President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Office of War Information (OWI) through Executive Order 9182, creating a centralized wartime propaganda and news management organization to coordinate U.S. communications during World War II.

In the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack and America's entry into World War II, the U.S. government recognized the critical need for coordinated wartime communications. President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Office of War Information (OWI) on June 13, 1942, through Executive Order 9182.

The OWI emerged during a crucial period when the U.S. needed to unite its citizens behind the war effort and effectively communicate with allies and enemies alike. This new agency consolidated several existing information services, including the Office of Facts and Figures and the Office of Government Reports, creating a centralized propaganda and news management organization. Under the leadership of Elmer Davis, a respected journalist and broadcaster, the OWI played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and maintaining morale throughout World War II.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Office of War Information through Executive Order 9182 on June 13, 1942. The agency consolidated multiple existing information agencies into a centralized organization:

• Office of Facts and Figures
• Office of Government Reports
• Foreign Information Service
• Division of Information of the Office for Emergency Management

Elmer Davis, a renowned CBS radio commentator, led the OWI as its first director. The agency operated with two primary divisions:

1. Domestic Operations Branch

• Supervised news releases
• Coordinated with media outlets
• Managed public information campaigns
• Produced propaganda materials

1. Overseas Operations Branch

• Distributed information abroad
• Operated Voice of America radio broadcasts
• Created content for foreign audiences
• Maintained communication with allies

OWI Key Statistics 1942
Initial Staff Size	3,000 employees
First Year Budget	$29 million
Overseas Offices	26 locations
Radio Broadcasts	11 languages

The OWI headquarters operated from the Social Security Building in Washington D.C. with additional offices in New York City. Regional offices spread across 5 major U.S. cities coordinated local information dissemination:

• San Francisco
• Chicago
• Denver
• Atlanta
• Boston

The agency's formation marked a significant shift in U.S. government communications strategy, centralizing wartime information distribution under one authority for the first time in American history.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9182 on June 13, 1942, creating a centralized wartime information agency. The order established clear directives for coordinating government communications during World War II.

The Executive Order outlined three primary objectives for the OWI:

• Coordinate government information activities
• Maintain public morale through factual information
• Execute psychological warfare against enemy nations

The initial structure included:

Branch	Primary Function	Leadership
Domestic Operations	U.S. public information	Gardner Cowles Jr.
Overseas Operations	Foreign propaganda	Robert Sherwood
Policy Development	Strategic planning	Milton Eisenhower

Executive Order 9182 merged existing agencies into the OWI:

• Office of Facts and Figures (OFF)

• Office of Government Reports (OGR)

• Division of Information from the Office for Emergency Management

• Foreign Information Service of the Office of the Coordinator of Information

• Creating a single chain of command

• Eliminating overlapping responsibilities

• Establishing unified messaging protocols

• Standardizing information dissemination practices

Elmer Davis transformed the Office of War Information through his strategic leadership from 1942 to 1945. As a former CBS news analyst Davis established clear operational protocols between domestic and overseas branches.

The Domestic Operations Branch under Gardner Cowles Jr. coordinated information dissemination across U.S. media channels. Key initiatives included:

• Production of 30,000 newsreels for theatrical distribution
• Publication of 45 million informational pamphlets
• Creation of 200,000 radio programs
• Distribution of propaganda posters to 250,000 locations
• Coordination with 900 newspapers for war-related content

Domestic Branch Activity	Annual Output (1943)
Newsreel Productions	30,000
Pamphlet Distribution	45 million
Radio Programs Created	200,000
Poster Display Locations	250,000
Newspaper Partners	900

• Voice of America broadcasts in 25 languages
• Distribution of 50 million leaflets monthly
• Operation of 26 outposts in strategic locations
• Production of films in 16 foreign languages
• Publication of magazines in 7 languages reaching 500,000 readers

Overseas Branch Activity	Reach/Output
Broadcasting Languages	25
Monthly Leaflet Distribution	50 million
International Outposts	26
Film Languages	16
Magazine Languages	7

The Office of War Information orchestrated extensive multimedia propaganda campaigns during World War II to shape public opinion and maintain civilian morale. The agency developed sophisticated communication strategies across multiple platforms to deliver consistent wartime messaging.

