The 10 Commandments of War Propaganda

A lesson in history that is repeated today... but not by us.

commandments war

"When war is declared, truth is the first casualty" has been falsely attributed to Arthur Ponsonby, but he identified something bigger with ‘The 10 Commandments of War Propaganda’.

“Ponosonby argued that WW1 was instead merely a cynical exercise by the British government to lie to its own people to start and sustain a war intended only to enrich the arms industry.”

1. We do not want war.

2. The opposite party alone is guilty of war.

3. The enemy is inherently evil and resembles the devil.

4. We defend a noble cause, not our own interests.

5. The enemy commits atrocities on purpose; our mishaps are involuntary.

6. The enemy uses forbidden weapons.

7. We suffer small losses, those of the enemy are enormous.

8. Recognized artists and intellectuals back our cause.

9. Our cause is sacred.

10. All who doubt our propaganda are traitors.

“The powerful repeat history because they’ve learned that we forget it.” No, that wasn’t Ponsonby, that was me :)