Patriotism and propaganda in First World War Britain the National War Aims Committee and civilian morale

Description

For the British Empire and its allies of the Great War, 1917 was a year marked by crises. But here and there glimmers of light pierced the gloom. Soldiers began solving the problems posed by trench warfare. The dominions asserted themselves in the councils of imperial power. And the US finally entered the war. This book examines the British imperial war effort during the most pivotal and dynamic twelve months of the war. Written by internationally recognized historians, its chapters explore military, diplomatic, and domestic aspects of how the empire prosecuted the war. Their rich, nuanced analysis transcends narrow, national viewpoints to provide a multi-faceted perspective of events that laid the groundwork for victory. CONTENTS List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction PART 1. The National War Aims Committee 1 The Development of Wartime Propaganda and theEmergence of the NWAC 2 The NWAC at Work 3 Local Agency, Local Work: The Role of Constituency War Aims Committees PART 2. Patriotism for a Purpose: NWAC Propaganda 4 Presentational Patriotisms 5 Adversaries at Home and Abroad: The Context of Negative Difference 6 Civilisational Principles: Britain and its Allies as the Guardians of Civilisation 7 Patriotisms of Duty: Sacrifice, Obligation and Community - The Narrative Core of NWAC Propaganda 8 Promises for the Future: The Encouragement of Aspirations for a Better Life, Nation and World PART 3. The Impact of the NWAC 9 ‘A Premium on Corruption’? Parliamentary, Pressure Groupand National Press Responses 10 Individual and Local Reactions to the NWAC Conclusion Appendix 1. Local Case Studies Appendix 2. Card-Index Database Bibliography Index