Roles Of World War II And Propaganda

Great Essays
Register to read the introduction… When one thinks of how many people participated in the war, they probably only think of how many soldiers fought in the war and how many casualties there were. Due to the art of propaganda, most of the citizens from each country during World War II were acting participants because it lit a fire in everyone’s stomachs to help their country’s cause in whatever way possible. A teaching fellow at the Alabama Department of Archives and History wrote, “During World War II, the government undertook unprecedented campaigns to engage Americans in the war effort. Private business followed suit, often attempting to link their products with appeals to patriotism. Propaganda and advertisement sometimes became inextricably entwined in the process (AL Archives).” From gas to bail bonds, many companies used this advertising effect to lure consumers to buy their product, but promote patriotism at the same time. Poster designers created posters that promoted the building of tanks and other war materials to help the country and a good example of this is shown in the figure, “United We Win” (page 13). This poster of two young men working on an engine promotes the citizens of America to work harder so the army has more materials, implying that even normal citizens can take part in the war even if they are not fighting. Another …show more content…
Their propaganda campaign dealt with the promotion of nationalism and the Nazi party. Michael Balfour quoted Adolf Hitler’s words, “‘Propaganda, propaganda, propaganda. All that matters is propaganda’” (Balfour, pg. 11). Hitler was huge advocate of propaganda and so was Joseph Goebbels, his right hand man. Robert Edwin Herzstein, a scholar from New York University wrote, “Goebbels shared Hitler’s contempt for the masses as a herd that needed to be molded and that could be shaped and inspired. Propaganda was for these masses” (Hitler Won, pg. 223). He was the National Propaganda Leader of the NSDAP and the head of the propaganda campaign for the Nazi party as he helped set the attitude for Nazi …show more content…
Before movies in the theatres, newsreels were shown and most of these reels, during the war, persuaded people to help in the war attempt. The figure of Pearl Harbor is a picture of the Newsreel named Avenge December 7 (page 13). This is a piece of propaganda that tells people to take vengeance on the Japanese for their terrible attack on Pearl Harbor and it was broadcasted about one year after the attack. Avenge December 7 promotes people to buy bonds and stamps, so Americans can give their part to help gain a victory. The narrator of the film says, “Avenge December Seventh on to victory. Everyone in this theatre can know the personal pride and joy in taking part too. Sure you bought bonds and stamps, but when you buy this week, mark in you memory they’re bonds of vengeance. When you leave this theatre stop and remember that pearl morning just a year ago” (Avenge December 7). The film makers reach out to the American public and hit them in a sensitive spot. It was like they were digging the knife deeper into the American citizens back just to get them to buy bail bonds. Their reasoning behind this add was for the public to buy these stamps not only for themselves, but the brave soldiers who were at Pearl Harbor on December seventh. Companies used the power of propaganda to advertise their products and to promote a sense of nationalism and they were

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    World War I, the first war in the world that involved multiple countries in many parts of the world to be involved in warfare broke out in Europe year of 1914 when the royal prince of Austria was assassinated. Mobilization upraises the conflict between the Allies and Central Powers, also known as the Ottoman Empire. The Allies consisted of United States of America, Great Britain, Japan, and France. The Ottoman Empire countries were Austria, Hungary, and Germany. During World War I, United States of America first wished to remain neutral and not enter warfare.…

    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The first propaganda poster evokes fear to convince factory workers to make quality products. The second propaganda poster features a woman striking victorious pose with hands raised high to encourage women to work in factories. The third WWII poster contributes to convince men to join the air defense of Britain by associating the idea of defending home with air defense. The World War II propaganda poster series uses several persuasive techniques to urge viewers to help with war…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Propaganda In Ww2

    • 1888 Words
    • 8 Pages

    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.…

    • 1888 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Propaganda During Ww2

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The propagandists might have even used the power of advertising in order to promote their ideas. Speaking of propaganda, one of the most popular means that were used in the countries that were involved in the war were the posters. For the posters, they used different types of art as well as different methods. They were in most cases based on stereotyping and dehumanizing the enemy while promoting the positive approach of their own people. However, using the posters was not sufficient.…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay 8 - Military Discrimination In a five-paragraph essay, explain why despite discrimination experienced in the military and workforce, many women, African Americas, Native Americans, and Asian Americans expressed a strong senses of American nationalism during and after World War II? The attack on Pearl Harbor made Americans to unify and participate in WWII in the allies’ side. Not only White Americans, but also Women, African Americans, Native Indians, and Asian Americans participated with fidelity and patriotism views.…

