British propaganda during World War II
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British propaganda during World War II took various forms:

Contents

Cinema

"The story of the British cinema in the Second World War is inextricably linked with that of the Ministry of Information."[1] Formed on September 4, 1939, the day after Britain's declaration of war, the Ministry of Information (MOI) was the central government department responsible for publicity and propaganda in the Second World War. It was the Ministry's function to "present the national case to the public at home and abroad".[2] The MOI was keenly aware of the value of commercially-produced entertainment films in furthering the national cause generally and maintained close contact with film makers:

The Ministry both advised the producers on the suitability of subjects which they had suggested, and proposed subjects which we thought would do good overseas. Whenever the Ministry had approved a subject we gave every help to the producer in obtaining facilities to make the film.[3]

As a result, the typical British war film attempts to construct a gripping suspense story which at the same time conveys propaganda ideas in support of the Allied cause. Kenneth Clark, as head of the Films Division of the MOI, argued in 1940 that the public must be convinced of German brutality, stating "we should emphasize wherever possible the wickedness and evil perpetrated in the occupied countries".[4] Subsequently, the Home Planning Committee felt it essential to portray fully "the evil things which confront us... to fortify the will to continue the struggle". By 1942, the fear of invasion (as depicted in films such as Went the Day Well?) had receded, and film makers began to turn to the brutal reality of life in occupied countries. The Day Will Dawn (1942) was a film about the Norwegian resistance, while Uncensored told the story of the Belgian resistance. Tomorrow We Live depicts the French Resistance and the heroism of ordinary French civilians, while One of Our Aircraft is Missing (1942) shows Dutch civilians risking their lives to help a group of British airmen back to England.

Posters

A British recruitment poster
A British recruitment poster

Keep Mum

Originating in a 1940 campaign with the catchphrase ‘Be Like Dad, Keep Mum', the best-known image from this campaign is the 1942 poster 'Keep Mum, She's Not So Dumb' by the artist Gerald Lacoste.[5] It depicts a glamorous blonde woman reclining, and officers from each branch of the Armed Forces about her talking to each other. It is implied that the officers are talking military secrets, on the (wrongful) assumption that the woman is only a "dumb blonde" and so will not pass these secrets onto the enemy.

The campaign was issued in 1942 to all ranks, with this particular image intended for messes and other places where officers met. . At the end of May, Advertiser's Weekly noted that ‘sex appeal' had been introduced in the form of a beautiful spy, who they insisted on ‘christening Olga Polovsky after the famous song'. In June 1941 they further noted that, having covered public house talk, wayside conversations with strangers, and ‘harmless chat' with friends when on leave, the government believed they had identified ‘the major problem' at last. The campaign was to make a direct appeal along the lines of ‘Cherchez la femme', as a reminder that ‘when in the company of a beautiful woman, remember that beauty may conceal brains'. Service personnel seemed particularly ready to disclose their station and line of work.

Careless Talk Costs Lives

The best known images from this series are by Fougasse, depicting people giving away secrets in everyday situations (eg sitting on the bus, not seeing caricatures of Hitler, Goebbels and Goering sitting behind them).

See also

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: World War II posters from the United Kingdom

References

  1. ^ Anthony Aldgate and Jeffrey Richards, Britain can take it: the British cinema in the Second World War, Edinburgh University Press, 1994, p. 4.
  2. ^ Ian McLaine, Ministry of Morale, London, 1979, p. 12.
  3. ^ Geoff Hurd (ed.), National Fictions. World War II in British Films and Television, London, 1984, p. 15.
  4. ^ Anthony Aldgate and Jeffrey Richards, Britain can take it: the British cinema in the Second World War, p. 133.
  5. ^ National Archives
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