Books as Weapons: Propaganda, Publishing, and the Battle for World Markets in the Era of World War II

"Hench (The Press and the American Revolution and Printing) has written a specialized account of the role American publishers played in winning hearts and minds for the Allies during WWII. The war-induced reduction of book publishing in Britain, France, and China, and the descent of German publishing into Nazi ideology, led to an unparalleled opportunity for American publishers to expand markets and gain dominance in the worldwide book trade. More importantly, the creation of the Office of War Information made publishing an arm of the American propaganda effort with both military and political significance. Books by American and antifascist European and Asian authors were produced in a variety of special editions and were made readily available to servicemen and to the book-starved, freedom-deprived populations of occupied countries. After the war, the American publishing effort also assisted the re-education and rehabilitation of the defeated enemy nations. This subject is not the most exciting aspect of WWII, and the book at times is overly detailed, but Hench's account provides valuable information on the role cultural production played in the Allied victory. Photos. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)