Propaganda Technique In World War I

by Harold D. Lasswell

A classic book on propaganda technique proposes a general theory of the strategy and tactics of propaganda. This classic book on propaganda technique focuses on American, British, French, and German experience in World War I. The book sets forth a simple classification of various psychological materials used to produce certain specific results and proposes a general theory of strategy and tactics for the manipulation of these materials. In an introduction (coauthored by Jackson A. Giddens) written for this edition, Harold Lasswell notes that this study was partially an exercise in the discovery of appropriate theory. It raised the crucial questions of how to classify the content of propaganda—for instance, a distinction is made between "value demands" (war aims, war guilt, and casting the enemy as evil personified) and "expectations" (the illusion of victory)—and how to summarize the procedures employed in organizing and carrying out propaganda operations. Propaganda Technique in World War I deals primarily with problems of internal administration and lateral coordination rather than with the relationship between policymakers and propagandists. However, Jackson Giddens enumerates procedures in the book that illustrate an underlying assumption that decision makers were deeply involved in propaganda and influenced by considerations of public opinion. He takes the study of propaganda further by elaborating on the nature and meaning of the category of "war aims" and its relation to the propagandist, for this, more than any other category of content, "is the catalyst of transnational political action." Giddens's exploration of the development of a comprehensive theory of propaganda adds another dimension to Lasswell's study while confirming its value as outstanding groundwork for continuing research.

Genres: Psychology, History, Nonfiction, Politics, World War I, Military History

268 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1971

Reviews

[Sir Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "Propaganda techniques in World War I" by Lasswell, the author explores the use of propaganda for both foreign and domestic politics during the World War I era. The book covers specific historical events from France, Germany, and the U.S. and delves into the political theories behind propaganda.

However, the writing style of the book may not be for everyone, as it focuses heavily on history and can be quite dry at times. I found myself skipping large portions of the historical sections in favor of the author's theories on propaganda.

The chapters are organized around different political theories related to propaganda, and the ones that stood out to me were "Propaganda Organization" and "War guilt and war gains." The former highlights the importance of controlling opinion in a society, while the latter explores how propaganda can be used to make it appear as though an enemy is responsible for starting a war.


Overall, I would recommend this book to those who have a specific interest in the history of propaganda. However, if you're not particularly analytical or interested in history, you may find the book difficult to get through i myself skipped large portions of the history because it felt repetitive and i was just interested in the political theories and that a large portion could have been summarized easily.

[AskHistorians]

Another influential volume, this time from a leading American scholar of "behavioralism" and public relations. He and Edward L. Bernays (Propaganda, 1928) offer roughly contemporaneous (though very differently focused) theorizations of propaganda and its practice, and the two volumes can be read usefully as companion pieces.

[Steven Jaeger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book that could have only been written in a rather brief window of time. It is rare to read something about WWI that doesn't make tons of references to or implications about the impact on WWII. Significant information has come out since this was written about additional propaganda from the time period, and with more distance from the events it is easier to analyze said propaganda without also being victim to its effects. Much of the propaganda was ultimately recorded as "fact" by the victors to cover their tracks, and this book doesn't address any of that since it was written too close to the events. It does, however, view propaganda from an academic perspective and does not approach the subject as inherently evil, despite the modern connotations.

This probably isn't for casual readers, but if you have a strong interest in this specific subject or this general field of study (WWI/WWII) it is an interesting book to explore, especially considering when it was written.

[Bích Phương · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sách đã được dịch ra tiếng việt với tựa Kỹ thuật tuyên truyền trong thế chiến. Sau khi đọc xong thì cảm thấy hoang mang trong cuộc đời. Vì nhìn đâu cũng thấy tuyên truyền. Rốt cuộc thì trên đời này làm gì có gì gọi là khách quan. Kẻ thắng là người làm nên lịch sử. Nhưng làm dân nghèo thấp cổ bé họng thì ở bên thắng hay bên bại đều khổ như nhau!

[Patrick Gilner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic, and still more useful and clear than many more recent studies. Some conclusions about the veracity of atrocities (especially by the Germans) are naturally dated and not simply the product of allied propaganda, so use in conjunction with more recent studies from 1990s-present.