The US government created a Committee on Public Information (CPI) that was to focus on managing the nation's propaganda efforts, staging pageants, turning out advertisements, press releases, billboards and creating films. The committee was responsible for providing an American ideology of World War I as it intended to educate the American public and gain support for the war (Creel, 1920).
The United States recognized the strength that public opinion carries and therefore the government wanted to use this force. One of the ways that the US government tried to influence public opinion from the excerpt was through creating an impression that America needed justice before the public opinion. The decision on the support of the war was created to be as if it is a fight on the verdict of Mankind (Creel, 1920). The committee ensured it acted as a tool of censorship and a machinery of concealment or repression. The committee was used by the government as a publicity proposition enterprise. It created messages that sold the America's government idealism, indomitable purpose, and unselfishness. In a way, it provided the people with assurance that the government was fighting a just cause and that it would win. It did strive in the creation and maintaining a possible morale for the Americans and allies.
Another way to win the public opinion was through informing and educating the public throughout the cause. They made the information to be taken serious and not just an easy task. They used to print, spoken, motion picture and Telegraph among others (Creel, 1920). Despite providing information, they brought crowds together and people from various places as there were volunteers for the committee. The public opinion was encouraged through creating the idea that the committee and America needed aid. It further fought through trying to neutralize the propaganda sold by the Germans (Creel, 1920). It further portrayed the support as citizenship.
The propaganda was successful judging by the number of volunteers for the CPI and the numerous allies. The strength of media is powerful as it influences the population. The spreading of the propaganda was accepted, and the population came to the aid of the committee with over one hundred and fifty thousand women and men devoting themselves to work for the committee. The citizenry idea sold well as it made the war become a nation's business. It further ensured the allies and fought the misinterpretations and the meaning that were trying to be portrayed.
In the 1920s, especially the modern post-war era, America became more democratic. The nation was marked by more democratic acts such as women being allowed to vote. From a democratic point of view, everyone had a right to choose their leader and women are just equal beings as men in the view of electing their representatives (Zinn, & Damon, 1998). It signified less male dominance and chauvinistic democracy. Providing same and equal rights to every individual is a huge part of democracy, and this era marked a huge step. It was a battle against the traditionalist that marked a more democratic country by the modernists. It further meant that the nation was more democratic as the form of leadership was not through dictatorship.
Other actions in the twenties that signified a more democratic country include the bringing of public debates into citizens living rooms by the commercial radio. It is a liberal act to voice out one's concerns or opinions to be heard (Taylor-Robinson, 2010). It marked a great era of democracy that indicated people were free to voice their issues on public matters. They could contribute to discussions that aided in shaping the nation’s future (Carr, & Hart, 2016). The Americans ideas helped built the nation as discussions influenced some of the decisions made. Further incidences in the 1920s that marked democracy includes employment balance (Carr, & Hart, 2016).
References
Allen, F. L. (1931). Only yesterday: An informal history of the 1920's (Vol. 12). John Wiley & Sons.
Carr, R., & Hart, B. W. (2016). The Global 1920s: Politics, Economics, and Society. Routledge.
Creel, G. (1920). How we advertised America (pp. 89-90). NY: Arno Press.
Kacowicz, A. M. (2000). Stable peace among nations. Lanham [u.a.: Rowman & Littlefield Publ.
Taylor-Robinson, M. M. (2010). Do the poor count?: Democratic institutions and accountability in a context of poverty. University Park, Pa: Pennsylvania State University Press.
Zinn, H., & Damon, M. (1998). People's history of the United States. New Press.
