A truly International, authoritative A-Z guide to five centuries of propaganda, in both war time and peace time, which covers key moments, techniques, concepts and some of the most influential propagandists in history. What were the secrets of both Hitler's and Stalin's success? Why did so many Americans approve of Senator Joseph McCarthy? How did FDR maintain his image with the electorate? The answers to these questions can be found in the realm of propaganda: the art of mass political persuasion. This fascinating survey provides a comprehensive introduction to propaganda, its changing nature, its practitioners, and its impact on the past five centuries of world history. Written by leading experts, it covers the masters of the art from Goebbels to Gandhi and examines enormously influential works of persuasion, such as Uncle Tom's Cabin, techniques such as films and posters, and key concepts like black propaganda and brainwashing. Case studies reveal the role of mass persuasion during the Reformation, the American Revolution, the Vietnam War, and today's War on Terrorism.

Regional studies cover propaganda superpowers, such as Russia, China, and the United States as well as the little-known propaganda campaigns in Southeast Asia, Ireland, and Scandinavia, In short, the book traces the evolution of propaganda from the era of printed handbills to computer fakery and profiles such brilliant practitioners of the art as the Third Reich's film director, Leni Riefenstahl, and the cartoonist, Thomas Nast, whose works helped to bring the notorious Boss Tweed to justice