How was propaganda in australia during wwi used to influence the population to join the Australian army to fight in the war?
The main purpose of propaganda in Australia was used to conscript soldiers to fight in the first World War. At first Australia agreed to send 20,000 men and they used propaganda to put forward service as glamorous, prestigious and heroic. What propaganda failed to do was talk about the vast amount of casualties which were involved in the first World War. Propaganda was expressed through three main sources: literature, media and film. Propaganda was also used to maintain public anger about German atrocities and to idealize Australian soldiers. One of the largest forms of propaganda was to conscript large amounts of people to join the Australian Army.
The poster above represents a form of propaganda that the Australian Government used to influence Australians to join the army. This form of propaganda was one of the main forms because it made Australians think that they need to keep their promise with Britain and therefore it encouraged more Australians to join the army, because if they didn't join they would feel like they failed their country and broke their promise with Britain.
Here is another example of the propaganda that was used to influence Australians to join the army. This form of propaganda was used to help bring the war into context, they described the war as a bushfire raging on and it is asking Australians if they would sit and watch a bushfire rage on or if they would get up and help. This would make Australians feel bad for not helping out in the war and therefore they would enlist in the army because they want to help 'drive the Germans back'.
This final piece of propaganda is used to make Australians think that if they do not join the army they will perish or in other words die. This almost forces the Australians to join the army because they want to help protect and serve their country and they also want to protect their families and themselves.
Propaganda was a very effective way to help the Australian Government keep their promises with allied countries and also to get Australian's to enlist in the army. Propaganda was often very misleading because the Australian public did not know what went on in the war and the number of casualties which were faced. Propaganda was also used to help idealise soldiers who are already fighting and make the Australian public feel like they are not doing anything to help and therefore enlisting in the army. Propaganda has both good and bad sides, however if it wasn't for this propaganda we may not have been able to defend ourselves in the first World War.
Propaganda was a very effective way to help the Australian Government keep their promises with allied countries and also to get Australian's to enlist in the army. Propaganda was often very misleading because the Australian public did not know what went on in the war and the number of casualties which were faced. Propaganda was also used to help idealise soldiers who are already fighting and make the Australian public feel like they are not doing anything to help and therefore enlisting in the army. Propaganda has both good and bad sides, however if it wasn't for this propaganda we may not have been able to defend ourselves in the first World War.