The Effectiveness of Nazi Propaganda

World War II is one of many, most horrific and crucial events in world history and one of the most important events in the 20th century. Leonard and John (2007) define propaganda as “notions, facts, or accusations that are spread purposely with the objective of furthering one’s cause or damaging an opponent’s cause”. (7) They used media and propaganda in order to increase support for their side of the war. An immense feeling of patriotism was building up, and the nations used all the resources at their disposal to get their nations ahead of the race regardless of how humiliating and misleading the allegations were. Throughout World War II, propaganda was used to maintain the heat in fights and create unity among the citizens of a nation to achieve a single cause. People receive information on a daily basis since the beginning of the war and the parties of the confrontation. United States of America used propaganda for the creation of massive advertisements in the course of the war that could be interpreted as degrading to rival forces (Cogan, Brian & Tony, 53). Propaganda and information were distributed through numerous sources—radio, films, books and newspapers. The major aim was to impose on people the way of thinking and acting, both consciously and subconsciously (Rhodes 5). Though news sources attempted to be objective, there has always been ways to influence the way in which people interpret information.

What would make a group of people ignore their country’s own genocide? In Nazi Germany, the answer was propaganda. From the end of World War I, the German leaders knew how important propaganda was. By the time Hitler had complete control of the military, the powerful propaganda film Triumph de Willens was already being produced . By the time the second offensive started, they had already launched an international propaganda magazine called Signal. Both of these are prime examples of the purpose of German propaganda. Like earlier British propaganda, it had two primary roles. First, the control of the people. Gobbels’ propaganda about “national enemies” made it seem as if the Nazis were the only alternative to a loss in national security. The second goal was scaring foreign powers. Through international magazines and radio broadcasts such as Signal, German power and victories were highlighted and shown to the world. The three key issues are the attacks on Jews and Communists, the origins of these methods, and the uses of these methods to create a powerful Nazi government. Through slandering and suppression of the opposition of the Nazis, Hitler’s media soon became the voice of the country. The Nazi Party used propaganda to gain power out of fear for national security.

Some ways the holocaust was implemented was the use of propaganda, the relocation of people to Ghettos, the creation of laws to strip people of their rights, and the use of technology to increase the efficiency of the machinery of genocide. I think one of the most effect sytstem was using propaganda because a picture is worth a thousand words. Seeing how the Nazis used propaganda and how that system was very effective and terrible.

Propaganda in general is the idea of getting others to believe in one’s own beliefs. Propaganda is the “attempt to influence behavior…by affecting through the use of mass media of communications, the manner in which a mass audience perceives and ascribes meaning to the material world.”1 Propaganda was a major part of Germany’s way to brain wash people into following Hitler and his army. The theme of Hitler and Goebbels, (Paul Joseph Goebbels, was appointed Hitler’s Reichspropagandaleiter, the Nazis national director of propaganda), using propaganda, “was to merge the traditional German patriotism with Nazi ideological motifs”2, this was basically used from1919 to 1945.

In a wartime environment, propaganda is used to shape international opinion as well as influence neutral and enemy countries. The government of a country puts a great deal of effort into propaganda that shapes the opinion of its citizens by justifying their actions and building support for the country. Propaganda was also used to point out the mistakes made by enemy countries. The impact of propaganda can be hard to determine at the surface, but when looking deeper, propaganda and its effect on people is very important in determining the outcome of a war. It has become a common belief that the Germans did not lose World War II because of their performance on the battlefield, but because of the impression that foreign propaganda had on them.[footnoteRef:0] [0: Ian Cooke. ?Propaganda as a weapon? Influencing international opinion,? bl.uk, January 29 2014, May 10

Throughout the Nazis’ reign they employed many different types of propaganda to lure the public to their views and ideals. Propaganda lurked in even the most innocent of places waiting to entrap the unsuspecting mind and often targeting the young men of Germany. The Nazis use of propaganda was meant to appeal to the public through a sense of nationalism and fear of enemy nations. The propaganda was tailored to the public preexisting opinions and prejudices. These aspects along with the Nazis opportunistic style of propaganda made for a dangerous trap that threatened to ensnare all of Germany. The Nazis used opportunistic propaganda to convince a nation to follow in their ideals and actions.

