Description
By Arthur Ponsonby. Falsehoods in Wartime, first ublished in 1928, is a critical examination of the propaganda and deliberate misinformation used by governments during World War I.
Ponsonby outlines how lies were systematically employed to stir up public support for the war, demonize the enemy, and suppress dissent. He provides specific examples of these falsehoods, including fabricated atrocities and manipulated news stories, showing how they were accepted by the public as truth in the heat of conflict.
Ponsonby’s central argument is that truth is often the first casualty of war. He emphasizes that governments on all sides engaged in these practices and that the press played a complicit role in spreading the false narratives. His book serves as a warning against uncritical acceptance of wartime messaging and a call for greater skepticism and transparency in times of conflict.
Sir Arthur Ponsonby (1871–1946) was a British politician, diplomat, and writer. A member of the Labour Party and a committed pacifist, he was outspoken in his opposition to war and militarism. He served in various government roles and was known for his principled stance on peace, particularly during and after World War I. His work remains influential in discussions about propaganda, media ethics, and the political manipulation of public opinion.
“The object of this volume is not to cast fresh blame on authorities and individuals, nor is it to expose one nation more than another to accusations of deceit. Falsehood is a recognized and extremely useful weapon in warfare, and every country uses it quite deliberately to deceive its own people, to attract neutrals and to mislead the enemy. The ignorant and innocent masses in each country are unaware at the time that they are being misled, and when it is all over only here and there are the falsehoods discovered and exposed. As it is all past history and the desired effect has been produced by the stories and statements, no one troubles to investigate the facts and establish the truth. Lying, as we all know, does not take place only in wartime.”
Softcover, 192 pages, reprint of 1928 edition
