Propaganda is a strategic tool to spread certain negative information to a selected community, where its objectives are to do damages to the opposing enemy. It is a political manoeuvre, where ideology will be used to create a political agenda, the information can be truth or untruth or even baseless allegations. It’s a method to influence the public on a specific issue, and mostly the propagandist has a particular interest. It usually is done by the state government towards the people. Propagandist could use the propaganda in the form of a verbal or intriguing poster. Propaganda has different categories, and white propaganda is when the facts are accurate. However, the dissemination process could be biased. Grey propaganda is a baseless fact without official sources. Black propaganda is a false information that is spread in that are indented as a truth; Historically, the subject of propaganda has been debated since ancient civilization through the modern nation-state. Historically, propaganda is almost seen in the international affairs, relations between state, the clash of ideology, that later resulted in war.
Ancient Greek mythology also provides some concept of individuality propaganda cunning tactics from the individual, the journey of Odysseus to his wife Penelope in Kingdom in Ithaca, his journey is full elements of the trickster to achieve its objective, while, in the war between city-states, Athens vs Persia, agents as a political campaigner used to disarray the information on opposing sides, Battle Salami’s are one of notable, Themistocles’s naval war with King Xerxes achieve success due to King Xerxes believed Themistocles ploy that they are not ready for battle. This is craftiness intelligence that manipulates military decision, not to forget Athenian statesman, Pericles, a strategist who has the ability in persuading not only his people but enemies. Around that timeline, propaganda is a deceitful act that is under the justification of strategic knowledge. And it was done in the event of war.
Now, Alexander the Great, is the epitome of propaganda, Alexander, who is the King of Macedon. Even the meaning of his name was the protector. Not only that, his even self-deification where he was titled the God’s children “son of Zeus”. To make people glorify him as the right leader. In a sense, it’s becoming sort of ruler cult that people are going to follow—he, also known as the conqueror. How the Persian Empire was a superpower during that time was conquered by Alexander the Great. And the way Alexander did that not only in the matter of military capability but through propaganda. He propagated that the Macedonia invasion was on behalf of the Greeks. On the reason that Persia that started the war at first. To simplify the propaganda was aim as an act of revenge towards the Persia. He knows how to retain the power through marriage and cultural symbolism to legitimize all-action made by him, a total control towards his subject.
Trough Ancient Greece, Alexander the Great, all this event and story were depicted as an act of propaganda, and now this idea has thoroughly evolved throughout it has similarities and differences. Propaganda has the unique characteristic that never changed, which is the information that is going to be propagated are selective according to the subject’s condition, for example, people. Certain group, propagandist will choose what content is suitable, it is usually playing with the emotion of people, and the listener rarely questions the information that they get, in some cases, the content of propaganda is very authoritative, people would not even dare to ask it. By that, the propagandist agenda is objective with a specific mission. Also, propagandist nature is derived from a superiority complex, whether on ideology, or latter constitute to race. However, the mechanism of propaganda has developed through the years with the advancement of technology. It can be distributed to the poster, films, tv shows, radio, books, news or even education particular during early childhood. All of this mechanism will be embedded in the heart of the propagandist subjects.
In 20th century international affairs, the use of propaganda in war is effective in pursuing their objective. World War II is a significant historical event about propaganda, mainly the Germans, Nazi. Germany is in a dire time. After WW1 German lost territories and but the important part is, they lose their identity. With that comes the idea of socialist nationalism. Hence Hitler came into the picture. While Germany suffers from the economy, they also suffer culturally. So, by using propaganda. Hitler units the German people under one super political power with and ideology of Fascism and Supremacy of the Aryan race. This is a supreme idea of race, to assert towards the people the idea for national interest Now, Nazi’s propaganda is systematically developed where the book Mein Kampf is a propaganda tool itself, it is an autobiographical manifesto of Hitler, who deemed for the Germans to unite. This propaganda tool is not only used towards the people of Germans but as well towards the external states which the ideology affected Poland and major powers such as the United Kingdom.
