PROPAGANDA



"Telegraph fully all news you get and when there is no news send rumors."---From the editor of the Chicago Times during the American Civil War.

This quote gives us a glimpse into the importance of information during wartime, even if the information is "made up." Often information is manufactured in order to crystallize public opinion for a particular cause or candidate. This kind of information is sometimes referred to as propaganda, more accurately defined as "the dissemination of ideas and information for the purpose of inducing or intensifying specific attitudes and actions."(ENCARTA Online, 5/20/98). Throughout the Cold War, a war fought without the direct use of weapons, propaganda was one of the most powerful of arms.

In this unit, students will learn more about what propaganda is and how to identify the different types of propaganda. Knowledge of propaganda is a valuable asset not just in the study of the Cold War and World History, but also towards the goal of media literacy.

As students watch the Cold War episodes and as they read a variety of primary and secondary resources, have them identify the various forms of propaganda, analyzing the goals and effects of the messages on the intended audience.

General Questions for Discussion:

  1. What is propaganda? Find a definition of this term and share it with the class. Have you ever seen or heard propaganda used? If so, relate what you saw/heard and whether it had an effect on you. Why do you think that governments and political leaders often employ propaganda? Discuss how propaganda is a powerful tool when combined with mass media.
  2. Who was Joseph McCarthy? What was the role of the Committee on Un-American Activities? How did the investigation affect the lives and livelihoods of many individuals, especially those in Hollywood? Cite examples of propaganda used throughout these hearings. Citing McCarthyism, discuss how propaganda pushes the limits of free speech.
  3. Conduct research to learn more about Radio Free Europe and its mission. How did the west attempt to use radio waves to penetrate the Iron Curtain? Did the dissemination of information sponsored by the free world have an effect on the people of the Soviet bloc? Share and discuss your findings. In your mind, does the use of Radio Free Europe by the west constitute an exercise in propaganda? Why or why not?
  4. The Cold War was, on many occasions, a war of words. From the Bay of Pigs showdown to Cold-War era movies, the Red Scare was a common theme throughout the United States, while the slogan "Down with U.S. Imperialists" was commonly heard throughout the East bloc. Have students interview older family members to find out what they remember about Cold War propaganda in their lives: Who were the "bad guys" in the movies they watched? In the books/comics they read? How was everyday life affected by anti-Communist propaganda ("duck and cover" air-raid drills)? Have students share their interview information with the class. Generate a class discussion about the use of political propaganda today. Where do students see/hear it? Is there propaganda in popular culture today? Discuss.



STUDENT HANDOUT


ACTIVITIES FOR USE WITH THIS HANDOUT:

  1. Have students work in groups to list the different examples of propaganda they saw throughout the video. Using this HANDOUT as their guide, have them identify each example by type and share their examples with the class. In class discussion, analyze each of the examples and examine what it is the propagandist wants you to believe. How can an intelligent observer avoid being trapped by these techniques? How did both sides use propaganda as a weapon? How does propaganda compare in power or strength with military weapons?
  2. CNN Interactive's companion site to the Cold War, cnn.com/coldwar will publish TIME and Pravda articles for each episode. (These articles will be available the day after the episode airs on CNN.) Have students choose select episodes and juxtapose the account provided in the TIME article with that in the Pravda article. Students will be able to see how the same event can be reported differently and, depending on the spin, can suit the needs of the magazine and newspaper editors.
  3. Also on cnn.com/coldwar, you will find examples of Cold War culture from both sides of the Iron Curtain. Students can search through these materials to find examples of several different types of propaganda. They should assess the effect propaganda has had on maintaining a 'Cold War culture' even after the Cold War has been declared over.
  4. Have students search the newspaper and news magazines for at least three examples of propaganda, identify each type and paste them onto posterboard, along with explanations. Post each student's work. Allow all students time to examine the examples and select one to counter in a short essay.
  5. Propaganda techniques are used in advertising as well as in politics. Challenge students to find examples of advertising propaganda and share them with the class. Is advertising propaganda "dangerous?" Discuss. How would students guide younger siblings and others towards being more critical viewers of the media and its messages?


Propaganda sites on the Web: