Propaganda:
- a way of spreading ideas or information to achieve a specific goal.
During World War II, Canadians got their news, ideas, and information from the radio, newspapers, magazines, and movies. These were the tools the government used to spread its messages about the war effort.
Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King wanted Canada to be better prepared for World War II than it had been for World War 1. But he also knew that he would be forced to make some unpopular decisions. These included imposting food rationing and price controls, as well as sending Canadians overseas to fight - and perhaps to die.
World War II was a total war. Bombs fell on cities and not just on armies. Passenger ships as well as warships were sunk. Civilians, as well as members of the armed forces, were killed,
The government needed to keep Canadians' spirits high. As a result, King considered it a duty to spread news that helped people feel good about Canada's war effort. Government officials believed that it was important to control information and tell the story of the war the way wanted it told, and they used institutions like the CBC and the National Film Board to give people positive news about the way the war was going.
The Wartime Information Board
The Wartime Information Board, one of the new agencies created by King's government, wrote stories and provided information and photographs to newspapers and magazines. This material always explained how well the government and Canadian forces were doing. Even comic books carried the message that Canadians must pull together to fight the enemy.
Taken from Gini-Newman, Garfield, et. al. Canadian History: A Sense of Time. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2006.
- a way of spreading ideas or information to achieve a specific goal.
During World War II, Canadians got their news, ideas, and information from the radio, newspapers, magazines, and movies. These were the tools the government used to spread its messages about the war effort.
Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King wanted Canada to be better prepared for World War II than it had been for World War 1. But he also knew that he would be forced to make some unpopular decisions. These included imposting food rationing and price controls, as well as sending Canadians overseas to fight - and perhaps to die.
World War II was a total war. Bombs fell on cities and not just on armies. Passenger ships as well as warships were sunk. Civilians, as well as members of the armed forces, were killed,
The government needed to keep Canadians' spirits high. As a result, King considered it a duty to spread news that helped people feel good about Canada's war effort. Government officials believed that it was important to control information and tell the story of the war the way wanted it told, and they used institutions like the CBC and the National Film Board to give people positive news about the way the war was going.
The Wartime Information Board
The Wartime Information Board, one of the new agencies created by King's government, wrote stories and provided information and photographs to newspapers and magazines. This material always explained how well the government and Canadian forces were doing. Even comic books carried the message that Canadians must pull together to fight the enemy.
Taken from Gini-Newman, Garfield, et. al. Canadian History: A Sense of Time. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2006.