British Propaganda to France, 1940-1944: Machinery, Method and Message (International Communications): Machinery, Method and Message (International Communications)

Tim Brooks studies the organization, operation, and nature of the British propaganda effort in France during the Second World War, focusing on "white" propaganda (BBC broadcasts, leaflets dropped by the RAF) and "black" propaganda (secret broadcasting stations, "German" documents distributed clandestinely, and rumors). Brooks briefly covers the British propaganda effort from the outbreak of war to the fall of France then assesses the effectiveness of the campaign. (XXX, 3: Sept. 2008) Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Figures and Table......Page 10 Translations and Terminology......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 12 Key Players......Page 15 Preface......Page 18 The Beginnings of British Propaganda......Page 20 France in 1940......Page 22 The Need for Propaganda to France......Page 23 From World War to World War: British Propaganda, 1914–39......Page 26 Inter-war Treatment of Propaganda......Page 28 Propaganda Planning......Page 29 Department EH......Page 31 The Special Operations Executive......Page 33 The Political Warfare Executive......Page 36 Controlling the BBC: The MOI, PWE and Problems of BBC ‘Independence’......Page 38 Internal Organisation......Page 40 Dividing the Workload......Page 41 Separation for Security: Black Propaganda......Page 43 Coordinating the Workload: Propaganda Planning and Leaflet Production......Page 44 BBC Internal Organisation: Regionalisation and Centralisation......Page 46 SOE......Page 48 The Free French......Page 49 The Americans: OWI and OSS......Page 51 Conclusion......Page 53 The Air Ministry’s Propaganda Role......Page 55 The RAF’s Attitude to Leaflet Propaganda......Page 56 Problems of Leaflet Dissemination......Page 57 Costs and Benefits of Leaflet Propaganda to the RAF......Page 59 Dissemination Data: RAF Records and Evidence from France......Page 60 RAF Claims of Leaflet Dissemination......Page 61 The Propagandists’ Targets......Page 63 Coverage According to Evidence from France......Page 68 The Scale of BBC Transmissions......Page 71 Geographical Coverage and Evidence from France......Page 72 Availability of Sets and Spares......Page 73 Conclusion......Page 75 The Fall of France......Page 77 Mers-el-K ́ ebir......Page 82 Propaganda Planning, 1940–4: Defining Long-term Strategy......Page 85 Attack on the USSR......Page 89 Attack on the USA......Page 93 Bombing France and Germany, 1942......Page 101 Operation Torch and its Consequences......Page 107 Sicily and Italy......Page 114 D-Day and the Liberation of France......Page 118 Conclusion......Page 123 The Evidence......Page 126 What did the French Think?......Page 130 Covert Circulation......Page 132 German and Vichy Countermeasures......Page 134 Counterpropaganda......Page 135 What did the French Think?......Page 137 German and Vichy Countermeasures......Page 138 Countering the Countermeasures......Page 141 Counterpropaganda......Page 144 Conclusion......Page 146 5. Black Propaganda: Machinery, Method, Message and Reaction......Page 148 Distribution Methods......Page 149 Quantity and Nature: White and Grey Propaganda......Page 153 Quantity and Nature: Strictly ‘Black’ Propaganda......Page 156 Feedback......Page 160 Operation and Nature......Page 161 Feedback......Page 166 Nature and Description......Page 168 Feedback......Page 171 Conclusion......Page 173 Machinery......Page 175 Method......Page 176 Message......Page 177 Evaluating British Propaganda to France, 1940–4......Page 178 Appendix: Maps......Page 182 Notes......Page 199 A Note on the Sources......Page 225 Archival and Museum Holdings......Page 229 Books, Articles and Unpublished Research......Page 230 Websites, Television and Video Documentaries......Page 238 Index......Page 239 This book examines the important issue of British propaganda to France during the Second World War and aims to show the value of the propaganda campaign to the British war effort. British Propaganda to France is a unique contribution to the field, not only in its examination of one of the least well-studied areas of British activity during the Second World War but also in the breadth of its approach. It surveys the organisation, operation and nature of the British propaganda effort towards the French people, including both white propaganda (BBC broadcasts and leaflets dropped by the RAF) and black propaganda (secret broadcasting stations, documents purporting to come from the Germans in France or distributed in France using clandestine methods, and rumours). Finally it examines the contemporary British understanding of the French and German reception of and reaction to this propaganda material, to show whether the campaign was an effective and well-directed use of resources. Almost all examinations of British foreign propaganda during the Second World War have focused on propaganda directed towards Germany. British propaganda to France, which in terms of quantity of output was actually the most important area of British propaganda, has never been examined in depth until now. This book adds a further chapter to our knowledge of propaganda in the Second World War, especially in the conduct of psychological warfare. It also touches on better-known areas such as RAF Bomber Command and its Operational Training Units, which handled aerial dissemination of British white propaganda leaflets over France, and the Special Operations Executive in France, which worked closely with the Political Warfare Executive in delivering much black propaganda." "This book examines the important issue of British propaganda to France during the Second World War and aims to show the value of the propaganda campaign to the British war effort." "British Propaganda to France is a unique contribution to the field, not only in its examination of one of the least well-studied areas of British activity during the Second World War but also in the breadth of its approach. It surveys the organisation, operation and nature of the British propaganda effort towards the French people, including both white propaganda (BBC broadcasts and leaflets dropped by the RAF) and black propaganda (secret broadcasting stations, documents purporting to come from the Germans in France or distributed in France using clandestine methods, and rumours). Finally it examines the contemporary British understanding of the French and German reception of and reaction to this propaganda material, to show whether the campaign was an effective and well-directed use of resources."--Jacket 'british Propaganda To France, 1940-1944' Examines The Important Issue Of British Propaganda To France During The Second World War And Aims To Show The Value Of The Propaganda Campaign To The British War Effort. Preface -- Introduction: British Propaganda In The Second World War -- Chapter One: Machinery -- Background, Planning And Departmental Organisation -- Chapter Two: Method -- The Distribution Of White Propaganda -- Chapter Three: Message -- What White Propaganda Said -- Chapter Four: Reaction -- The Impact Of White Propaganda -- Chapter Five: Machinery, Method, Message And Reaction -- Black Propaganda -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Map Appendix -- Bibliography. Tim Brooks. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [180]-219) And Index.