The Better Part of Valor

Total war meant that it was no longer sufficient for a nation to simply employ its military forces in a war—it also had to utilize the entire civilian population. Without the support from civilians, it would be impossible to keep a continuous supply of resources to the front lines. The majority of the combatant nations in World War One used propaganda to sway public opinion. German propaganda attempted to portray its actions as merely defensive and urged American soldiers to surrender, while Allied propaganda emphasized alleged atrocities by the Germans. Both sides portrayed themselves as honorable soldiers and the eventual victors.

A number of methods of delivering leaflets were used—zeppelins, balloons, airplanes, and even kites. Displayed are examples of small pouches which would have been filled with leaflets and dropped over enemy lines.

Strict rules required soldiers to turn over any leaflets to their commanding officers immediately. In spite of this, many examples survive.