THE US ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR I: THE VIEW OF THE GERMANOPHILE NEWSPAPER O DIA, FROM FLORIANÓPOLIS

Abstract

Background: During the First World War (1914-198), a fraction of the Brazilian press was composed of German supporters, causing a conflict of interest with later Brazilian support for the Allies. Aim: The objective of this work was to analyze the coverage developed by the local newspaper “O Dia” of the entrance of the USA in the first world war...Methods: A bibliographical research was carried out in the archives of the newspaper “O Dia” and some books referring to the press and the period of the “First World War”. Results and Discussion: Some of the main telegrams and columns published in the main source, the periodical “O Dia”, organ of the republican party of Santa Catarina, from Florianópolis, brought imprecise news about the conflict, the newspaper maintained a clear Germanophile stance. However, it emphasized the North American importance, political, economic, and military, for the world. The newspaper reproduced news from agencies based in major US cities and gradually informed the US position in the conflict, emphasizing the diplomatic break with Germany and the entry into the war, which was decisive for the outcome of the conflict. In addition, it kept specific columns daily, with telegrams and news informing how the US positioned itself in the period of neutrality and how it acted in international relations and on the battlefronts. The organizational structure of the newspaper was chaotic by the standards of today, all types of news were included on the same page, without the presence of a structure of sections, which would facilitate the connection of related topics. However, the newspaper “O Dia” allocated relevant space to issues related to the “First World War” and the role of the USA, which went from being suppliers of inputs and technology to decisive protagonists in the conflict and the peace conferences. Conclusions: The newspaper "O Dia" has always maintained a favorable german position, even when it reported on the Triple Entente initiatives, since the beginning of the war, it highlighted content favorable to Germany.