Vira Whitehouse and the Committee on Public Information in Switzerland, 1917-1919
Schuwey, Christophe
Vira Whitehouse and the Committee on Public Information in Switzerland, 1917-1919 - 2017.
22
In December 1917, during World War One, the Committee on Public Information, which was the United States’ propaganda agency, entrusted the suffragette Vira Whitehouse with a mission. She was to propagate American ideas in Switzerland and, in indirect fashion, at the heart of the Central Powers. But the American delegation in Bern did not welcome this nomination, having previously been in charge of this task. The conflict that followed in Switzerland between the traditional propaganda of diplomats and the CPI’s innovative methods considerably marked American cultural policy. By analyzing this case and the actions of Whitehouse, we will explore the new direction taken by the USA in the way they spread their image abroad for decades to come.
Vira Whitehouse and the Committee on Public Information in Switzerland, 1917-1919 - 2017.
22
In December 1917, during World War One, the Committee on Public Information, which was the United States’ propaganda agency, entrusted the suffragette Vira Whitehouse with a mission. She was to propagate American ideas in Switzerland and, in indirect fashion, at the heart of the Central Powers. But the American delegation in Bern did not welcome this nomination, having previously been in charge of this task. The conflict that followed in Switzerland between the traditional propaganda of diplomats and the CPI’s innovative methods considerably marked American cultural policy. By analyzing this case and the actions of Whitehouse, we will explore the new direction taken by the USA in the way they spread their image abroad for decades to come.
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