American propaganda during WWI was used to spread ideas and information for the purpose of helping the American cause, specifically through, songs, posters, pamphlets and leaflets. America joined the Allies forces in 1917 in Europe to fight against the Central Powers. The American government needed something to spark the peoples’ interest in the war. The most effective tool the government found and used was propaganda. The American government used propaganda to reach out to the people. The government wanted to reach people of all ages. Similarly, Germany fought back with her own propaganda, by purposely dropping leaflets and pamphlets on the ground to try and convince American soldiers, especially blacks, to join their side. In my opinion American propaganda was much more effective than German propaganda, because American propaganda appealed to fear: fear of becoming a prisoner, fear of taking away children, and the fear of separating families.Through songs, posters and pamphlets the American society was attacked through psychological warfare. The songs helped to internalize patriotism and returned pride into the hearts of Americans. It also encouraged they young men to join the army. The pamphlets were a direct link to get they Boy Scouts active. Pamphlets were also used to reach the average American citizen.Also the Germans tried to use propaganda against the U.S. by attempting to convince American soldiers to join Germany in its war efforts. German soldiers would purposely drop pamphlets onto the ground in hopes that American soldiers would come across them and read them. On the pamphlets were saying such as “Do you think it honorable to fight the country that has given birth to your fathers or forefathers?” (German 399) The Germans also attacked the African-Americans with phrases such as “Do you enjoy the same rights socially and before the law? Do you enjoy the same rights as the white people do in Americ...
