attempts are also made in German propaganda to turn Egypt against British protectorate control (for example, M Fahmey’s la question d’ Egypt (WRC 3b. 508, Part 4, Reel 15); and to exploit Irish demands for Home Rule (Sir Roger Casement wrote much in this vein as well as general pieces such as The crime against Europe (WRC 35b. 356, Part 4, Reel 10) ).

The socialist dimension of the war is illustrated in a number of pamphlets encouraging workers to contribute to the war effort rather than withdrawing their labour or revolting in sympathy with their Russian counterparts.
Noteworthy examples are:
Guy Aldred’s The possibility and philosophy of anarchist communism (WRD 35a. 416, Part 3, Reel 19);
Will Crook’s The British workman defends his home (WRD 35a. 514, Part 3, Reel 20);
W S Sandar’s Pan-German Socialism (WRD 35a. 520, Part 3 Reel 20);
H V Holmes’s An infantryman on strikes (WRE 35a. 306, Part 3, Reel 20);
And Shall we go on? A Socialist answer (WRE 35a. 307, Part 3, Reel 20).

The Russian Revolution will be dealt with in depth in a future part of this project.

The role of women in the war - particularly their part in war work - is also dealt with in a number of titles. For instance:
L W Bates’s Woman’s duty to preparedness (WRC 35a. 468, Part 3, Reel 9);

Les Soeurs L’Angleterre, La France (WRC 35a. 535, Part 3, Reel 10);
And F Masson’s Les Frmmes et la Guerre de 1914 (WRD 35a. 374, Part 3, Reel 17).

The extreme importance attached to the possibility of the United States of America entering the conflict is reflected in the abundance of pamphlets issued by both sides arguing the case for American intervention/non-intervention.

Allied pamphlets in this area include:
J H Beck and C W Eliot’s America’s views of Germany’s case (WRC 35a. 301, Part 3, Reel 5);
R H Edmonds’s America’s relation to the world war (WRC 35a. 365, Part 3, Reel 7);
E Marshall’s The United States as a World Power (WRC 35a. 400, Part 3, Reel 7);
G L Beer’s America’s part among nations (WRC 35a. 450, Part 3, Reel 8);
J M Beck’s America's and the Allies (WRC 35 a. 504, Part 3, Reel 10);
H Ringrose’s Why is America neutral? (WRC 35a. 548, Part 3, Reel 11);
H Lichtenberger’s L’opinion américane et la Guerre (WRD 35a. 377, Part 3, Reel 18);
And O H Kahn’s Extract from an address on behalf of the Fourth Liberty loan at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York City (WRE 35a. 318, Part 3, Reel 20).

Allied pamphlets also attempted to exploit the sinking of the Lusitania, as has been mentioned above (for example Charles Davison’s The Lusitania murder and the responsibilities of President’s (WRC 35a. 361, Part 3, Reel 7).

German examples include:
As England see U.S. (WRA 35b. 305, Part 4, Reel 1);
Helen Bridgeman’s Arouse America! (WRC 35b. 310, Part 4, Reel 8);
Catechism of Balaam Jr, by a Irish American (WRC 35b. 378, Part 4, Reel 11);
J L Stoddard’s America and Germany (WRC 35b. 408, Part 4, Reel 11);
J A O’Leary’s A German-American War (WRC 35b. 413, Part 4, Reel 12);
C A Collman’s The War Plotters of all Wall Street (WRC 35b. 430, Part 4, Reel 12);
The Boston Patriot (WRC 35b. 438, Part 4, Reel 12);
German War Poems: translated for our hyphenated and other Americans (WRC 35b. 439, Part 4, Reel 12);
R Cronan’s German achievements in America (WRC 35b. 441, Part 4, Reel 13);
T Henderson’s American Progressivism: it’s relation to German kultur from the standpoint of a Progressive and Pro-German (WRD 35b. 312, Part 4, Reel 16);
F F Schrader’s Handbook for German Americans (WRD 35b. 338, Part 4, Reel 18);
And We suggest a foundation of fact your principles (WRE 35b. 308, Part 4, Reel 20).
Many of the German pamphlets play on the American fears that entering the war will be an economic disaster and that it will be impossible for American troops to withdraw once they have been committed.

