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- Title
BOLSTERING NATIONAL MORALE IN WARTIME FRANCE.
- Authors
Officer, A. French
- Abstract
This article discusses ways of bolstering national morale during the war in France. Although the general objectives of the morale services of all belligerent countries are similar, details of strategy and minor tactics must differ widely to meet varying circumstances. This article presents a description of the techniques of censorship, propaganda, and counter-propaganda employed in France today. Thus the French Government was directly challenged to act. Measures taken have been of three kinds. In the first place attempts have been made to stop propaganda at its source whenever possible. In the second place, propaganda that could not be stopped has been met by counter-propaganda. Finally, acting on the principle that germs of defeatist propaganda can grow only on a weakened and crippled organism, the Government has endeavored to keep the soldiers in such a sound moral and physical condition as will enable them to resist any microbes which do succeed in reaching them. All of these techniques, some of which are so different from those of the last war, are the means of keeping the French soldier in high spirits. That so far they have been found, sufficient does not mean that they may not have to be developed, improved or altered as the war changes in character.
- Subjects
FRANCE; MORALE; MILITARY psychology; WAR &; society; MASS media &; public opinion; POLITICAL psychology; FRENCH propaganda
- Publication
Public Opinion Quarterly, 1940, Vol 4, Issue 1, p66
- ISSN
0033-362X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1086/265369