The VENGEFUL Execution Of Lord Haw Haw - William Joyce The Nazi Traitor

During the Second World War, propaganda was used by all countries involved for various different purposes. The Nazis used it to poison the minds of the population and promote their brutal and horrific policies, but propaganda came in a number of different forms. Radio broadcasts were utilised to play to the enemy also, and the Germans frequently tried to affect British morale with radio broadcasts.

One of the most famous figures of the Second World War was William Joyce, who was known to the British as Lord Haw Haw. Joyce was a traitor who defected from Britain to Nazi Germany shortly before World War Two broke out to work for Hitler's regime. He was a leading member of the British Union of Fascists, however once he arrived in Germany he was given a job by Joseph Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda, and he began to broadcast his radio show Germany Calling. This attracted millions of listeners each time it was broadcast, and the British government even encouraged the population not to listen to it. During the broadcasts Joyce would talk about the German Army's strength and try to demoralise the British and the US, however he became known as Lord Haw Haw for his upper class accent.

His final radio broadcast came as Berlin fell into the Soviet hands in April 1945, however the hunt was on by the British to capture Lord Haw Haw. He was eventually found near to Denmark with his wife and was wounded by a British soldier and then was transferred for his trial. At trial he was sentenced to death for treason, and his death sentence is rather controversial as it was argued he could not be condemned as he had obtained a British passport under false pretences. However this sentence was carried out, and Lord Haw Haw was executed.