The OWI's Bureau of Motion Pictures produced influential wartime films through partnerships with Hollywood studios. Between 1942-1945, the bureau reviewed 1,652 movie scripts and supervised the creation of 267 government-sponsored films, including "Why We Fight" series directed by Frank Capra. The Radio Bureau broadcast 2,700 weekly programs across 1,000 stations through:

• Voice of America broadcasts in 25 languages reaching 100 million listeners

• "Uncle Sam" series featuring 15-minute war news updates

• "This Is Our Enemy" documentary programs exposing Nazi atrocities

• Dramatized war narratives reaching 95% of American households

• Shortwave radio transmissions to occupied territories

• Victory Magazine reached 2.5 million readers monthly

• 200,000 propaganda posters displayed in public spaces

• 45 million informational pamphlets on rationing guidelines

• Daily press releases to 1,600 newspapers nationwide

• Photo essays documenting war efforts distributed to 1,800 publications

• "War Facts" bulletins sent to 5,000 opinion leaders weekly

Print Media Type	Monthly Distribution
Posters	16,500
Pamphlets	3.75 million
Newspapers	48 million
Magazines	2.5 million
Bulletins	20,000

The Office of War Information's dissolution occurred on September 15, 1945, through Executive Order 9608, marking the end of America's largest wartime propaganda organization. The OWI's domestic operations transferred to various federal agencies, while its overseas functions merged into the Department of State's Interim International Information Service.

The OWI's lasting impact manifested in several key areas:

• Broadcasting capabilities evolved into the Voice of America, which continues operating as the U.S. government's official external broadcaster
• Film production techniques influenced post-war government communication strategies
• Psychological warfare methods developed by OWI shaped future military information operations
• International information practices established foundations for modern public diplomacy

Legacy Category	Impact Statistics
Archived Materials	5.6 million documents
Film Productions	1,200+ preserved films
Radio Programs	26,000+ recordings
Propaganda Posters	35,000+ unique designs

The OWI's final operational statistics demonstrated its extensive reach:

• Operated in 26 countries across 6 continents
• Employed 5,500 staff members at peak operations
• Managed a cumulative budget of $98 million
• Distributed information in 25 languages
• Maintained connections with 2,500+ media outlets

The agency's dissolution reflected changing priorities in post-war America, as propaganda efforts shifted from wartime mobilization to Cold War strategy. The OWI's organizational structure provided a template for subsequent government communication agencies, including the United States Information Agency established in 1953.

• The Office of War Information (OWI) was established on June 13, 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt through Executive Order 9182.
• Led by Elmer Davis, the OWI consolidated several existing information services into two main branches: Domestic Operations and Overseas Operations.
• The agency employed 3,000 staff initially with a $29 million budget and operated 26 overseas offices broadcasting in 11 languages.
• OWI's primary objectives included coordinating government communications, maintaining public morale, and conducting psychological warfare against enemy nations.
• The agency was dissolved on September 15, 1945, through Executive Order 9608, but its legacy continued through Voice of America and influenced modern public diplomacy practices.

The Office of War Information stands as a pivotal institution in U.S. wartime history operating from 1942 to 1945. Through extensive multimedia campaigns radio broadcasts and strategic communication initiatives the OWI successfully unified American public opinion during World War II.

The agency's influence extended far beyond its operational years establishing foundations for modern government communication strategies. Its transformation into the Voice of America and impact on future psychological warfare operations demonstrates the lasting significance of Roosevelt's wartime information initiative.

The OWI's comprehensive approach to information management and propaganda set unprecedented standards for government communication serving as a blueprint for future federal agencies. Its remarkable achievements in coordinating wartime messaging continue to influence public information strategies today.