In World War II the United States of America produced leaflets for the enemy i.e. Germans and the inhabitants of German occupied countries, beginning in 1942.
The dissemination of Allied leaflets produced by SHAEF/PWD continued until the last day of WW II (Source: www.propaganda-leaflets.com).
" Tag und nacht, mit vereinten kräften " ( USG.9 )
Made by the O.W.I. and distributed from US planes between 12/08 and 03/12/1943. (Source: www.Psywar.org)
Presumably relating to the "CBO" (initiated 10/06/1943) this leaflet basicly announces a more cooperative airstrategy by the Allies.
The 1st time RAF and USAAF attacked the same target "night and day" was July 1943 in Hamburg, later called "the Hiroshima of Germany" by British officials.
["O.W.I."]
["CBO"]In 10/1943 Air Chief Marshal Arthur Harris, C-in-C of RAF Bomber Command wrote to his superior urging the British government to be honest to the public and openly announce that:
| "the
aim of the Combined Bomber Offensive...should be
unambiguously and publicly stated. That aim is the destruction of
German cities, the killing of German workers, and the disruption of
civilized life throughout Germany. It should be emphasized that the
destruction of houses, public
utilities, transport and lives, the creation of a refugee problem on an
unprecedented scale, and the breakdown of morale both at home and at
the battle fronts by fear of extended and intensified bombing, are
accepted and intended aims of our bombing policy. They are not
by-products of attempts to hit factories." Source: http://en.wikipedia.org |
" Dit is Berlijn, maart 1944 " ( USH.8 )
Informing the Dutch of the 1st US daylight bombing of Berlin on 04/03/1944 and an overview of their activities over Germany for the last 2,5 months,
showing the destruction of German industries probably also served to undermine foreigners willingness to go work in Germany as more labourers were being asked (or forced) to by this stage.
The Western Allies produced several leaflet series for Dutchspeaking living under German occupation, this example's only known dissemination date being 1/2 may 1944.
Presumably one of the last strictly O.W.I. examples since starting in May 1944 leaflets of American-British origin had been used (XG-series by PWE/OWI).
[Reverse]
"Invasion manuals " ( XH.14 )
The Allies produced
several leaflet series for Dutchman living under
German occupation, the leaflet
newspaper series “De
Vliegende Holander” comprises also several
extraordinary leaflets.
The Invasion booklets were disseminated under three camouflaged covers, with identical content, with loads of information on what is to be done in case of the Allied landings.
(Source: www.propaganda-leaflets.com)
The covers of Dutch booklets were, unlike similar brochures dropped over others countries, never camouflaged (the XH14 examples being the only exception).
(Source: www.archieven.nl)
Similar examples were disseminated in Belgium, in Flanders 3 covers related to the VNV were used while the Walloon versions were in french and had 3 Rex related covers.
(Source: H. Mattheus)
Made by the P.W.E / O.W.I. and dropped by planes from 22/23 May to 11/12 June 1944, these and the third Dutch example
"De Dag van de Jeugd" Een oproep aan het Neder-landsche Volk, Uitgeverij Opbouw, Amsterdam" can be fully viewed online. (Sources: www.Psywar.org - www.geheugenvannederland.nl)
[P.W.E.]
US to German
ACHTUNG! MINEN! ( MD110 )
Shot at soldiers on Normandy beaches in July 1944 , it calls them "living mines" ment to stop the advancing Americans.
On the bottom is a text aimed at one of the many nationalities "Osttruppen" the Allies had encountered since landing in early June, in this case Polish.
On the back it states to be valid for all Wehrmacht personel, Luftwaffe field divisions, Waffen-ss and East-batallions, the latter probably tempted untill they saw point 7.
Passierschein / Safe Conduct: ZG 37 & US/GB-ZG90K1945
Called the most effective single leaflet of the war, the story of the "passierschein" ("safe conduct pass") for Germany is interesting because of the alleged belief
on the part of the Allies that the German officer or soldier would react in a positive way to an official looking document. Therefore, the Americans and British
collaborated to produce a fancy official document bearing national seals and signatures that would rival a stock certificate. It was considered so powerful that in 1944
the Allied Supreme Headquarters issued a directive forbidding reproduction of the safe conduct pass on other leaflets, wanting to protect the authenticity of the document.
For great info on how it's evolution visit www.psywarrior.com/GermanSCP.html (Source: www.psywarrior.com)
ZG37 was the first version to use the bright red ( also green ) background so typical to these iconic leaflets, P.W.D/S.H.A.E.F dropped almost 17 million from 1st August to 10 September 1944.
(Source: www.Psywar.org)
Changes by ZG90k include mentioning the leaflet was valid for more then one person and the Allied Supreme Commander signature.
Printed by George Lang, the 1st of 7500000 of this variant were printed on 04/12/1944, and only disseminated by artillery.
Of these P.W.D./S.H.A.E.F sent 5,500,000 leaflets to 12 Army Group and 2,000,000 to 6 Army Group. (Source: www.Psywar.org)
The Invasion booklets were disseminated under three camouflaged covers, with identical content, with loads of information on what is to be done in case of the Allied landings.
(Source: www.propaganda-leaflets.com)
The covers of Dutch booklets were, unlike similar brochures dropped over others countries, never camouflaged (the XH14 examples being the only exception).
(Source: www.archieven.nl)
Similar examples were disseminated in Belgium, in Flanders 3 covers related to the VNV were used while the Walloon versions were in french and had 3 Rex related covers.
(Source: H. Mattheus)
Made by the P.W.E / O.W.I. and dropped by planes from 22/23 May to 11/12 June 1944, these and the third Dutch example
"De Dag van de Jeugd" Een oproep aan het Neder-landsche Volk, Uitgeverij Opbouw, Amsterdam" can be fully viewed online. (Sources: www.Psywar.org - www.geheugenvannederland.nl)
[P.W.E.]
US to German
ACHTUNG! MINEN! ( MD110 )
Shot at soldiers on Normandy beaches in July 1944 , it calls them "living mines" ment to stop the advancing Americans.
On the bottom is a text aimed at one of the many nationalities "Osttruppen" the Allies had encountered since landing in early June, in this case Polish.
On the back it states to be valid for all Wehrmacht personel, Luftwaffe field divisions, Waffen-ss and East-batallions, the latter probably tempted untill they saw point 7.
Passierschein / Safe Conduct: ZG 37 & US/GB-ZG90K1945
Called the most effective single leaflet of the war, the story of the "passierschein" ("safe conduct pass") for Germany is interesting because of the alleged belief
on the part of the Allies that the German officer or soldier would react in a positive way to an official looking document. Therefore, the Americans and British
collaborated to produce a fancy official document bearing national seals and signatures that would rival a stock certificate. It was considered so powerful that in 1944
the Allied Supreme Headquarters issued a directive forbidding reproduction of the safe conduct pass on other leaflets, wanting to protect the authenticity of the document.
For great info on how it's evolution visit www.psywarrior.com/GermanSCP.html (Source: www.psywarrior.com)
ZG37 was the first version to use the bright red ( also green ) background so typical to these iconic leaflets, P.W.D/S.H.A.E.F dropped almost 17 million from 1st August to 10 September 1944.
(Source: www.Psywar.org)
Changes by ZG90k include mentioning the leaflet was valid for more then one person and the Allied Supreme Commander signature.
Printed by George Lang, the 1st of 7500000 of this variant were printed on 04/12/1944, and only disseminated by artillery.
Of these P.W.D./S.H.A.E.F sent 5,500,000 leaflets to 12 Army Group and 2,000,000 to 6 Army Group. (Source: www.Psywar.org)
