Military Propaganda
This guide highlights the collections contained in the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives which contain material useful in the study of military propaganda.
The material illustrates many of the aspects of the theory and practice of military propaganda, with examples covering the types of propaganda aimed at both enemy and home troops and civilians, including items relating to World Wars One and Two and the Anglo-Irish War, 1921. Subjects covered include the general theory of propaganda, including methods of distribution, subversion of enemy troops and civilians and counter propaganda, and propaganda techniques. The documents include leaflets, newspaper articles, transcripts of radio broadcasts, and examples of sibs or rumours and 'black' propaganda - which never betrayed its origins.
- Lt Col Count J A Dobrski, known as Major Dolbey
- Service during World War Two in Italy, Greece,
he Aegean and the Balkans, 1940-1945.
The collection includes papers relating to the training and instruction of SOE personnel during World War Two in the theory and practice of propaganda in occupied territories including Greece, the Aegean, the Balkans, Italy and Sicily. It includes basic plans for the organisation and production of allied propaganda by the Political War Executive to occupied countries, via the British Broadcasting Corporation, recommended methods for the production and dissemination of propaganda and excerpts from the revised training manual, dated 1942, for Special Operations Executive personnel. It also contains material relating to the principles of leaflet writing; transcripts of subversive radio broadcasts; and examples of black propaganda including that relating to the capture of Maj Gen Einrich Kreipe on Crete in 1944.
- Maj Gen Charles Howard Foulkes, CB, CMG, DSO (1875-1969)
- Service in Sierra Leone, 1897-1899; Boer War,
1899-1900; Director of Gas Services, GHQ 1915-1918;
service in India, 1919-1920; Director of Irish Propaganda,
1921. The collection dates from 1897 to 1968 and
mainly relates to gas warfare and photographic
reconnaissance, but includes papers relating to
service in Dublin as Director of Irish Propaganda,
during the Anglo-Irish War of 1921. His duties
involved the production and dissemination of British
propaganda through Press channels, including
compilation of leaflets aimed at Irish civilians and
Sinn Fein members. He remained active in Ireland
until the peace terms were published in December
1921.
Papers relating to propaganda include drafts for newspaper reports and leaflets, and resulting originals, compiled as counter propaganda to An T'Oglac, the newspaper of the Irish Republican Army.
- Lt Cdr Julian Freedman (b 1917)
- Service in the Fleet Air Arm, 1938-1946.
The papers comprise aerial propaganda leaflets in English, German, French and Italian, dated 1939- 1945, amassed as part of the task of sorting the effects of dead airmen.
The British propaganda leaflets for aerial distribution over Germany target both the civilian and military populations, often headed with the titles of popular contemporary German magazines or newspapers.
- Gen Sir Ian Hamilton, GCB, GCMG, KCB, CB, DSO (1853-1947)
- Service in the Boer War, 1899-1901; Chief
of Staff to Lord Kitchener, 1901-1902; GOC-in-C,
Mediterranean and Inspector of Overseas Forces,
1910-1915; commanded BEF, 1915.
The collection comprises papers and photographs relating to his career, 1873-1953. Hamilton's library includes material on the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, including The Anzac Book, compiled by and for the ANZAC troops at Gallipoli in 1916. It was originally intended as a New Year magazine for the soldiers, but after evacuation it developed into a souvenir.
- Col John Arthur Edward Heard (c 1908- 1985)
- Trained as an engineer at King's College
London 1926-1929; air conditioning engineer in
India, to c 1940. Service in the Royal Engineers
from c 1940 in India; Commanding Officer of a
counter propaganda unit called 'Josh', created to
remedy the effect of Japanese propaganda on the
Indian Army. Continued career as an engineer
after the War.
The papers include material relating to military propaganda, concerning the British, Japanese and Indian National Army during World War Two. The collection contains examples of magazines including Liberate India, designed by the Japanese during World War Two to appeal to Indian readers by attempting to ally the Indian independence movement with the Japanese cause, and Heard's lecture notes for the 'Josh' programme of anti-Japanese counter propaganda for Indian Army troops.
- Capt Harold Augustus Hodges (d 1918)
- Service in the 3rd Bn, Monmouthshire
Regiment during World War One. Killed in action
on 22 Mar 1918.
Collection includes printed leaflets relating to the war effort, including 'War for Ever', describing German militarism.
- Capt Sir Basil Liddell Hart (1895- 1970)
- Military theorist, writer and publicist.
Service in World War One, 1914-1918; military
correspondent of The Daily Telegraph,
1925-1935 and The Times, 1935-1939.
The collection includes correspondence, memoranda, lecture notes, press cuttings and other papers relating to military matters, 1913-1970. The Liddell Hart Library contains cartoons taken from Heil Hitler, published by the Trustees for Freedom in the 1930s.
- AVM Stewart William Blacker Menaul, CB, CBE, DFC, AFC (1915-1987)
- Service in World War Two; Deputy Director of
Operations at the Air Ministry, 1951-1954; Senior
Air Staff Officer, HQ Bomber Command, 1961-1965;
Commandant, Joint Services Staff College, 1965-1967.
The collection includes papers relating to his career and global defence policies, strategic and tactical planning and conventional and nuclear weaponry. Papers relating to propaganda include a press release by the Government of South Vietnam, 1971, concerning the 'Open Arms Programme' designed to encourage civilian and military members of the Viet Cong to surrender to the free Vietnamese.
- Capt Patrick O'Regan, MC (1920-1961)
- Service with the Partisans in North East Italy,
1944-1945.
The papers include intelligence reports, correspondence between SOE and partisans, maps and photographs.
Last modified: Monday, 08-Aug-2005 13:21:21 BST