The Nazi regime is notorious for its atrocities and crimes, as well as its effective propaganda that made the deadliest war possible. One of the techniques used by the Nazis to persuade German people and shape their worldview was the use of such media as radio (Welch, 2017). Radio was a relatively new technological advance, and many people were fascinated with such novelties. Moreover, Goebbels, who was the Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany, made a lot of effort to make radio a common device in the country. The manufacturers were motivated to introduce a cheap device, while producers and consumers were heavily subsidized to ensure the availability of this transmitter of ideas. By 1939, approximately 70% of Germans had a radio in their households (Welch, 2017). Importantly, the radios manufactured in Germany could not receive the foreign broadcast. Thus, German people found themselves in the informational vacuum where they were exposed to propaganda and had no access to other sources of information.
The Nazi regime effectively used the national broadcasting company that created diverse products of propaganda. Major announcements and Hitler’s addresses were broadcasted very often. Listeners learned about the latest news and the overall situation in the world. They were told stories (programs with experts, patriotic theatrical radio performances, and so on) about the might and glory of Germany and the paltriness and insidiousness of other countries, especially Great Britain and France. Radio presenters also created an image of a strong and victorious German army with brave soldiers, while other countries’ armies were described as weak and ill-prepared. The spread of radio and the content broadcasted shaped the way German people saw the world around them. Many people were deceived, so it is possible to say that the use of radio and the focus on the glory of Germany was an effective propaganda technique.
Reference
Welch, D. (2017). World War II propaganda: Analyzing the art of persuasion during wartime. ABC-CLIO.