Propaganda and Terrorism

• Why do dictatorships target mass media?

  To control attitudes, values, and beliefs
• What does a dictatorship strive to create?

  Uniformity of thought
• What combination enhances the effectiveness of propaganda?

  Technology and psychological pressure
• How does the public mood affect propaganda messages?

  It requires frequent adjustments to fit agendas
• What societal conditions existed in 1930s Germany?

  National humiliation, inflation, and unemployment
• What must a regime do to appear trustworthy?

  Turn exaggeration and untruths into an art form
• What was the political language of Nazism like?

  Short, sharp, and intense
• Who was responsible for propaganda in Nazi Germany?

  Joseph Goebbels
• What was Goebbels' goal regarding propaganda?

  To establish 'total propaganda'
• How did Goebbels categorize the German population?

  Into actives and passives, members and sympathisers
• What were the main pillars of Nazi communication?

  The press and radio
• How did the Nazis use film for propaganda?

  To create glorified images of Hitler
• What was the central goal of Nazi propaganda?

  To manufacture a new Volksgemeinschaft
• What did Nazi propaganda urge the population to prioritize?

  The community over the individual
• What does the Fuehrer Myth relate to?

  The notion of a national community
• What is suggested about the effectiveness of Nazi propaganda?

  It may have been exaggerated in impact
• What happened to journalism under Nazi propaganda?

  It became bland and one-dimensional
• What was the ownership percentage of wireless radios in German households in 1932?

  25%
• Why might some Germans have supported the Nazis?

  It served their own interests
• How did propaganda resonate with some Germans?

  It reflected their aspirations for nationalism
• What did Nazi propaganda portray about society?

  A perfect society accessible to true Germans
• What tools did the Nazis use alongside propaganda?

  Censorship and terror
• What happened to books by 'non-persons'?

  They were banned and burned
• What was the role of students in book burnings?

  They played a key role in starting them
• What was the perception of concentration camps among some Germans?

  They were seen as a necessary evil
• How did the Nazis use terror to control the population?

  Through intimidation and surveillance
• What was the SS originally created as?

  Hitler's personal bodyguard
• Who controlled the SS?

  Heinrich Himmler
• What additional roles did the SS develop?

  Military, government, and economic roles
• What was the SD's primary role?

  Internal security service
• Who led the SD?

  Reinhard Heydrich
• What was the original purpose of concentration camps?

  To re-educate political prisoners
• What change occurred in the purpose of concentration camps by 1936?

  They began to target 'undesirables'
• How did the Nazi propaganda machine affect public perception of concentration camps?

  It portrayed them as beneficial for society
• What was the impact of terror on the German populace?

  It reinforced their sense of defencelessness
• How did obedience within German society affect the regime?

  It facilitated popular consent for the regime
• What was Joseph Goebbels' role in Nazi Germany?

  He was the Minister of Propaganda
• What does 'total propaganda' mean in the context of Nazi Germany?

  Complete control over all forms of communication
• Why did Goebbels divide the population into actives and passives?

  To manage propaganda effectiveness
• What was the significance of the press and radio in Nazi communication?

  They were the main channels for propaganda