Propaganda is misrepresentative information presented to impose bias ideals upon its viewers. The propaganda organized by the Nazi party was integral in their rise to power and dependent on reinforcing the narrative among Aryan Germans that all other races were inferior. Presented through a variety of mediums including texts, films, and images, the demonizing of Jews and portrayal of Hitler as a god-like figure in Nazi propaganda furthered the false reasoning behind the subjection of Jews to the many merciless horrors the holocaust consisted of.

Over the course of history there have been numerous wars, and during those wars there has been one thing that has helped in the victors struggle. Propaganda which is the misleading nature of information which is used to promote a particular political cause or point of view was used by the common people in 1914 when World War 1 began, World War 2 Followed the first World War after over two decades and like the first war Propaganda was a main factor. The Allies and the Nazi’s used Propaganda during WWII to attract the general interest of the population in an attempt to gain their favor against the opposing forces.

The second most devastating global conflict, also known as World War II, left over 60 million dead creating panic and fear for citizens all over the world. During these hard times the citizens, dealing with a national crisis, needed something to give them hope that there will be betters days. Propaganda was used in political cartoons to release information that contained biased views and over exaggerations to gain support for the war. These cartoons gave hope to the people and also affected a majority of their opinions. Propaganda became used as a weapon during World War II to create nasty images of the enemy, get individuals to help support the war, to boost the confidence of people, and give them hope during hard times.

Joshua McConnell Mrs. Johnson Honors English 10 4X 12-15-2014 Nazi Propaganda Nazi propaganda played a big role during the Holocaust because it was used to brainwash the German people into thinking that Jews were subhuman and were not worth anything. Some of the things they used included posters, books, and propaganda films that portrayed concentration camps as positive. This led to the Holocaust being accepted by the German citizens. This essay will talk about how Nazi propaganda was used during the Holocaust, who used it, and why they used it. Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels were the main people to use Nazi propaganda in order to control the German people.

Propaganda has been used throughout history to promote and publicize a certain political cause or point of view. Propaganda gained its use by the German Nazi Party in the years leading up to and during Adolf Hitler’s leadership of Germany. It was a crucial instrument for acquiring and maintaining his corruption of power. The pervasive use of propaganda by the Nazis is largely responsible for the word “propaganda” itself acquiring its present negative reputation. In Nazi Germany posters of Jewish people with exaggerated features would be hung on buildings to make them appear like rats. These posters created an image in people’s minds that the Jewish people were not in fact humans and would lead to their oppression. The use of propaganda

All ranks of Nazi officials played a significant part in the reign of propaganda that impacted the world. The creation of the “Final Solution” to annihilate the Jews and enemies of Europe was heavily culminated with propaganda efforts to keep death camps hidden from the view of media outlets globally. Originally this plan was to systematically remove the Jews, then with the establishment of ghettos and mobile killing units, SS Officers, German authorities and their collaborators were able to kill upwards of six million Jews. This was impactful on the society with almost two-thirds of the Jews in Europe killed by poison gas, shooting and other means.

Propaganda in Germany mainly in World War II Propaganda also encouraged passivity and the acceptance and welcoming of the impending measures against Jews. Although propaganda is often associated within the physiological mechanisms of the influencing and altering attitudes. Even though the Nazi Propaganda stressed the woman, children, teachers, fathers, business men, police men and other casual people. Propaganda portrayed an “alien’ race that was going to take over the host Country and fed off Germany.

Nazi Propaganda in World War II deliberately used certain colors to subconsciously make more people follow their ideals and principles. Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Reichsminister of Propaganda, knew the power that color had on the formation of consent to influence minds. Goebbels recognized the science of what colors did to individuals subconsciousness and played on the will and emotions of the masses through his mind tricking usage of said hues. According to Daniel Broudy in the Communications Journal, The Propaganda of Patriotism and Color, different kinds of propaganda used hues of the red spectrum to predominate visual media that was designed to appeal and stir patriotic feelings. Goebbels and other Nazi propagandists utilized darker shades like

There is no question that Adolf Hitler and the third Reich used propaganda as a way to facilitate war, mass murder, and persecution. The artistic approach of the propaganda was so well orchestrated that they knew how to simplify a message in such a way that it would actually play on people’s emotions. In a sense they were able to break down complicated issues into small slogan messages to influence the people to keep Hitler in control. The way that images were presented to the public gave insight into the minds of the Nazis and how they were thinking.