American propaganda during World War II

American propaganda during

World War II

By Julie Finnøy

ContentWWII approaching.Roosevelt – OWI and the Writer’s War Board.Themes.Examples: posters.Advertisement.Dr. Seuss.Animation – Walt Disney.Effect.

WWII approachingGeneral feeling.Losses sustained during WWI.Energy spent at home – improvement.War starts in Europe (1939) – not their war.

Roosevelt – OWI and the Writer’s War Board

No longer comfortably distant;

Pearl Harbor 7.Dec 1941 - Japan attacks.

4 days later Hitler declares war.

1942 – Roosevelt creates the Office of War Information. War info + P.

WWB – privately organized. Collaborated with the government.

Propaganda themesAnti-German, Italian and Japanese.“Loose lips can sink ships” – careful, spies.Victories – heroism.Optimism (false?) – won’t be a long war.War effort conservation, limited supplies. production, victory gardens. Buying war bonds – a patriotic act. womanpower, enter the work force.“The girl next door” pin-ups. Symbol + fight for.Pro-British, Russian, Chinese and Filipino.

Propaganda postersEarly war poster –

Nazi threat closer than you think.

Imagery.Swastika.Innocent, patriotic

children.Buy war bonds –

financial support.

Needed materials and supplies for war effort.

Urging people to conserve gas.

could fuel tanks and aircraft.

“For your country’s sake today – for your sake tomorrow”.

Help win the war – also gain more rights.

campaign to get women into the armed forces and wartime production industries – needed more workers.

AdvertisementAds supporting the war.Lucky Strike; From green to white

packaging – to save bronze for weapons.

Sales through the roof.Coca-Cola used similar

techniques.

Dr. Seuss• “Dr. Seuss goes to war”• Book, Richard H. Minear.• Political cartoons, sway

the public opinion.• Critical of isolationists

opposing the U.S. entering the war.

• appeasement policy, letting Germany take land that they had to give up after WWI.

Walt Disney8. Dec 1941, U.S.

government.Army personnel

stationed at his studio.The U.S. army and

Disney made films for different audiences – propaganda, training/educational videos for troops.

Intended to build morale.

Der Fuhrer’s Facehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4tDTe9sOdU

&feature=related

6:56

Out of the frying pan, into the firing line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s06_l6V-0MQ&feature=related

0:10

EffectMorale.36 billion dollars purchased in bonds by

individuals. (Children accounting for close to 1 billion).

Women were encouraged to enter the work force.

Also spread information – what to do and what not to do.

Optimism.Encouraged people to help – seen as patriotic.

Sources http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s06_l6V-0MQ&feature

=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4tDTe9sOdU&feature=related

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/ww2/media/images/posters/ride.jpg

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/ww2/media/images/posters/shadow.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_propaganda_during_World_War_II

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_home_front_during_World_War_II

http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/ww2/american/amerprop.htm