After American entry on 6 April 1917, Woodrow Wilson and other U.S. politicians and authors, contributed their won talents and influence to the propaganda war, and many examples are featured in part 3. For instance the War Information Series (WRC 35a. 323-331a, Part 3, Reel 6); The University of Chicago War Papers (WRC 35a. 588-595, Part 3, Reel 12); And individual examples such as J G Schuman’s Why America is in the War (WRE 35a. 303, Part 3, Reel 20) and C G Lang’s Hands across the Atlantic (WRE 35a. 323, Part 3, Reel 20).

Attempts to persuade other nations to enter/continue/exit the war are also well represented on both sides in titles such as:
The question of the Pacific (WRC 35a. 315, Part 3, Reel 6);
Sir D M Wallace's Our Russian Ally (WRC 35a. 334, Part 3, Reel 6);
R de la Cova's Venezuela ante el conflicto Europeo (WRC 35a. 336, Part 3, Reel 6);
Sir E Cook's Britain and Turkey (WRC 35a. 376, Part 3, Reel 7);
D A Wilson's What a German Victory would mean to Burma and China (WRC 35a. 429, Part 3, Reel 8);
James Bryce's Neutral nations and the War (WRC 35a. 453, Part 3, Reel 9);
R A Reiss's How Austria-Hungary wages war in Serbia (WRC 35a, 513, Part 3, Reel 10);
G M Trevelyan's The Servians and Austria (WRC 35a.,522, Part 3, Reel 10);
J W R Scott's Japan, Great Britain and the World (WRC 35a. 549, Part 3, Reel 11);
Las Relaciones historicas de Almania con España (WRD 35a. 340, Part 3, Reel 17);
M Borsa's Italis e Inghilterra (WRD 35a. Part 3, Reel 17);
Why did Italy go to war? (WRD 35a. 406, Part 3, Reel 18);
Los sufrimientos de la Grecia (WRA 35b. 303, Part 4, Reel 1);
Der schlaue Japaner und die Schlage Europas (WRC 35b. 303, Part 4, Reel 8);
G Maritzine's Les detracteurs du peuple bulgare (WRC 35b. 321, Part 4, Reel 8);
J Ivanoff's Bulgares et Grecs devant l'opinion publique Suisse (WRC 35b. 321. Part 4, Reel 8);
Austria -Hungary and the War (WRC 35b. 437, Part 4, Reel 12);
M Fahmy's La question d'Egypt (WRC 35b. 508, Part 4, Reel 15);
P Levides's Gréce et Belgique (WRD 35b. 332, Part 4, Reel 17);
and A Berlin! A Stockholm! (WRD 35b.352, Part 4, Reel 18).

Winning the peace and the post-war end-game provides the basis for another cluster
of pamphlets on both sides.
The possibility of a solution to ensure that this was indeed the war to end all wars was sabotaged by the conflicting aims of American, British, French and German of pamphlets on both sides.

The possibility of a solution to ensure that this was indeed the war to end all wars was sabotaged by the conflicting aims of American, British, French and German negotiators. Examples of this type of literature are:
H Begbie's Negotiate now? (WRC 35a. 305, Part 3, Reel 5);
L F Palavicini's La democracia victoriosa (WRD 35a. 2, Part 3, Reel 13);
Woodrow Wilson's The conditions of peace (WRD 35a. 524, Part 3, Reel 20);
Charles S Davison's Reparation by Germany (WRE 35a. 312, Part 3, Reel 20);
W S Sandars's Those German peace offers (WRE 35a. 321, Part 3, Reel 20);
D Mikkoff''s Pour le droit et la paix dans les Balkans (WRC 35b. 323, Part 4, Reel 8);
and A Braun's Der Friede von Versailles (WRC 35b. Part 4, Reel 10).

Other issues and themes touched upon include:

The War at Sea - both the British blockade and submarine war-fare.
For example:
Charles S Davison's The Freedom of the seas (WRC 35a. 362, Part 3, Reel 7);
also his The case of the "Kronprinz Wilhelm. "(WRC 35a. 364, Part 3, Reel 7);
A M Low's Blockade and Contraband (WRC 35a. 547, Part 3, Reel 11);
R Muir's mare Liberum (WRC 35a. 585, Part 3, Reel 12);
La campagne sous-marine (WRE 35a. Part 3, Reel 20);
Avon Winkle's A protest against the maritime despotism of England (WRD 35 b. 354, Part 4, Reel 18);
and El submarino "U202" (WRD 35b. Part 4, Reel 20).

