Introduction

An analysis of the themes of the Great War clearly demonstrates that the techniques used one hundred years ago to convince civilians to enlist or to give financial support to the war effort had an enormous potential for development to such a degree that they were adopted by modern political and commercial persuasion. As evidence of the success of the English and American posters, a few years after the end of World War I Hitler wrote in appreciation of their "immediacy obtained by using stereotyped formulas". From the Great War, communication was planned for targeted use as an obvious instrument of persuasion. Therefore, its first objective was to dissipate criticism of government choices in creating a cohesive force to oppose the enemy using the principle of social proof. The principle of reciprocity was implemented to generate strong psychological pressure, producing a tormenting sense of guilt in those who did not do their duty toward the war effort.