Exercise 1

Although the World War I was not the first total war (the wars of the French Revolution earned that distinction), it did mobilize the resources of the modern state to an unprecedented degree.  One of the means through which the warring countries mobilized their populations was through propaganda.  All of the combatants waged sophisticated propaganda campaigns to maintain the support of their citizens and keep their attention focused on victory.

Take a look at the following American, British, French, and Italian propaganda posters: Liberation Loan, Liberty, Remember Belgium, Victory Bonds, Liberty Bonds, Red Cross, Subscribe for the Loan.  Now examine some German and Austro-Hungarian posters and postcards: War Loan, German Postcards, Postcards.  When you arrive at the "Postcards" site, scroll down the navigation bar on the left of your screen until you find the links "The Centrals" and "Mocking Cards: Central Powers"; click on these and look at a few of the cards on each page.  How do these images represent the people and/or military efforts of their own countries?  How do they represent friends and enemies?  How do the types of imagery used by the Allies resemble and/or differ from those used by the Central Powers? How effective do you think these images were in shaping thought and action in each country?

Exercise 2

After World War I many writers and artists reassessed Western civilization and its future.  You have encountered a few examples of this commentary, but take a few moments to consider some others.  Read the following post-war writings by Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis; Oswald Spengler, a German philosopher; and Paul Valery, a French poet and critic.  How do these thinkers evaluate post-war European culture?  What terms do they use to assess it? What do they see as its future? Do any of these writers suggest what, if anything, people might do to change that future?