Britain re-created the World War I Ministry of Information for the duration of World War II to generate propaganda to influence the population towards support for the war effort. A wide range of media was employed aimed at local and overseas audiences. Traditional forms such as newspapers and posters were joined by new media including cinema (film), newsreels and radio. A wide range of themes were addressed, fostering hostility to the enemy, support for allies, and specific pro war projects such as conserving metal and growing vegetables.

Media Cinema The story of British cinema in the Second World War is inextricably linked with that of the Ministry of Information.Anthony Aldgate and Jeffrey Richards, Britain can take it: the British cinema in the Second World War, Edinburgh University Press, 1994, p. 4. Formed on 4 September 1939, the day after Britain's declaration of war, the Ministry of Information (MOI) was the central government department responsible for publicity and propaganda in the Second World War. It was the ministry's function to "present the national case to the public at home and abroad".Ian McLaine, Ministry of Morale, London, 1979, p. 12. The MOI was keenly aware of the value of commercially produced entertainment films in furthering the national cause generally and maintained close contact with film makers:

The Ministry both advised the producers on the suitability of subjects which they had suggested and proposed subjects which we thought would do good overseas. Whenever the ministry had approved a subject we gave every help to the producer in obtaining facilities to make the film.Geoff Hurd (ed.), National Fictions. World War II in British Films and Television, London, 1984, p. 15.

As a result, the typical British war film attempts to construct a gripping suspense story which at the same time conveys propaganda ideas in support of the Allied cause. Kenneth Clark, as head of the Films Division of the MOI, argued in 1940 that the public must be convinced of German brutality, stating "we should emphasise wherever possible the wickedness and evil perpetrated in the occupied countries."Anthony Aldgate and Jeffrey Richards, Britain can take it: the British cinema in the Second World War, p. 133. Subsequently, the Home Planning Committee felt it essential to portray fully "the evil things which confront us ... to fortify the will to continue the struggle". By 1942, the fear of invasion (as depicted in films such as Went the Day Well?) had receded, and film makers began to turn to the brutal reality of life in occupied countries. The Day Will Dawn (1942) was a film about the Norwegian resistance, while Uncensored told the story of the Belgian resistance. Tomorrow We Live show the French Resistance and the heroism of ordinary French civilians, while One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942) shows Dutch civilians risking their lives to help a group of British airmen back to England.

Films were also imported. Churchill ordered the entire sequence of Frank Capra's Why We Fight to be shown to the public.

Newsreels Newsreels had particular effect on American audiences, the dome of St. Paul's over the ruins being a particularly significant image.

Posters

Posters were widely used in the propaganda campaigns. Their content ranged from simple instructions to purely motivational content. One series of posters for London Transport featured Billy Brown of London Town.

The April 1939 Motivational posters trio These posters were a series of three issued as a motivational poster by the British Government in 1939. The three posters in the series were, "Freedom is in peril, defend it with all your might." "YOUR COURAGE, YOUR CHEERFULNESS AND YOUR RESOLUTION WILL BRING US VICTORY" (All versions capitalised, second printing included considerable underlining of nouns for even more emphasis) and "Keep Calm and Carry On". The original designs were approved for mass production and distribution in April 1939, though they were rarely displayed, and remaining stock was pulped in 1940.

Leaflets Leaflets and newspapers were popularly used for propagandising enemy-held territory, by dropping them from aeroplanes. As early as the Phoney War, pamphlets were being dropped. On the anniversary of Hitler's premature declaration of victory against the Soviet Union, in 1941, copies of the Völkischer Beobachter reporting the story were dropped on Germany.

One Italian leaflet invoked Garibaldi, who had said that Italy's future was linked with Great Britain's, declaring the bombings the "curse of Garibaldi".

Books The MOI issued a number of books for other ministries notably 'The Army at War' series for the War Office."Works by the Ministry of Information," https://www.librarything.com/author/ministryofinformatio-1, accessed 5 November 2018. A few weeks after D-Day, crates of books were landed in Normandy, to be distributed to French booksellers; an equal number of American and British efforts were included.John B. Hench, Books As Weapons, p. 1

Radio Radio was widely used, with broadcasts in 23 languages; it proved to be rather simple to the occupied countries than to Germany itself.

Edward R. Murrow's broadcasts of the Blitz were particularly useful in propagandising the United States, because of his calm, factual, and unopinionated manner; he received full rein and facilities, even access to Churchill. His reports of British courage and tenacity helped stimulate hope.

Transmitters in England would also pose as broadcasting from Germany, where mostly factual reports would be studded with lies.

Themes

Resistance

During the Phoney War, the book Why Britain is at War sold a hundred thousand copies.

