“In all things, from first to last, without halt or change, it was a plain publicity proposition, a vast enterprise in salesmanship, the world's greatest adventure in advertising. . . . We did not call it propaganda, for that word, in German hands, had come to be associated with deceit and corruption. Our effort was educational and informative throughout, for we had such confidence in our case as to feel that no other argument was needed than the simple, straightforward presentation of the facts.”
— George Creel, Chairman of the Committee on Public Information, *How We Advertised America*, 1920
The methods and goals described in the excerpt most directly reflect which of the following domestic developments during World War I?
- The federal government's unprecedented efforts to shape public opinion and engineer consensus in support of the war effortAnswer
- BThe strict maintenance of Gilded Age laissez-faire economic policies in managing industrial production
- CThe immediate post-war shift toward absolute isolationism that severed all international trade and economic ties
- DThe deployment of containment strategies designed to combat the domestic influence of international communism
Answer
The federal government's unprecedented efforts to shape public opinion and engineer consensus in support of the war effort
The correct answer is correct because it directly addresses the role of the Committee on Public Information (CPI), led by George Creel, which was established by the Woodrow Wilson administration to mobilize domestic support for World War I. The CPI used posters, pamphlets, and speeches (like those of the Four-Minute Men) to shape public opinion and foster national consensus in support of the war effort, representing a major expansion of federal authority.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
World War I Home-Front Mobilization and the Committee on Public Information
Estimated Time:2m 0s