Been going on for a long time..

> Atrocity propaganda, which aimed to mobilise hatred of the German enemy by spreading details of their atrocities, real or alleged, was used extensively by Britain during World War I

> A continuous stream of stories ensued that painted the Germans as destructive barbarians, but many of the reported atrocities were exaggerated or fictitious.

> eyewitness testimony published in its 320-page Appendix A included sensationalist accounts of mutilations and rapes for which there is no other evidence. These invented atrocities tainted the report and have made it an often cited example of propaganda and psychological warfare.