In 1940 in particular, Winston Churchill made many calls for the British to fight on, and for British units to fight until they died rather than submit.Max Hastings, Retribution: The Battle for Japan 1944-45 p. 41 His calls for fight to victory inspired a hardening of public opinion.Gerhard L. Weinberg, Visions of Victory: The Hopes of Eight World War II Leaders p. 139 Determination raised the numbers of the Home Guard and inspired a willingness to fight to the last ditch, in a manner rather similar to Japanese determination, and the slogan "You can always take one with you" was used in the grimmest times of the war.Edwin P. Hoyt, Hitler's War p. 157

Victories British victories were announced to the public for morale purposes, and broadcast to Germany for purposes of undermining morale.

Even during Dunkirk, an optimistic spin was put on how the soldiers were eager to return.

When the U-boat commander Günther Prien vanished with his submarine U-47, Churchill personally informed the House of Commons, and radio broadcasts to Germany asked, "Where is Prien?" until Germany was forced to acknowledge his loss.Andrew Williams, The Battle of the Atlantic: Hitler's Gray Wolves of the Sea and the Allies' Desperate Struggle to Defeat Them p. 124–126

The turn of the war made BBC's war commentaries much more stirring.

Work

Propaganda was deployed to encourage people to volunteer for onerous or dangerous war work, such as factories or Home Guard.

Male conscription ensured that general recruitment posters were not needed, but specialist services posters did exist, and many posters aimed at women"Specialist Recruiting " such as Land Army,"Land Army girl" or ATS."They can't get on without us" Films and posters encouraged women to go to work in munitions factories.

Posters were also targeted at increasing production."Production Salvage" Pictures of the Armed Forces often called for support from civilians,"The Fighting Forces" and posters juxtaposed civilian workers and soldiers to urge that the forces were relying on them and instruct them in the importance of their role."Remember – they're relying on you"

People were encouraged to spend holidays assisting at harvest, even when they were also encouraged to stay home."Lend a hand with the potato harvest"

Evacuation of children Posters urged children to be sent from London."Children should be evacuated" Both pamphlets and posters urged that evacuated children not be brought back. Many were, in fact, brought back during the Phoney War, and the government redoubled efforts to persuade them to let the children remain away.

Others praised those who took such children in, such as depicting a housewife in a line of uniformed women as she welcomes children."Volunteer housewife"

Blackout Posters outlined what to do when travelling in a blackout. Instructions included the advice that torches should be pointed downwards to avoid blinding people,"Shine your torch downwards" that care should be taken while crossing roads,"Lookout in the blackout" and that when alighting from a train, passengers should check that the door opened on to a platform.

Preventing waste Propaganda was deployed to encourage people to economise on travel, save waste paper, and to obey rationing. The propaganda film They Also Serve dealt with housewives' conservation efforts. People were also called to "make do" so that raw materials would be available for the war effort. Even an unattended kettle, boiling over, was waste."Unattended kettle" This was to be applied at work, as well, even though the firm was paying for wasted fuel."The firm (country) pays for it"

Recipes were spread for cooking efficiently and nutritiously on the restricted diet that included many substitutions.Andrew Williams, The Battle of the Atlantic: Hitler's Gray Wolves of the Sea and the Allies' Desperate Struggle to Defeat Them p. 110–111 The Ministry of Food urged that it was not clever to take more than your share. While bread was not rationed, wholemeal bread was encouraged. Propaganda also publicised that pregnant women could get orange juice and vitamin pills by bringing their ration books and medical certificate to the Food Office. Waste paper required recycling to save shipping. The Squander Bug campaign simply urged spending less.

Because the war limited other options, the bus system was overloaded, and posters urged people to walk for short distances, to ease the burden."Walk short distances" For train journeys, posters urged consideration of whether the trip was necessary and the importance of food and ammunition carried by train.

Posters also encouraged growing food in gardens. The difficulties of the Battle of the Atlantic led to the slogan "Dig for Victory!"Andrew Williams, The Battle of the Atlantic: Hitler's Gray Wolves of the Sea and the Allies' Desperate Struggle to Defeat Them p. 110 Every garden could be used for this purpose. Because potatoes could be grown this way, the character "Potato Pete" was created to remind people that potatoes did not take up room on ships.Andrew Williams, The Battle of the Atlantic: Hitler's Gray Wolves of the Sea and the Allies' Desperate Struggle to Defeat Them p. 111 Radio broadcasts encouraged the nation that growing your own food was a form of recreation, not wartime sacrifice.

Salvage operations were depicted as transforming scrap to weapons."Salvage poster" An exhibition, "Private Scrap" was created to demonstrate the uses of scrap and underscore the link between civilian efforts and the military forces."Private Scrap" Iron railings and aluminium pots were targeted. Housewives' salvage efforts were presented militaristically,"Up housewives and at 'em" even depicting weapons as coming directly from the efforts of women to save scrap."Little gift from Grannie"

Axis British propaganda, like American propaganda, presented the war as an issue of good versus evil, a factor that allowed them to rouse the population to fight a just war, and use themes of resistance and liberation to occupied countries.

Anti-German