IWW, Progressive and Labor Propaganda during World War I

Assignment

• Each group will be assigned an image. – Identify the message of the image– Contextualize the image by explaining how the

group to which it was directed was affected by World War I.

Propaganda and Labor

• The AFL and other trade unions saw the war as an opportunity to gain respect for the labor movement.

• The CPI produced propaganda that would encourage this perception.

Progressive Propaganda

• Progressives wanted to use the war as an opportunity for reform.

• As such, the CPI produced propaganda with messages that would resonate with progressive audiences.

The IWW and Propaganda

• The International Workers of the World were one of the few decidedly anti-war groups in America at the time.

• They viewed the war as a capitalist’s war. Workers should unite against the world’s capitalists, rather than acting as pawns for those capitalists.

• Their propaganda tried to persuade Americans to not participate in the war.