VD in the Philippines and other WWII Leaflets
The origin of black propaganda was not always apparent, although one could deduce by listing their enemies. During WWII, the Philippines was blanketed by leaflets with a message that provoked anti-American sentiment because of (get ready for it) venereal disease.
Thousands of leaflets were released that claimed venereal disease was sharply on the rise amongst U.S. military officers. Filipino women with questionable character were to blame. The leaflet suggested abstaining from sex except with one’s wife, a virgin, or a woman of respectable character. The last paragraph of the leaflet concluded an increase in pro-American attitudes was causing countless numbers of Filipino woman to fling themselves whimsically at American servicemen, who were victims in the end because Filipino woman had no education about hygiene practices that would otherwise prevent them from becoming the rampant disease carrying tramps they are. The leaflet was signed at the bottom, “U.S. Army.”
Leaflets were likewise produced by the west and dropped into Japan. One simply read, “Japanese Soldier! Your position is now hopeless!” Others were like painful greeting cards: “You’re Doomed!” Some leaflets seemed to be culturally sensitive. For instance, one dropped in Italy asks, “Who has launched you into this war? Are you as slaves, to knuckle under to your hereditary enemy, Germany? Beware! Because war terror is now right at your door.” The British tried dropping informational leaflets to dissuade Italians from siding with Germany.
Appealing to their religious roots, the British wrote they “do not want to hit Italian churches and artistic monuments: for centuries English people have made pilgrimages to admire the masterpieces of the Italian artistic genius. Some churches, however, may be hit, by accident. Can as much be said for the German airmen? During the period from September 1st, 1940 to March 15th, 1941 the worst for intensity of bombing, no less than 714 churches were destroyed or badly damaged in England alone (thus excluding Scotland).”
The British argued that the Italians were co-consipritors in the ruination of their own country by refusing to denounce and abandon Germany. The British said, “as long as Italy continues to be one of our enemies we shall be compelled to bomb Italian industrial and military objectives. Are we not compelled, with the cooperation of French, Belgian, Dutch and Norwegian airmen, to attack enemy targets even in France, Belgium, Holland and Norway?”