Fighting for our mutual benefit: understanding and contextualizing the intentions behind Nazi propaganda for the Arabs during World War Two

Abstract

The question of why Nazi radio urged Arab violence against both the Jews and Allies during World War Two has been central to debate over genocidal invective in Nazi Arabic propaganda. Certain authors have suggested that it provides evidence of a Nazi effort to extend the Holocaust into the Middle East and North Africa, while others have posited significant post-war consequences. This article explores the intentions behind Nazi propaganda within the context of the war by examining American transcripts of Nazi Arabic radio. It will focus on the construction and the discernible intentions within the broadcasts, with the aim of illuminating Nazi perceptions of the nascent Arab nationalist movements, and the potential benefits of Arab violence for the German war effort. In so doing, this article will contribute to our understanding of how Arab allies potentially fit into broader Nazi strategy, along with providing greater insight into the formulae employed for constructing foreign-oriented propaganda in service of an expansionist war.