Interestingly, many posters encouraged conservation and “victory gardens.” In an attempt to counterbalance rationing, the Department of Agriculture encouraged personal home gardens and small farms as a way to raise the production of fresh vegetables during the course of the war. At the same time, others were more positivist in nature such as the famous Rosie the Riveter “We can do it!,” poster, encouraging women in the workforce. For example, one poster, seemingly in an attempt to encourage carpooling, depicts an outline of Adolf Hitler riding shotgun with a commuter with the messaging, “When you ride alone, you ride with Hitler.” Others encouraged high production outputs by likening slacking off with aiding and abetting America’s foreign enemies. Some posters employed comedy as a way to break through, while at the same time tapping into the overarching fear of the enemy. Numerous posters portray children wearing gas masks or under the shadow of giant swastikas with clear messaging, “Buy war bonds to prevent this possible future.” In one poster, a giant Nazi boot is depicted crushing a small church with the language, “We’re fighting to prevent this.” Often, fear was utilized as a way to encourage the purchase of war bonds. This was often paired with messaging such as one anti-Japanese poster which portrayed Emperor Hirohito rubbing his hands saying, “Go ahead, please take day off!.” The tactic was clear, motivate the working population at home to avoid sick days through fear of the inhuman enemy who is planning an attack on the homeland at any moment.įear was a popular theme employed by artists, even with differing messages. Several posters in the U.S tapped into demonization by showcasing the Japanese with overly exaggerated features and by recycling racist and xenophobic personifications. Demonization included derogatory name calling including terms such as “Japs,” “Huns,” and “Nips,” among others. This involved portraying the enemy as barbarian, aggressive, conniving, or simply evil. propaganda posters employed a tactic known as demonization. This was further expanded on the home front with themes such as conservation, production, work ethic, buying war bonds, tending to “victory gardens,” encouraging women in the labor force, and cementing a common enemy in the eyes of the American public. with xenophobic or down right racist messaging and visuals, the majority centered around themes of tradition, patriotism, duty, and honor. Even though there was quite a number of posters in the U.S. The designs and posters had a wide range in terms of messaging and design. The artists’ designs were not just focused on the rank and file of the military either. The Office of War Information (OWI) believed that the ‘home front,’ was just as sensitive to enemy misinformation, and went to work creating a series of posters specifically focused on the population back home as the engine of the war effort in Europe and the Pacific. This included some relatively famous artists such as the creator of Aquaman, Paul Norris, whose sketches were noticed by his superiors during his time in the military. government leveraged hundreds of artists across the country to deliver important messages through visual means. began mobilizing once again but not just militarily. With the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. Rolled out on a massive scale in World War I, the popularity of posters as propaganda only further increased in World War II. Today, these posters offer a glimpse into American society and the efforts to mold public opinion in the country. turned to artists once again in an attempt to influence the public on the home front. Posters were cheap, easily distributed, and fomented a sense of patriotism and duty. Even though this was not the first instance of propaganda posters being employed on behalf of a war cause, the visual medium proved to be effective in the military’s recruitment drives and posters were routinely used to boost morale, encourage camaraderie, and raise esprit de corps. ramped up preparations to enter World War I. In 1917, James Montgomery Flagg created his iconic Uncle Sam poster encouraging American men to join the war cause with the clear message, “I want you for the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |