Persuading John Bull Union and Confederate Propaganda in Britain, 186065 [Paperback]

Persuading John Bull offers a detailed, clear, and thoughtful examination of an intriguing episode in northern and southern propaganda efforts in Britain. Particularly in its coverage of The London American and The Index, it enriches our understanding of Anglo-American relations, broadly construed, during the Civil War. The author has original insights to share even when covering ground familiar to specialists.[H]is research is sound and the conclusions he draws . . . are persuasive.This book evaluates the propaganda war fought by Northern and Southern journalists in London during the American Civil War and provides analyses of their motives and published partisan arguments, as well as of their British subscribers.This is the first scholarly analysis of The London American, the pro-Union propaganda journal published in London during the American Civil War, and the motives and troubles of its proprietor, John Adams Knight, a Northern American based in the British capital. The newspapers successes and failures in attempts to manipulate British public opinion during the war are compared with that of The Index, its rival Confederate propaganda weekly headquartered two doors down Londons Fleet Street.Persuading John Bull provides scholars and general readers alike a far greater understanding of the largely unknown Northern newspapers motivations and campaigns during the war, as well as an in-depth analysis of The Index which builds greatly on present historiographical discussions of the Southern journal. It also offers new insights into Britains roles in the conflict, Anglo-American relations, and mid-Victorian British political and social history.The book is not restricted to discussing the two propaganda machines as its focusthey are used to approach a greater analysis of British public opinion during the American Civil Warboth journals were strongly associated with numerous key figures, societies (British and American), and events occurring on both sides of the lÃÊ