WWI-riva

Selling The War 

President Wilson created the Committee on Public Information (CPI) eleven days after declaring war to "sell" the war to the Americans. The committee was headed by George Creel, a journalist, they began recruiting advertising executives, artists, authors, songwriters, entertainers, public speakers, and motion picture companies to help sell the war. They distributed pamphlets and arranged for thousands of short patriotic talks that they called "four-minute speeches," to be delivered at movie theaters and other public places. The speakers were called "Four Minute Men " they would go around persuading audiences to support the war by buying war bonds to reporting draft dodgers to the authorities.  media type="youtube" key="JcikMem1ejg" height="344" width="425"