PROPAGANDA WAR

      Propaganda is the spreading of ideas for a cause. Germany wanted to control the public opinion. Any kind of news that was discouraging or, tragic was kept hidden from the public. Restrictions were put on popular literature, historical writings, motion pictures, and art. Basically, Britain and Germany and the alliances only wanted the public to know what was told to them.

The governments used propaganda to motivate their militaries, mainly in Britain. France and Germany used propaganda to ask citizens, civilians, anyone, for money to pay the government. Both sides would make signs, drawings, and posters and showed them to the public so any hatred towards the opposing countries would be increased. Newspapers were published, ones that spread horrible opinions about one another just to control the way people thought of the other sides.

When Germany invaded Belgium, propaganda was used by Britain and France when they published made up stories and articles about atrocious acts on innocent people. They lied and exaggerated the truth to make Germany seem like a savage country. Any defeat or mistake made was put out for the public to view and bring out what they thought of these situations.

These countries wanted to stir up emotions on the topics that included war and making some country look bad to boost up their own image. The stories were acceptable to the public but not accurate or precise in any way, shape, or form.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/propaganda_and_world_war_one.htm

ALLIANCES- a partnership, in this case, among countries

 

 

           Alliances were caused when the European powers were putting their defenses up after feeling threatened by the power of other countries. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Britain, France, and Russia signed treaties that stated they would fight for each other. They did this so no one would even think of messing with them, and to bring out peace, but what happened was actually the opposite of what their intentions were. There were two huge alliances that formed.

One of the first alliances started with Bismarck; France was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War, and they wanted avenge this defeat, Bismarck ,knowing France would not attack Germany without help from other countries, signed treaties with other powers. Eventually, he was able to form an alliance with Italy, and Austria-Hungary in 1882. Then in 1914, Germany joined this alliance when war erupted. These countries were known as the Central Powers.

While the Central Powers were forming, France formed an alliance with Russia. In 1904 France signed an entente or an agreement to follow common policies, with Britain, it wasn’t as formal as a treaty, but it kept the two countries close. Later on Britain and Russia signed an agreement. Eventually these countries were known as the Allies.

Soon Germany would sign a treaty with the Ottoman Empire, and Britain became tight with Japan.

https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~raina20s/ww1/play.html