Many believe propaganda to be a newer phenomenon due to its rise caused by recent wars. It is true that the word "propaganda" itself did not necessarily break the surface of popular usage until 1914, when WWI began. However, this manipulation of the human mind through different modes of communication has been an element of humanity since early civilization.
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World War IYes, propaganda was of popular use long before the 20th century, however WWI saw the mobilization of propaganda on an unprecedented scale that marked the turning point for government use of propaganda during times of war and even peace. What made this war so influential? Well WWI is described as being the first "total war" meaning it was impacted by the industrialization of warfare and the ability of new weapons to reach far beyond conventional battlefields. Also, since this war was global it required European powers to convince outside powers around them to support their cause. This heightened the need for organized propaganda construction geared towards different causes and different populations. The need for influencing public opinion gave rise to new technology for the mass circulation of propaganda publications; for example, this era saw the introduction of the use of airplanes to drop leaflets of information over enemy forces and internal populations. Another major propaganda advancement was the power of image due to the greater powerful emotional impact they could convey. This was widely used for recruitment campaigns, morale boosters, and resource savings. Now, a hundred years after the worlds first "total war," many of the same propaganda methods and tactics are in continuous use today. Today we see and feel the power that images working on us constantly whether it be an advertisement or idea that is being sold to us.
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