In fact, this idea is highlighted in the film, Sergeant York, which exemplified the possibility of the same horrific result experienced in World War I occurring if America intervened in World War II(Toplin). This film’s purpose was to instill fear into the audience which reveal the threats that entering another war could cause. Americans wanted to stay out of the growing war occurring in Europe, out of the fear from the tragedy experienced as a result of World War I. This film allowed isolationists to justify their position through the occurrence of World War I and altered the views of Americans who originally took positions as interventionists. The America First Committee, who created much of the isolationist propaganda, implied that although “…fighting a war in Europe would be a disaster for the United States, geography greatly favored a defensive position that would allow it to hold the entire Western Hemisphere against any aggressor.”(America First Committee). In the September of 1940, America First’s propaganda poster persistently urged their audience to stick with the decision of national neutrality. This poster depicts a child briefly commenting on Europe’s condition then quickly moving emphasizing how Americans should be just like him in order to pass the declaration of neutrality (“America First Committee”). These types of posters spread the idea that staying in the …show more content…
Using propaganda to advertise the war is different from using propaganda as slam towards another country. One of the countries that were targeted was obviously Germany. Although many of the posters illustrated Hitler, they intended much more than just defense against him. In the illustration “Insure Your Home Against Hitler”, Hitler is depicted to express anger and evil (“Insure Your Home Against Hitler”). Although only Hitler is shown in the image, the message about foreign countries and their “dangers” spreads throughout American society. The idea that all Germans are automatically evil and heartless develops through these visuals presented in propaganda. “Seeing negativity in the media could affect the way we live our lives and feel emotions but this effect will only be enhanced by our limits and boundaries.” ( Meter, Minnaugh) This statement proves how being surrounded by negative propaganda towards other countries can psychologically alter one’s way of thinking. The propaganda creates an environment full of negativity which spreads from one person to another eventually changing every individual’s mindset to conform to expectations and the expectation presented in the propaganda is what to expect from every German. This eventually drives the nation into a unification of ideas, thus allowing them to fight for