    • 805 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    with the call to arms because this was not just any attack, it was an attack on an American base that killed American soldiers. In his State of the Union Address, Franklin Roosevelt drew toward this fact when he stated, “We know their choice of the place, an outpost, an American outpost, in the Pacific.” American soldiers, and the public, gained an extra sense of patriotism and unity from the events at Pearl Harbor, because it was an attack that directly correlated with the United States military and American soldiers. This act enabled them to come together in a strong sense of unity and patriotism, because many Americans used this attack as a battle cry for the meaning of the war. Joseph Martin’s speech speaks true to many American families…

    • 1926 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Americans felt that being in a war was great and something to be excited about. They were proud of their contribution in the war and believed they were doing the right thing. It seemed like a fairy tale, where everyone was happy and war was the best thing that was happening to America. The Best War Ever: America and WWII by Michael CC Adams, supports the idea that Americans were blinded by being ignorant on what was actually happening overseas. Having propaganda promote war and popular products include war material in their ads, made Americans support the war.…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Many people love their country and although many may not agree with everything their country does, most have a deep pride in and will support their homeland no matter what. This is no different for World War 1 era citizens around the world. Without nationalism the Great War would not have been as intense and wide scale as it turned out to be. In the beginning of the first world war, many people wanted to fight to protect and serve their country and what their country believed in.…

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Propaganda Posters in World War II Propaganda posters were used to show people the bad and good times of war. The posters showed messages the government was trying to get out to the people. In World War II, posters were used for wartime propaganda. The government used propaganda posters to get out a message to the people to support the war.…

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The First World War and the Second World War differed greatly. In the time between the conflicts allowed the British public to develop new attitudes towards war. The months before the First World War promised a quick and easy victory, when in actuality the conflict lasted four years and claimed the lives of over 17 million military personnel and civilians. By the start of world war two in 1937, the British public knew what they were in for. The four pieces of propaganda I will be looking at come from both the First and Second World Wars.…

    • 1732 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Why We Fight The Why We Fight Series was a series of films produced by Frank Capra in 1942 for the Department of War. The videos were used to train new incoming military recruits and get them excited for the war. The movies showed army recruits as well as American public the history of many different historical wars and used them to show what the United States could gain from joining World War II.…

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ww1 Propaganda Analysis

    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A primary source provides direct or first-hand evidence about a certain event; this is apparent in the use of this source . The perspective, in which the is poster is shown, is the British Governement during World War One. The key caption of Propaganda “The Kitchen is the key to victory, eat less bread”. It was aimed at the women on the home front, urging them to save resources so it can be used for men at war. When assessing the reliability, it can be used to study the British home front but also the accuracy of historical information and what the society saw and believed, although being propaganda.…

    • 298 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Goebbels believed that it was always preferable to reinforce the existing prejudice of the audience rather than to try to change someone ’s mind he showed images and told stories that led ordinary Germans to reach the conclusion he wanted, whilst leaving them thinking they had worked it out for themselves.” The fact that Goebbels was given so much power by Hitler, meant how much the Fuhrer wanted to underline that the Propaganda itself was a key step to bring Germany completely under Nazi regime, and therefore to ensure that the people were won over or intimidated to accepting…

    • 352 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Through the use of ethos, the creditability for the government was very high. Americans felt comfortable investing their money into the government for this war. When this poster was created in nineteen forty- two in the heart of World War two, there were definitely worry and anxiousness among the United States. This poster really hit upon that nerve by producing illustrations that appealed to Americans through pathos and ethos. Through the use of these rhetorical techniques, the author persuaded the American people to buy war bonds to keep their country…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    • Dr. Joseph Goebbels was appointed Minister of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda on March 13 1933. He was in charge of mass media (Welch, 19). • Goebbels was the minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany; he controlled the mass media alongside Hitler (Williamson, 66). • Goebbels maintained that one of the key functions of propaganda was to bring certain subjects within the field of vision of the masses. What this meant was that the population had to be oriented towards particular information (Welch, 20).…

    • 148 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays