United States Committee on Public Information

United States agency

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

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The United States Committee on Public Information (CPI) was an independent agency of the U.S. government established during World War I. Its primary mission was to shape public opinion and garner support for the war effort through various forms of propaganda. The CPI utilized newspapers, films, posters, and public speaking tours to disseminate information and promote patriotism. It aimed to counter enemy propaganda and foster a unified national spirit. The agency's work significantly influenced public perception and played a crucial role in mobilizing the American populace during the conflict.

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George Creel
…was appointed head of the U.S. Committee on Public Information, the government’s propaganda and publicity agency, by Pres. Woodrow Wilson. For the next two years he used modern public-relations techniques to promote the war effort, at home and abroad, and rallied popular support for the war effort with the “Four-Minute…
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…was appointed head of the U.S. Committee on Public Information, the government’s propaganda and publicity agency, by Pres. Woodrow Wilson. For the next two years he used modern public-relations techniques to promote the war effort, at home and abroad, and rallied popular support for the war effort with the “Four-Minute…
Read More

United States
Mobilization
At the same time, the Committee on Public Information, headed by the progressive journalist George Creel, mobilized publicists, scholars, and others in a vast prowar propaganda effort. By the spring of 1918, the American people and their economy had been harnessed for total war (a near miracle, considering the lack…
Read More
At the same time, the Committee on Public Information, headed by the progressive journalist George Creel, mobilized publicists, scholars, and others in a vast prowar propaganda effort. By the spring of 1918, the American people and their economy had been harnessed for total war (a near miracle, considering the lack…
Read More