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Bending Spines: The Propagandas of Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic (Rhetoric & Public Affairs) - Hardcover
Synopsis
Why do totalitarian propaganda such as those created in Nazi Germany and the former German Democratic Republic initially succeed, and why do they ultimately fail? Outside observers often make two serious mistakes when they interpret the propaganda of this time. First, they assume the propaganda worked largely because they were supported by a police state, that people cheered Hitler and Honecker because they feared the consequences of not doing so. Second, they assume that propaganda really succeeded in persuading most of the citizenry that the Nuremberg rallies were a reflection of how most Germans thought, or that most East Germans were convinced Marxist-Leninists. Subsequently, World War II Allies feared that rooting out Nazism would be a very difficult task. No leading scholar or politician in the West expected East Germany to collapse nearly as rapidly as it did. Effective propaganda depends on a full range of persuasive methods, from the gentlest suggestion to overt violence, which the dictatorships of the twentieth century understood well.
In many ways, modern totalitarian movements present worldviews that are religious in nature. Nazism and Marxism-Leninism presented themselves as explanations for all of life—culture, morality, science, history, and recreation. They provided people with reasons for accepting the status quo. Bending Spines examines the full range of persuasive techniques used by Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic, and concludes that both systems failed in part because they expected more of their propaganda than it was able to deliver.
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About the Author
Randall L. Bytwerk is a Professor of Communication at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. His book Julius Streicher received the National Communication Association Golden Anniversary Award.
Review
"Naturally, the common people don't want war, but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the county to danger. It works the same in every country."
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- PublisherMichigan State University Press
- Publication date2004
- ISBN 10 0870137093
- ISBN 13 9780870137099
- BindingHardcover
- LanguageEnglish
- Number of pages228
- Rating
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Bending Spines: The Propagandas of Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic (Rhetoric & Public Affairs)
Published by
Michigan State University Press, 2004
ISBN 10: 0870137093
ISBN 13: 9780870137099
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Liberty Bell Publications, York, SC, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: As New. Unread and unopened! "Professor Bytwerk's excellent book, Bending Spines, signals a revival of interest in the neglected study of propaganda . his brilliant study highlights the twin dangers at the core of all such programs. First, that propagandists end up believing their own lies; and second, that the targets of both external and internal propaganda become increasingly cynical as ideology and reality diverge. Bytwerk's archival and field research is impressive. He did research in the GDR before the Berlin Wall came down and he writes with authority and deep understanding . I predict that this comparative study of Fascist and Communist regimes in Germany will be hailed as the definitive work on this subject. " ANDREW KING, Hopkins Professor of Communication,"Although the propaganda of Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic were diametrically opposed to one another, Bytwerk's Bending Spines compellingly demonstrates that these two sets of rhetorical messages were far more alike than they were different." The College of Wooster "Randall Bytwerk has brought the same sure understanding of rhetoric and history to Bending Spines that distinguished his award-winning study of Nazi newspaper magnate Julius Streicher. At every point, his careful judgment and indefatigable research deepen our comprehension of the two totalitarian dictatorships that took root on German soil in the twentieth century. It is a splendid and splendidly revealing book that sheds new light on the quasi-religious dimension of propaganda-and how it manifests itself from culture to science to sports." JOHN RODDEN, author of Repainting the Little Red Schoolhouse: A History of East German Education and Textbook Reds: Schoolbooks, Ideology, and Eastern German Identity. Seller Inventory # 880025
Quantity: 1 available
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Bending Spines: The Propagandas of Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic
Published by
Michigan State University Press, 2004
ISBN 10: 0870137093
ISBN 13: 9780870137099
Used
Hardcover
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: As New. No Jacket. Pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.13. Seller Inventory # G0870137093I2N00
Quantity: 1 available