[Ads-l] gray propaganda

[Jonathan Lighter]

Not in OED, but mentioned in a quotation under "white propaganda":

1976 A. J. Russell Pour Hemlock 166: White propaganda, the truth; gray, a
composition of half-truths and distortions; or black, a pack of lies.

Earlier:

1951 _L.A. Times_ (Feb. 19) 10: They represent a cold war revival of a
so-called "gray" propaganda device familiar in World War II.

1951 _N.Y. Times_ (Nov. 12) 14: White propaganda is straightforward overt
activity, as the broadcasts of the Voice of America or the pamphlets
bearing the imprint of the State Department or other United States agency.
Black propaganda conceals or falsifies its source, and may include
violence, planting false rumors,  the manufacture and propagation of
scandals, and other activities designed to sow confusion and distrust. Gray
propaganda is employed in the twilight zone between white and black. In
this field vagueness is preferred. No effort is made to develop credence by
crediting a particular source of a pamphlet or activity. Nor is any attempt
made completely to conceal or forge the source.

BTW, I believe that OED's two 19th century exx. of "black propaganda"
simply mean "thoroughly despicable propaganda." Propagandists became much
more sophisticated during World War II.

Also, the 1976 and Nov. 1951 defs. of white and black propaganda don't
entirely square with the OED's defs.  The difference is in basing the
white-gray-black triad on truthfulness or on source.  Both are probably in
use.

JL
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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