Final answer:
Stories of Germany's cruelty were an integral part of propaganda campaigns during both World Wars. Propaganda portrayed Germans as brutal aggressors to generate anti-German sentiment and to dehumanize Jewish people and other enemies of Nazi Germany.
Step-by-step explanation:
Stories of Germany's cruelty were part of propaganda campaigns during both World Wars. For instance, during World War I, the Wilson administration created the Committee of Public Information under director George Creel with the aim to unite Americans against Germany. Creel's campaign depicted Germans as brutal, which significantly contributed to anti-German sentiment in the U.S.
In the context of World War II, Nazi propaganda, spearheaded by Joseph Goebbels, dehumanized Jewish people, painting them as vermin and an existential threat to Germany. This propaganda played a crucial role in justifying the Holocaust. Similarly, films and other media in Germany often had a pro-war stance with a significant portion dedicated to anti-Semitic themes.
Moreover, German occupation during World War II was depicted as barbaric in Allied nations' and Soviet propaganda, with imagery highlighting the risks to vulnerable populations and painting the Germans as subhuman.