Italy under Mussolini has the same experience as Germans, where Mussolini the Italy prime minister, impose fascist ideology towards Italians. Under the regime, radio has been used for Mussolini propagandizing speeches. His radical ideology also needs to be supported with other factors, such as he presented himself as being chosen by God. And this personality was being propagated by its one ministry. His character was depicted as a credible man, a fearless leader. Legends around him, defying death from World War I. all this was to boost the popularity of the Mussolini. It is very egocentric and personality cult of the archetype. Alike many other socialist nationalist leaders, Italians under him is very restricted, censorship towards the media and propaganda through slogans, poster, radio, and song are under the government initiative
Onto, Asia Pacific region, Japan during the World War II was an Asian colonial power, Japan approach on this is very strategic while conflicted with the United Kingdom and America, Japan approaches the Asia Pacific and spread few slogans the message, anti-European colonialist. Japan approach on Malaya, Indonesia, and the Philippines is through pamphlets dropped by aeroplanes. This pamphlet contains and idea for the Asian to unite and work together in rejecting European colonial power, to add on, it was intended to set free countries that have are being colonized. However, something contrary happened. Japan arrival was not a peaceful arrival. Instead, they arrive at a new colonizer. For example, people in Malaya were very keen towards Japan’s idea but later were being colonized and treated without a sense of humanity.
During the Cold War, between the Soviet Union and America, the role of media is significantly used between a bloc of communist and capitalist. Both countries fear the influence of opposing ideology not only towards its allies but internally towards their domestic. During that time, radio, tv channels, and newspaper were produced by the government. A memorable slogan from America’s based media is the “Better dead then Red” this is to cause hysteria and avoid domestic sympathies of Americans towards the Soviet Union. While, Soviet Union, Stalin propagandize an anti-America campaign towards the soviet people. Same as America, this is to isolate the soviet society from being manipulate. In 1947, an American show “Voice of America” that are premiered in Soviet Broadcaster, at first, it was a show that discuss about entertainment but gradually it became political. Thus, in 1949, the Soviet jammed Americans programs. Both countries put much emphasis on radio and a series of counter ideologies so that the international community could reach the propaganda.
Furthermore, post 9/11 has shown modern propaganda of America, and this propaganda contaminates bad rapport of Islam, now, most Islamic communities believe that the emerge of Islamophobic was because heavily dramatized by America’s based media. The media always linked terrorism activities with the Islamic community, The New York Post, the front newspaper issued a sentence as “Act of War”. Post 9/11 has shown the discourse of propaganda linked to religious activities, mainly al- Qaeda, Islamist militant. And this might directly or indirectly influence America’s foreign policy in the middle east.
In conclusion, through the courses of history, there is not much significant change in propaganda values, it is always the notion of negativity. Towards the historical event, propaganda is motivated by political ambition. In the perspective of the leader, the kings, the head of state, there is the similarity of approaches. They developed a narcissistic personality, a competent one, they are mostly very authoritative and believe their ideas are good for that time being. They legitimize themselves as a deity so that people will follow them blindly. They know how to manipulate words and twisted. In constructing propaganda, a propagandist should master and understand the world view. By that, they can manipulate the thought process of subjects. In the 21st century, the notion of the Internet of Thing (IoT), the spread of propaganda can be faster. Few academic discourses could be related to propaganda which is a hate crime, fake news, or memetic. Propaganda also needs to be persuasive so that people would believe. Now, why propaganda is mostly a political ambition? A significant event has shown propaganda will be used by individual leaders after the fallen era. When a situation is dire and requires change, all it takes hope or conflict and propaganda is the way to reestablish, alas it can be useful for the country, even though propaganda natured negativity, it gives spark to dire tines. Propagandist with charisma is a perfect formula for the success of propaganda.
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