La propaganda di guerra italiana negli Stati Uniti: protagonisti, temi e strumenti (1915-1918)

Abstract

This essay is based on the archival series “Gli uffici della propaganda italiana all’estero 1916-1920” and “Ambasciata d'Italia a Washington 1909-1924”, stored in the Historical and Diplomatic Archives of the Italian Foreign Ministry. During the First World War the Italian Government legged behind the other belligerent Power in the file of Propaganda. A specific Ministry was only established in November 1916. In the United States the ambassador Vincenzo Macchi di Cellere was responsible for Italian propaganda. A dozen official propagandists were sent from Italy to the US to inform the American public about the Italian history and the Italian war effort, organizing conferences or publishing articles in newspapers. Macchi di Cellere did have some difficulties managing the propaganda sector. The three main problems were lack of economic resources; unclear guidelines concerning the main Italian political and diplomatic aims; Macchi’s inability to understand the real American attitude towards Italy.