The primary means of propaganda in New Guinea during the Second World War was through the production and distribution of leaflets. The Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO) was commanded by Australians and distributed over 69 million leaflets in the region in 14 languages and dialects. These leaflets were prepared in English before translation by native speakers, including some Japanese POWs. Leaflets were then printed in Australia, often in numbers of tens or hundreds of thousands, before they were distributed by aircraft over occupied areas.
Leaflets aimed to increase the resolve and resistance of local populations, and to weaken the fighting spirit of Japanese troops. News bulletins produced in several languages by FELO were popular with both groups. Some leaflets forewarned locals of impending offensives in an area, or called for assistance to Allied airmen downed behind the lines. Leaflets to the Japanese intended to weaken morale by emphasising Allied successes, by preying on pre-existing rivalries between services, or by depicting hardship and privation at home. The most common type of leaflet urged the Japanese to surrender, by depicting the fair and honorable treatment of Japanese POWs by the Allies. It is difficult to evaluate the effect of leaflets on the Japanese, but evidence points to the possession of FELO propaganda by a majority of troops in some areas.
FELO leaflets:
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AWM 019006
AWM 018996
