Wellington House facts for kids
Wellington House was the common name for Britain's War Propaganda Bureau. This special office worked during the First World War. It was located in a building called Wellington House in London. Before the war, this building was the main office for the National Insurance Commission. The Bureau's main job was to create messages for people in other countries. This included countries that were allies and those that were neutral, like the United States (until 1917). The original building is no longer there. Flats now stand where it used to be.
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How the Propaganda Bureau Started
In August 1914, leaders in Britain found out that Germany had a special office for propaganda. Propaganda means spreading ideas or information to influence people. Because of this, David Lloyd George was asked to create a similar British office. He was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which is like the country's chief financial minister.
Lloyd George chose Charles Masterman to lead this new organization. Masterman was a writer and also a MP for the Liberal Party. He was already the chairman of the National Insurance Commission. So, the new office was set up in the same building, Wellington House.
The War Propaganda Bureau officially started its work on 2 September 1914. Masterman invited 25 important British writers to Wellington House. They met to talk about how to best support Britain's goals during the war. Famous writers like Arthur Conan Doyle, Arnold Bennett, G. K. Chesterton, and H. G. Wells attended this meeting. Rudyard Kipling was invited but could not come.
All the writers promised to keep their work a secret. People did not know about the Bureau's activities until 1935. Many writers agreed to write books and pamphlets that supported the government's views. These were printed by well-known publishers. The Bureau ended up publishing over 1,160 pamphlets during the war.
Early Projects and Artists
One of the first important publications was Report on Alleged German Outrages. This pamphlet came out in early 1915. It described terrible acts that the German army supposedly did against civilians in Belgium. A Dutch artist named Louis Raemaekers created very emotional drawings for the pamphlet.
Masterman also started a project to write a history of the war. It was planned as a monthly magazine. He asked John Buchan to be in charge of it. The first part of Nelson's History of the War came out in February 1915. Buchan was given a special military rank to help him get the information he needed. His close ties to military leaders meant his writings would not criticize how the war was being fought.
After January 1916, the Bureau's work became part of the Foreign Office. In May 1916, Masterman hired artist Muirhead Bone. Bone went to France and created 150 drawings by October. When he returned to England, his brother-in-law, Francis Dodd, took his place. Dodd had worked for the Manchester Guardian newspaper.
In 1917, more artists were sent to France. These included Eric Kennington, William Orpen, Paul Nash, and C. R. W. Nevinson. John Lavery was hired to paint scenes from the home front in Britain. Artist Paul Nash later complained about how strictly the Bureau controlled what artists could show. He felt he was not truly an artist anymore, but just someone bringing back a harsh message from the soldiers.
Changes in Leadership
In February 1917, the government created a new Department of Information. John Buchan was promoted and put in charge of it. Masterman continued to be responsible for books, pamphlets, photos, and war art. Other people handled things like telegraphs, radio, newspapers, and movies.
In early 1918, the government decided that a senior figure should lead all propaganda efforts. On March 4, Lord Beaverbrook became the Minister of Information. He owned the Daily Express newspaper. Masterman worked under him as the Director of Publications. John Buchan became the Director of Intelligence.
Lord Northcliffe, who owned The Times and the Daily Mail, was put in charge of propaganda aimed at enemy countries. Robert Donald, editor of the Daily Chronicle, led propaganda for neutral countries. Some people thought Lloyd George created this new system to gain more control over important newspaper owners.
See also
- British propaganda in World War I
