Although the use of propaganda during wartime has been around since the dawn of civilization, World War I sparked a revolution in the amount and way propaganda was utilized. Propaganda was used by all countries involved in the war at an unprecedented scale. This was because WWI was a different war, it was a total war which required nations to be fully engaged both at home, which came to be known as the “home front,” and on the actual battlefield itself (2). Furthermore, this war was nation against nation, the very survival of one’s country was at stake. This required propaganda to mobilize hatred against the enemy, to convince the population of the justness of the cause, to enlist the active support and cooperation of neutral countries; and to strengthen the support of allies. England, with its vast empire, faced the challenge of mobilizing all these disparate pieces into one joint force (1). One of their biggest challenges was motivating their Irish citizens as they were fractured along multiple social, religious and political lines.
(1) Welch, David. “Propaganda for Patriotism and Nationalism.” The British Library. The British Library, 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.
(2)Cooke, Ian. “Propaganda as a Weapon? Influencing International Opinion.” The British Library. The British Library, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.
(3)Dublin, Trinity College. “Trinity College Dublin.” World War One Recruitment Posters. Trinity College, 8 Mar. 2016. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.
*NOTE* all posters are taken from this online digital gallery.