Recruiting soldiers Flashcards
How were soldiers recruited for WW1?
Through propaganda that either encouraged nationalism or portrayed the enemy countries as evil, vulnerable and easy to defeat if enough people joined the cause.
What is black propaganda?
a form of propaganda used to create the impression that it was created by those it is supposed to discredit. Usually used to vilify and/or embarass the enemy through misrepresentation.
How were nationalism and militarism connected in recruiting soldiers?
Propaganda encouraged people to feel a much stronger sense of nationalism, sparking a need to protect it from the heinous villains it was showing the Triple Alliance to be. The reason this propaganda was created, was to recruit more soldiers - which is an act of militarism. By implying that the only way to protect ones country is to join the army, many more people enlisted due to their renewed pride in their country - nationalism.
How did women play a part in propaganda and recruiting soldiers?
They were used in propaganda, shown to be weak and helpless, and in need of being saved and protected - much like their country. As well as this, propaganda suggested that by not going to war you’d lose the respect of women, but by going you would gain it. Some women even played a direct part in recruiting young men, as they’d often place a white feather in the hands of a man, to show that they thought the young man was old and mature enough to go to war, and was being cowardly by not enlisting.
How was propaganda untruthful?
It portrayed the Triple alliance as the only cause of WW1 - showing them to be evil and power hungry when in reality, every country involved was to blame. A well as this, it also suggested war would be a joyful experience, and something that could easily get you recognition and respect whereas many generals had their reputation ruined (Sir Douglas Haig being dubbed the butcher of the sommes) and the soldiers recognised more as a collective body of weapon then singular individuals. Finally - it also made the impression that the war would be over quickly and easily, and that it would last no at most six months - this is disproven by the fact that it began in 1914 and ended in 1918.
