Propaganda against Propaganda: Deconstructing the Dominant Narrative of the Committee on Public Information

Of the various interpretations of the World War I-era Committee on Public Information (CPI), one has emerged as the dominant narrative. This narrative utilizes common propaganda techniques and factual errors to present the CPI as a case study in the dangers of propaganda. This study defines the central components of this narrative, traces its evolution in the historiographical literature, and examines how it is perpetuated in common instructional and reference materials. An alternate narrative of the CPI is then presented that stresses the working relationship between President Woodrow Wilson and CPI Chairman George Creel. Finally, this study examines the CPI through the lens of Department of Defense doctrine for Psychological Operations in order to assess the effectiveness of the CPI, to identify the process used by the CPI, and to highlight the ways in which the CPI foreshadowed later developments in public diplomacy and psychological warfare.