TOMORROW BELONGS TO MEDIA

How has propaganda been communicated in history, and to what extent have these strategies informed modern political campaigns?

Linguistics have always been one of propaganda’s most powerful tool used to shape public beliefs. It is not just about what you say, it is how you say it. From Hitler’s orchestrated speeches or the revolutionary words from Karl Marx’s ‘Communist Manifesto’, language has shaped the ideas of those who listen. According to Trask, we use language both with honest intention and intention of misleading and deceiving.  This section looks at how Hitler used the spoken word to communicate his views, aiming for those listening to follow.

1.1 THEATRICALITY OF SPEECH

The organisation of the Nazi Rallies was like a movie set. Every contributing factor of these rallies were carefully considered to maximise the exposure and favourness of the Nazis. The rallies were considered a series of celebratory events, which were held annually from 1933, in Nuremberg. Nuremberg had a scenic backdrop which was enriched with reminders of German Roots. Sir Nevelle Henderson described the dramatic lighting effects as a “cathedral of ice”. The whole user experience was coordinated down to split-second timings, Hitler’s arrival timed for eruption, large masses of people being arranged into Nazi symbols such as swastikas. The drill patterns and enormous banners plastered with swastikas set the scenes and overall crowd atmosphere.

Whilst the design of the rallies played a big role in Hitler’s success, it was -his speeches that took his ideas and spreads them helped to spread his ideas across the German public. His use of rhetoric brainwashed the public, how he encompassed his expression, pauses, high and low notes changed their perception. But what was it in his speeches that corrupted the German people?

During Hitler’s rise to power, the German economy was in a terrible state following World War I, largely due to the Treaty of Versailles*.*In Hitlers’ rise to power, the German Economy was in a terrible and desperate state after World War 1 due to the Treaty of Versailles. Widespread With widespread unemployment, hyperinflation and the Great Depression, the German people were desperate for a better life. WhichThis is when Hitler had saw a great opportunity. He promised jobs, stability and reinstatements of the German Empire. He used the weakness and vulnerability of the German people as a motive to gain power. By using simple language that appealed withto the working class, offering clear solutions, even if they were built on lies and hatred, the people listened. His speeches were deliberately crafted to be direct, dramatic and emotionally changedcharged. Through the choice of bold, violent words, it was aimed at the lowest intellect, those who could be influenced easily, as they had little political knowledge. They were the most affected by the crisis and least equipped to question the claims being made. By simplifying difficult economic and social issues, the ideology became more digestible.

In Jenifer Liu’s ‘Breaking Down Hitler Magic’, the analysis explains how Hitler used “common knowledge markers” during his speeches to manipulate his audience. Phrases such as “as we all understand” or “as you know” to force his audience into agreement without offering any real evidence. The illusion of shared understanding created this false sense of community, making users feel apart of a collective truth. This technique allowed him to justify positioning his audience as the enablers of his decisions, when in reality he was tricking the users into thinking they were familiar with his topics. Phrases such as “us” and “we” also allow users to feel like they are apart of something bigger, personally involved, with a shared purpose.

2.1 MODERN COMMUNCIATION

Throughout history, politicians have used spoken word and public demonstrations as tools to communicate authority and unity. In the 20th century, speeches were often accompanied by large large-scale displays of military strength, choreographed perfectly to project pride amongst the public. More recently, similar methods of communication have been preformedperformed, appearing in large large-scale rallies or televised displays of power, for an examplesuch as, Donald Trump’s most recent military demonstration, held in Washington. This included military parades, American troops, tanks, helicopters and historic military equipment, considered by The Conversation, “a grand spectacle”. The parade displayed visually as a powerful and strong event. The choice of location, the uniforms, marching, synchronisation, and machinery createscreate a “persona and powerful collective presence” as Jennifer Craik writes. This visual alone, creates a sense of pride and unity towards the American public, seeing the soldiers marching evokes patriotism and allows the audience to feel emotionally uplifted, through the power of performance.

2.2 SPEECH

By looking at the language used and the techniques that Trump used within his speeches, analysing how these techniques compare to those used in mass propaganda events in the past is easy.

The speech itself was only 8 eight minutes long, however, it was full of declarative and strong language, “we” and ”us” similar tactics to previous propaganda techniques, which again make the viewers feel a part of something. It also creates an ‘us vs them|” idea that increases tensiosn tension with enemies.

He uses a quote which states, “There is no earthly force more powerful than the brave heart of the US military”, giving a sense of unity and shared identity among his supporters. We see this in many of his campaigns and patriotic speeches, where Trump says phrases such as “We are going to Make America Great Again” and “Our movement is about the people”. This language positions the audience as part of a collective effort, building emotional connection, nationalism and loyalty. A very similar method of political communication that was used in history.

Trump will often simplify the complicated political and economical issues into short, memorable phrases that audiences can understand and repeat. Phrases such as “Build the Wall”, “Make America Great Again!,” and “Drain the Swamps”. These phrases simplify bigger issues such as immigration, corruption and foreign policy into these direct slogans. This way he communicates to all audiences, making it accessible for those who are not fully informed on politics. The simplicity of these messages givegives the idea that those these problems have clear solutions when actually, they are a lot more complex. This strategy reflects the historical use of persuasive simplification in political persuasion.

Although the setting of the speeches has changed, the persuasive power of speech remains consistent. Hitler’s rallies used tone, rhythm and repetition to engage and corrupt those listening, ; these techniques are still being used in modern political communication. Whether published through television, campaign rallies or short viral clips, spoken language continues to shape how the audience thinks and feels. What has changed is how this communication travels, proving that while technology advances, the spoken word remains one of at the forefronts of political persuasion.

VISUAL

3.1 PROPAGANDA POSTERS

Visual communication has always been one of the most successful techniques in propaganda. While spoken word can persuade audiences, graphics have the power to evoke emotions without words, ; the use of visual elements such as image and colour can have an impactful powerful effect on the user. Some of the most famous examples of successful, visual propaganda was can be seen in the former USSR, who which encourages encouraged communism and through its propaganda during World War 2. These graphic design posters heavily influenced the Russian people and furthered the cause very effectively.