A 1942 List of Hitler’s Lies

This 11-page document collects 10 years of Adolf Hitler’s “more conspicuous lies,” as the American Office of War Information described them in December 1942. Most are mischaracterizations (to put it mildly) of Nazi intentions toward the world: “We have no territorial demands to make in Europe” (March 1936); “We want nothing from France—nothing at all” (September 1938); “Germany does not conduct a war against small nations” (April 1940).

While the Office of War Information, formed in June 1942 in a consolidation of several other government information services, is probably now better remembered for its visual propaganda, the OWI also maintained several news bureaus that disseminated government war news to print and radio journalists. This list of “Hitler’s Lies” could have been intended for distribution to writers, who might be expected to use the information in their coverage. 

Or, perhaps, the “Lies” document might have been used in one of the OWI’s overseas propaganda efforts, in order to further the American argument that Hitler’s actions were at the root of the conflict. 

Thanks to blogger and bookseller John F. Ptak for sharing these scans on his website.