# Propaganda and Moral Justification in A Yankee in the Trenches

> Theme guide for A Yankee in the Trenches by Robert Derby Holmes.

The book serves as a piece of wartime propaganda, explicitly urging American support for Liberty Loans and Red Cross work, while framing the conflict as a fight against 'Prussianism' and German atrocities.

## Where it surfaces

- [IV: A Few Days’ Rest in Billets](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_yankee_in_the_trenches_se/chapters/iv-a-few-days-rest-in-billets): The French woman's story of German cruelty reinforces the narrative of the 'beastly Hun,' justifying the soldiers' hatred and their resolve to fight viciously.
- [XI: Prisoners](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_yankee_in_the_trenches_se/chapters/xi-prisoners): German prisoners believed they would be skinned alive if captured, showing the power of propaganda, while the British treat them with unexpected humanity.
- [Suggestions for "Sammy"](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_yankee_in_the_trenches_se/chapters/xvi-suggestions-for-sammy): The advice to 'cover up' bad news and 'smile, smile, smile' reflects the pressure to maintain a positive front and support the war effort.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_yankee_in_the_trenches_se/themes/propaganda_and_moral_justification
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_yankee_in_the_trenches_se/themes