Public Morale and Publicity

Allied Air Offensive Against Germany
Allied Air Offensive Against Germany
Great Britain Ministry of Information: Daily Press Notices and Bulletins, January 16, 1941
Press Notice [Churchill Becomes Prime Minister]
Press Notice [Churchill Becomes Prime Minister]
Great Britain Ministry of Information: Daily Press Notices and Bulletins, No. 44: May 10, 1940
Expansion of British Army January 1939-January 1940
Expansion of British Army January 1939-January 1940
Great Britain Ministry of Information: Daily Press Notices and Bulletins, No. 14: February 12, 1940
“Keep Calm...,Your Courage..., Freedom is in Peril...”
“Keep Calm...,Your Courage..., Freedom is in Peril...”
A series of three posters issued in the event of war. The designs were never officially issued so few originals can be found. Some in the government felt that the posters were not inspiring and were even annoying to the British people as the posters would “seem to doubt the steadiness of their nerves.”
“Let Us Go Forward Together”
“Let Us Go Forward Together”
On May 13, 1940, Winston Churchill gave his first, and some believe one of his greatest speeches as British prime minister. This poster was created to both remind the British public of his words as a way to bolster their resolve and as a call to other countries, especially the United States, that assistance to Britain was imperitive for world peace. "At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, ‘Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.’”

The running theme of the MOI’s propaganda campaign was that the war would not be won by the military alone, but by a concerted effort of the armed services, international allies, and by the citizens of Great Britain to wage a new kind of war. A war not just based on armament and force, but by a true resolve that the world itself was at stake. Soldiers were being killed but so were civilians, bombings becoming almost a daily occurrence. It was vital that the British people do their bit to support the war and their government and it was the MOI’s purpose to maintain the morale of those same people. The citizenry was polled regularly to ascertain the mood of the country. Patriotism, encouraging words from government officials, particularly from Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and a sense of national community were prevalent.