McLaine, I. Ministry of
Morale: Home Front Morale and the Ministry of Information
in World War Two London: George Allen &
Unwin, 1979
A key work for this project
which fully considers the administrative history
of the Ministry of Information, the lead government
department for propaganda. He argues that for two
years, the measures taken by government propagandists
were:
- Unnecessary and inept
- Based on misunderstanding and
distrust of the British public
- Products of the class and background
of the propagandists themselves.
- He feels that after two years:
- The Germans were still characterised
as irretrievably wicked.
- Efforts were made to separate
Communism from the 'Russian' (not Soviet) war effort.
- Propaganda was intermittently
prompted by doubts about people's martial stamina
and devotion to Parliamentary democracy.
McLaine felt that
the achievements of the Ministry of Information were
that:
- The MOI realised importance of
full and honest news as a factor
- They recognised that in the fight
against totalitarianism, it was important not to
disregard one of its main weapons, although within
a democratic context.
- With benefit of Home Intelligence,
the MOI came to regard the British people as sensible
and tough, and so entitled to be taken into the
government's confidence}
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