[Copy on] AM/111
POLICY COMMITTEE
Thursday April 3rd 1941.

Publicity in America

I should be grateful if you would consider representing to the Minister the urgent need at the present time, for a change in tone of our publicity in and towards America.

We have done enormous good in the past by representing German aggressive barbarity and the courage of this nation in “taking it”. The time has now come, in my view, when we must change our tune.

There are now I suggest two points to be stressed and they can best be described by two slogans:-

(a) As regards the War -

“ Britain Will Win ”.

(b) As regards trade -

“Britain Can Produce and Deliver The Goods”

The “Britain Can Take It” theme has been overplayed and we must strike a more offensive attitude. Everybody likes to back a winning horse and the more we can convince America that we are bound to win the more enthusiastic and wholehearted support we shall receive.

These views should I feel be expressed in every possible way; by Ministerial utterances; by films, by broadcasting; by publicity of all types.

For instance I should like to see films such as :-

(a) “Night Flight to Berlin”, representing in a realistic way (even if “it has to be faked) the drama of a British bombing raid on a German city;

(b) “ Bridge Across The Atlantic”, designed to depict the drama and importance of our sea communications and showing if possible German attacks on, and defence by destroyers of, convoys;

(c) films about Gibraltar, Malta and Singapore and similar maritime fortresses ; and

(d) films designed to show the manner in which despite the war we are steadily turning out goods and can still to a considerable extent carry on our world trade, how despite bombs, goods are being made and shipped all over the world every day of the work and in general to emphasise to the world at large that this country is still doing business at the same old stand.

Business must be shown to be “alive and kicking” because there is a widespread and growing feeling in America that England's export trade is rapidly sinking because of the German blockage. Moreover, if American industry is to be mobilised to support our war effort it is imperative that we should show American audiences that our own workers are at it night and day in our own defence.

In all these matters we have had as you know particular trouble in convincing the three Service Departments and to some extent other Departments (M.A.P. and Shipping) of the importance of publicity which should permit occasional relaxation of strict security rules.

Perhaps the Minister might, if he is convinced by the arguments set forth above, see his way to send a few personal letters to Ministers, including the Service Ministers, stressing these points and pleading for active co-operation even at the occasional sacrifice of personal convenience. We could draft if desired.

D.W.

19th March, 1941.