Psychological Warfare Branch Scrapbook of American Propaganda Leaflets

Psychological Warfare Branch Scrapbook of American Propaganda Leaflets, 1944-1945

Overview of the Collection

Creator: United States. Army. Forces, Pacific. Psychological Warfare Branch
Title: Psychological Warfare Branch Scrapbook of American Propaganda Leaflets
Dates: 1944-1945 (inclusive)
19441945
Quantity: 0.7 cubic feet, (1 oversize flat box)
Collection Number: MS.70
Summary: The Psychological Warfare Branch of the United States Armed Forces was a military unit that created and distributed propaganda during the Second World War. The scrapbook contains approximately 200 pieces of their propaganda, mostly in Japanese, that were intended for distribution in the Philippines, Japan, and other nearby areas. Each item is accompanied by a typed translation into English.
Repository: Pacific University, Archives
Pacific University Archives
2043 College Way
Forest Grove, OR
97116
Telephone: 5033521400
archives@pacificu.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Sponsored by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Psychological Warfare Branch of the United States Armed Forces was a military unit that created and distributed propaganda during the Second World War. The Southwest Pacific office, which was located in Australia, dealt with the Phillippines, Japan, Southeast Asia and other nearby areas. They printed millions of propaganda leaflets and had them air-dropped into conflict zones. Many of the leaflets targeted Japanese readers, though some were created for other local civilian populations. It operated from 1944-1945.

Karl F. Baldwin, who owned this scrapbook, was the U.S. military attache to Australia. Fluent in Japanese, he had helped to established the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section of the Southwest Pacific Area for the Allied Forces. The Office of the Military Secretary in the Psychological Warfare Branch had this scrapbook created as "a permanent record of proclamations and leaflets" that his section had created, and mailed it to Baldwin.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The scrapbook contains approximately 200 pieces of propaganda prepared by the Psychological Warfare Branch of the United State Armed Forces in the South West Pacific area during the Second World War. They date from 1944-1945. Most of the material appears to have been intended for distribution in the Philippines and nearby islands, including Formosa (Taiwan). Each leaflet is numbered and is accompanied by a translation in English, with notes about its authorship and intended audience. Most are in Japanese, and were intended to be distributed to members of the Japanese armed forces. Others are intended for local civilian audiences. The leaflets fall into the following categories:

Leaflets intended to demoralize Japanese troops by pointing out their weaknesses, advertising Japanese defeats, encouraging divisiveness, etc.
Leaflets intended to persuade Japanese troops to surrender, demonstrating the humane treatment that prisoners of war will receive
Safe-conduct pamphlets marked "I surrender" that Japanese troops could hold up when surrending to Allied forces
Approximately 15 leaflets intended for civilians in the Philippines. Some are in English; some in Tagalog. advertising the return of General MacArthur and the arrival of President-in-Exile Osmena; warning of incoming bombardments; and giving directions on how to cooperate with American forces.
Approximately 10 leaflets intended for Japanese civilians, encouraging unconditional surrender and warning of incoming bombardments
3 Leaflets written in Chinese and Japanese, intended for civilians on the island of Formosa (i.e. Taiwan)

Also present in the scrapbook are other printed propaganda materials created by the Psychological Warfare Branch, including:

"Rakkasan News." United States propaganda newspaper in Japanese, published in Manila, April-August 1945. Nos. 5-12; 15-17; 20-24.
"How Paper Bullets save American Lives." Poster intended for American troops, illustrating how to distribute the safe conduct ("I surrender") pamphlets; and a manual, "Paper bullets: how they beat the Jap."
1 specimen of Japanese propaganda, probably distributed to civilians in the Philippines

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Psychological Warfare Branch Scrapbook of Propaganda Leaflets, Pacific University Archives, Forest Grove, Oregon.

Restrictions on Use

Pacific University owns the copyright to some, but not all, of the materials housed in its archives. Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of Pacific University is retained by Pacific University and requires its permission for publication. Copyright status for other collection materials varies. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

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