Conscription/Enlistment.
For example:
Appeal for the Northumberland Fusilers: "The fighting fifth" (WRC 35a. 410, Part 3, Reel 7);
and A M B Meakin's Enlistment or Conscription (WRD 35a. 334, Part 3, Reel 17).

Postal Censorship (In many ways the reverse of propaganda - attempting to transmit accurate data by devious routes, rather than transmitting misleading data by obvious routes). See:
Scrapbook dealing with postal censorship (WRA 46. 317, Part 3, Reel 1).

The Role of Journalists in the War. See:
H M Swetland's American Journalist in Europe (WRB 46, Part 3, Reel 1);
and A Trip through headline Land (WRC 35b. 331, Part 4, Reel 8).

The Home Front. For example:
Alb Thomas French munitions workers - sacrifices and aims
(WRC 35a. 407, Part 3, Reel 7) ;
The Board of the National Federation of public school mistresses and schoolmasters (WRC 35a. 411, Part 3, Reel 7);
J D Syman's The universities' part in the war (WRC 35a. 461a, Part 3, Reel 9);
Appeal to the Nation for thrift (WRD 35aa. 361, Part 3, Reel 19);
and Mrs F Boas's Our village and the war (WRD 35a. 455, Part 3, Reel 19).

Also many speeches are also included such as:
E Venizelos, Speech to the people delivered Aug 27, 1916
(WRC 35a. 428, Part 3, Reel 8);
M R Vesnitch, Address delivered at a dinner tendered by the France-America Society of New York (WRC 35a., 529, Part 3, Reel 10);
and Sir Robert Borden and Lt Gen J C Smuts, The Empire and the War. The voice of the Dominions. Addresses.
(WRC 35a. 556, Part 3, Reel 11).

Four other series of pamphlets reproduced include those of The Anti-German Union
(WRC 35a. 492-497, Part 3, Reel 10);
and Sir Robert Borden and Lt Gen J C Smuts, The Empire and the War. The voice of the Dominions. Addresses.
(WRC 35a. 556, Part 3, Reel 11).
Four other series of pamphlets reproduced include those of The Anti-German Union
(WRC 35a. 492-497, Part 3, Reel 10); the extremely well-argued and informative Oxford Pamphlets (WRD 35a. 3-21, Part 3, Reels 13-15); the Message series of Pamplets (by Kipling,Smuts Wilson, Asqith, Balfour, Lloyd George and Grey, WRD 35a., 522-529, Part 3, Reel 20); and the Collección Popular - La Guerra Actual (WRD 35b. 364-378, Part 4, Reel 19 - illustrated for a popular audience).

Selection Procedure

Parts 3 and 4 of this project reproduce approximately 80% of those items defined as propaganda in the War Reserve Collection. Reader are referred to the bibliographic details in Part 1 of this project (see especially the Manuscript Listing for sections WRA-WRE 35a and 35b) for details of items omitted. However, the main principles for selection were as follows:
All duplicate items were omitted;

Items appearing in numerous language versions have been generally reproduced only in the English, French, and German editions.

Nearly all items in English, French and German have been included as have most items in Italian and Spanish. A smaller number of items in Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Greek and Swedish have been included;
Some uncut items have been omitted.

The resultant selection provides a judicious sampling of the various forms of propaganda as described above, and a balanced view of the issues that lay at the heart of the propaganda war.

Scholars and students will be able to explore the issues and arguments of the war from the war from the perspectives of both sides. They will be able to examine the various uses of propaganda, and the sources included provide an opportunity to re-assess such questions as:

• Should European countries be blamed collectively for the escalation of the war?
• How much importance was attached by either side to the entry of America in the First World War?
• To what extent did the war-time propaganda campaigns have a lasting effect beyond the war?
• How important was propaganda in shaping the peace?

Part 3 and 4 will provide the basis for much fresh research and teaching concerning the role of propaganda in the war, and in the many issues covered by the material.

William Pidduck
July 1993