Annotated bibliography – Rowan Cooper

Primary sources

London Can Take It. Directed by Harry Watt and Humphrey Jennings. 1940. London: Ministry of Information. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060022009

I found this short documentary style film in the Imperial War Museums archive which stores many different propaganda films from this time. It was mentioned in Wendy Webster’s article “The Whim of Foreigners’: Language, Speech and Sound in Second World War British Film and Radio.” It shows the terrifying experience of the nightly London bombings by German aircraft, demonstrating the civilian experience of the conflict rather than the soldiers’ front line perspective. Its underlying message of unity and courage of the London people is pushed on the audience, creating a feeling of patriotism and determination. It depicts the ordinary people of the nation as the real soldiers in the fight against Nazism, and the serious yet optimistic tone of the narrator shines a positive light in these difficult times as he praises the efforts of those in the city.

Listen to Britain. Directed by Humphrey Jennings and Stewart McAllister. 1942. Britain: Ministry of Information. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060005131

This short film documents moments in the lives of civilians during the war. It focuses on the continuing normality despite the conflict, paying particular attention to serene and quiet scenes in the countryside and in the home. The slow pace and calm atmosphere create feelings of peace in the viewer, and so promoted the idea that life remains good despite the country being at war. This source will be useful when trying to understand how propaganda attempted to reassure the country in a terrifying time.

Christmas Under Fire. Directed by Harry Watt. 1941. Britain: Ministry of Information. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060038894

This short film looks at how the nation continued to celebrate Christmas despite being at war. The narrator focuses on the positive, declaring the nation “unbeaten” and “unafraid” in the face of the Germans. He mentions how the children have new heroes – the men and women fighting and working towards a British victory. Even though it will not be a holiday like those before, the country aims to create a happy atmosphere in these trying times.

Secondary sources

Webster, Wendy. “The Whim of Foreigners’: Language, Speech and Sound in Second World War British Film and Radio,” 20^th Century British History, Vol. 23, No. 3 (2012): 359-382. 10.1093/tcbh/hwr039

This source was found on the Bibliography of British and Irish History. In her article, Webster explores the use of accents and language in British war propaganda films and radio during the Second World War. Through analysis of this propaganda and other primary source data, Webster considers the effect of such films on the views of the nation. She explores how films attempted to unite the country in the ‘people’s war’ through presenting civilians from all classes, but languages and accents unfamiliar to Britons were not always well received. She argues that British propaganda conveyed the nation as civilised and that the voices which told their stories were important in how they were perceived by the people.

Higson, Andrew. “Reconstructing the Nation: ‘This Happy Breed’, 1944,” Film Criticism, Vol. 16, No. 2 (1991): 95-110. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44075959

This secondary source was found through a search on JSTOR. Higson explores the propaganda film This Happy Breed in his article. He argues that the time which the film was released means it should be viewed as an attempt to restore the nation to its pre-war self. It aims to unite the people as one after so many years of difficulties and create a new national identity closer to that before the wars. This source will be useful in considering why the propaganda films were made, and what ideas they aimed to change in the minds of the people.