Transcript Propaganda Book - personal . plattsburgh . edu

The images throughout this book are all actual propaganda
posters used in the years surrounding World War II. The aim of
this book is to demonstrate that while the United States and
Germany painted themselves to be very different from one
another, their propaganda posters were almost identical.
Through this work I hope my readers will be able to better
understand the manipulative nature of war and propaganda.
1
In an effort to keep
military secrets
confidential, artist
John R. Holmgren
created this poster.
This 1942 image
depicts an American
serviceman trying to
impress an attractive
girl with talk about
the war. You’ll notice
that sitting adjacent
to the couple is a
disguised Hitler
listening in.
2
This poster was
created by artist
Theo Matejeko in
1939. It served as
German
propaganda
reading, “Achtung
Spione – Vorsicht
bei Gesprächen!“
which translates to,
“Attention SpiesBeware of
Conversations!“
This encouraged
the German public
to be weary of their
conversations, for
the enemy may be
listening!
3
This poster depicts Uncle
Sam encouraging the
American public not to
discuss troop
movements, ship
sailings, and war
equipment. Failure to
follow his warning could
have resulted in the
endangerment of
American troops. This
image was created in
1943 by artist Leon
Helgura.
4
Similarly to the previous
image, this 1940 German
poster displays a German
serviceman with his index
finger pressed firmly against
his lips, thus indicating
silence. The caption reads,
“Vorsicht! Schweigepflicht!”
which translates to “Caution!
Confidentiality!” Therefore both
governments placed a heavy
emphasis on keeping military
plans confidential.
5
Thomas Woodburn created
this 1940 image, depicting lady
liberty as an angelic and pure
figure. She is wrapped in the
American flag and holds out an
olive branch in her right hand
symbolizing the fight for peace.
She has been strategically
placed above the clouds and
looking downward on the
many generations of American
servicemen. This poster was
most likely used to promote
army recruitment.
6
This image titled “Es lebe
Deutschland,” which
translates to “Long Live
Germany,” was created in
1932 by artist F. Stauber.
Stauber. Stauber depicts
Adolf Hitler as an angelic
leader triumphantly
holding the Nazi flag. The
beam of light and soaring
eagle in the background
symbolize divine rule and
a blessed Germany.
7
This graphic was
created in 1942,
and used to attract
women to the war
effort. It features a
young woman
receiving her
nursing cap from a
man with a starsand-stripes motif
on his cuffs. This
particular poster
targeted the young
women of New York
City. Did you notice
the address?
8
The image pictured here
translates to, “Join the
German Red Cross,” and
presumably targeted young
German women. The
nursing profession was not
only vital to the German
war effort, but it was also
viewed as a glamorous job.
As a result, becoming a
nurse for the German Red
Cross was highly sought
after by young women. The
nurses were often near the
frontlines, for hospitals
were required to be
stationed no more than 9
miles away from the
fighting.
9
This poster was created
by artist C. R. Miller in
1943. It displays
American ideals
crumpled up and
burning at the hands of
a Nazi. This image was a
sure-fire way to increase
nationalism and bolster
the war effort on
American soil. The poster
depicts Germany as a
monstrous threat to the
American way of life.
10
This piece was published by
the Dutch SS – Storm
Magazine in 1944. Titled
“Liberators” it is designed to
produce anti-American
sentiment. The small print
at the bottom reads: “De
USA zullen de Europeesche
Kultuur van den ondergang
redden", meaning "The USA
wants to save European
culture from decline". There
are also many motifs
critiquing American culture
throughout the image. Can
you name a few?
11
This is perhaps the most
recognizable piece of
propaganda ever created.
Artist James Montgomery
Flagg designed this poster
to serve as the cover for
the July 1916 issue of
Leslie’s Weekly. Between
the years 1917-1918 over
four million copies of this
recruitment poster were
printed and distributed.
The image was designed
for World War I, however
due to its popularity it
was later adapted for use
in World War II.
12
This poster reads “Auch
Du,” which translates to
“You Too.” This served as
a recruitment poster for
the Hitler Youth
movement in 1943. The
audience for this
propaganda piece would
have been young men.
The image displays a
young German boy
standing tall and proud,
while the background
reveals a silhouette of the
heroic soldier the boy will
soon become.
13
The following photographs
exhibit the effect propaganda
has had in both the United
States and Germany.
The picture (right) displays
nine young American men
waiting outside an Army
Recruitment center in Dallas.
(January 1946)
This photograph (left)
shows Adolf Hitler
visiting a group of boys
enlisted in the Hitler
Youth program. They
have their arms
outstretched saluting
their Führer, or leader.
14
References
•
Cover Background by artist Mark Karvon was taken from
http://www.whitemountainpuzzles.com/World-War-II-Poster-Collage-JigsawPuzzle-White-Mountain-Puzzles/productinfo/864PZ/
•
Page 1
- 1938 Hitler poster taken from http://www.bytwerk.com/gpa/posters/hitler1.jpg
- Uncle Sam Sleeve Rolled image taken from
http://carlanthonyonline.com/2014/07/04/uncle-sam-flagg-branded-throughworld-wars-part-4-of-5/
•
Page 2 – Loose Lips Sink Ships (1943) by John R. Holmgren Image taken from
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122402/loose-talk-can-cost-lives-posterholmgren-r-john/
•
Page 3 – “Achtung Spione – Vorsicht bei Gesprächen“ (1939) by Theo Matejko.
Image taken from: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2008679881/
•
Page 4 – “I’m counting on you!” (1943) by Leon Helguera. Image taken from:
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc467/
16
References
•
Page 5- “Vorsicht! Schweigepflicht!” (1940) by Unknown. Image taken from
http://www.europeana.eu/portal/record/92034/GVNRC_NIOD01_49708.html
•
Page 6 – “The United States Army Then. Now. Forever.” (1940) by Thomas
Woodburn. Image taken from http://www.508pir.org/posters/album/army_01.htm
•
Page 7 - “Es Lebe Deutschland” (1932) by F. Stauber. Image taken from
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/prop/ns_long.html
•
Page 8 - “Become A Nurse Your Country Needs You” (1942) by American Nurses
Association, Nursing Information Bureau . Image and information taken from
http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc570/
•
Page 9 - “You can also help! Become a Member of the Red Cross!” (1933-1945) by
Deutschen Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) Image and content taken from
http://www.best-bsn-to-msn.com/category/nursing-throughout-history/
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References
• Page 10 – “We’re Fighting to Prevent This!” (1943) by C. R. Miller.
This image was taken from
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2008677183/
• Page 11 – “Liberators” (1944) by Dutch SS – Storm Magazine. This
image was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LiberatorsKultur-Terror-Anti-Americanism-1944-Nazi-Propaganda-Poster.jpg
• Page 12 – “I Want You for the U.S. Army” (1916) by artist James
Montgomery Flagg. Image and information taken from
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm015.html.
• Page 13 – “Auch Du” (1920-1945) artist unknown. Image and
information taken from https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/nsregime/ns-organisationen/hitler-jugend.html
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References
• Page 14
– Top Right Photo taken from
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/aadww2.html
– Bottom Left Photo taken from
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/adolf-hitler-with-hitler-youtheverett.html
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The End
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