A New History of the wartime Ministry of Information

Second World War Posters
1077
Interested that the following project is being sold as the first history of the Ministry of Information (although it does say first official history), as Ian McLaine's book offers a pretty decent history, then built on by James Chapman re: films, and then of course, my brain is finally working on a book proposal from my PhD... A major research project will investigate Britain’s wartime Ministry of Information – inspiration for the Ministry of Truth in…
Continue Reading

McLaine, I. Ministry of Morale: Home Front Morale and the Ministry of Information in World War Two London: George Allen & Unwin, 1979

Second World War Posters
1053
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…
Continue Reading

Chapman, J. The British at War: Cinema, State and Propaganda, 1939-1945 London: I.B. Tauris, 1997

Second World War Posters
1052
This work is converted from Chapman's PhD, and is described as a "comprehensive history of the role, nature and organisation of film propaganda in Britain during the Second World War." Chapman challenges the received wisdom that WW2 propaganda was shambolic and disorganised. He shows how film propaganda was more successful than alleged. He examines the roles of both commercial film industry and government film units; through an analysis of government and trade sources he explores…
Continue Reading

Balfour, Michael Propaganda in War 1939-1945, Organisations, Policies and Publics in Britain and Germany London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1979

Second World War Posters
1067
Balfour worked for the Ministry of Information during the Second World War, from March 1939 to March 1942, he was Temporary Principal in General Division of MOI, which gave him a good view of the Home Front. From April 1942 until the end of the war he was Assistant Director of Intelligence in Political Warfare Executive/ Psychological Warfare Division of SHAEF, which gave him a good view of enemy front. This was the first book…
Continue Reading

James Chapman ‘ Official British Film Propaganda during the Second World War

Second World War Posters
1247
Chapman, J., 'Official British Film Propaganda during the Second World War' PhD Thesis completed, 1995. Lancaster University The Ministry of Information was set up at the outbreak of war in September 1939 to co-ordinate all aspects of propaganda and information for the British Government. Its Films Divison was responsible for the formulation of official film propaganda policy and the production of official films. Both the M.O.I. and its films division were handicapped initially by the…
Continue Reading
1 2 3