Civilian morale

Pavlina YS

Phase 1: September 1939 - December 1941 OPTIMISM

• first 21 months of the war morale was volatile and propaganda not always effective
• Blitzkrieg: quick victories in the early stages of the war were the cause of celebration 
• Hitler presented as the military genius responsible for these victories (strong Hitler Myth)
• Hitler's speeches broadcast on the radio were vital for bolstering morale: at this stage, propaganda led people to be optimistic and believe it would be over soon
• the defeat of France June 1940: did not bring peace, the prolonging of the war was blamed on Britain 
• Operation Barbarossa June 1941: The invasion of USSR was seen as a crusade against 'Jewish-Bolshevism' and its initial success led to optimism
• USSR's counterattack December 1941:  people still feared that the war would go on for years, letters from soldiers undermined propaganda as they described the harsh winter conditions and the seemingly limitless Soviet supply of manpower and military equipment
• The Nazis needed a scapegoat so they declared war on the US: propaganda claimed that behind the Allies lay a Jewish international…