Transcript Propoganda Posters PowerPoint

Analyzing World War I
Propaganda Posters
You will examine World War I propaganda posters from four
countries to learn about propagandists’ objectives and tools
during wartime. You will examine eight World War I
propaganda posters from England, Germany, France, and
the United States. For each poster, you discuss and record
the objective you think the poster was designed to achieve
and the tools used in it. You will share your answers with the
class. Finally, we will have a class discussion about the uses
of propaganda during World War I.
Essential Questions
Unit Focus:
When should
the United
States go to
War?
Unit Focus: What
considerations
should guide the
development of
American foreign
policy?
Activity
Focus: How
did Americans
on the home
front support
or oppose
WWI?
Unit Focus: Did
America’s
emergence as a
world power move
it close or further
away from its
founding ideals?
GOAL
Can you analyze
wartime posters and
determine the
objective of the
wartime propaganda
poster?
Directions
• 1. Read and discuss Propaganda
Objectives and Tools
• 2. Practice analyzing a propaganda
poster
• 3. Analyze eight propaganda posters
and fill out the handout Notes on World
War I Propaganda Posters
• 4. Discuss posters
Analyzing a Propaganda
Poster
• 1. Examine the poster
• 2. Determine the objective(s) you think
the propaganda poster is designed to
achieve.
• 3. Determine what tool(s) were used to
design the poster.
• 4. Record notes on the handout Notes
on World War I Propaganda Posters
Practice Analyzing a
Propaganda Poster
• What do you see here?
• What is happening in
the poster?
• Which country do you
think produced this
poster?
• What objective is the
poster designed to
achieve?
• What propaganda tools
are used in this poster?
Common Objectives of
Wartime Propaganda
• 1. Recruitment of soldiers, either through a
draft or voluntary enlistment.
• 2. Financing the war effort through the sale of
war bonds-loans from citizens to the
government-or new taxes.
• 3. Eliminating dissent and unifying the
country behind the war effort.
• 4. Conservation of resources-such as food,
oil, and steel-necessary to wage war.
• 5. Participation in home-front organizations to
support the war.
Which
objectives of
wartime
propaganda do
you see in this
poster?
What details
lead you to that
conclusion?
Which
objectives of
wartime
propaganda do
you see in this
poster?
What details
lead you to that
conclusion?
Which
objectives of
wartime
propaganda
do you see in
this poster?
What details
lead you to
that
conclusion?
Which
objectives of
wartime
propaganda do
you see in this
poster?
What details
lead you to that
conclusion?
Propaganda Objectives and
Tools
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Demonization
Emotional Appeals
Name Calling
Patriotic Appeals
Half-Truths or Lies
Catchy Slogans
Evocative Visuals Symbols
Humor or Caricatures
Demonization
• This tool involves portraying the enemy as
purely evil, menacing, murderous, and
aggressive. The propagandist attempts to
remove all confusion and ambiguity about
whom the public should hate. The enemy
may be portrayed as a hairy beast or the
devil himself. The tool becomes more
powerful when the enemy can be blamed
for committing atrocities against, women,
children, or other noncombatnts.
Emotional Appeals
• This tool involves playing on people’s
emotions to promote the war effort. Since
the strongest emotion is often fear,
propagandists create their own work based
on the premise that the more frightened a
person is by a communication, the more likely
he or she is to take action. Thus
propagandists are careful to explain in detail
the action that they want the consumer of the
propaganda to carry out.
Name Calling
• This tool involves using loaded labels to
encourage hatred of the enemy. Labels
like “Commies,” “Japs,” and “Huns”
reinforce negative stereotypes and
assists propagandists in demonizing the
enemy.
Patriotic Appeals
• This tool involves using patriotic
language or symbols to appeal to
people’s national pride.
Half-Truths or Lies
• This tool involves deception or twisting the
truth. The propagandists may include
some elements of truth in the propaganda
to make an argument more persuasive.
For example, blaming the enemy for
complete responsibility for the war and
portraying one’s own country as a victim of
aggression is a common propaganda tool.
Catchy Slogans
• This tool involves using memorable
phrases to foster support for the war
effort. For example, short phrases like
“Remember the Maine!” and
“Remember the Alamo!” have been very
successful in motivating Americans to
strongly support the use of arms against
Spain and Mexico, respectively.
Evocative Visual Symbols
• This tool involves using symbols that
appeal to people’s emotions-like flags,
statues, mother and children and enemy
uniforms-to promote the war effort.
Humor or Caricature
• This tool involves capturing the viewer’s
attention through the use of humor to
promote the war effort. The enemy is
almost always the butt of jokes used by
propagandists.
Poster A
• This shows a U.S. poster of a soldier
returning from service in World War I.
The poster is designed to evoke the
patriotism and devotion to family
among potential recruits. The caption
“For Home and Country” is reinforced
by the soldier’s uniform and his loving
family. The enemy helmet around the
neck of the soldier is a symbol of his
success in service to his country. The
objective of the poster is to recruit
soldiers, and to eliminate dissent and
unite the country behind the war effort.
In the poster we see evidence of the
following propaganda tools; emotional
appeals, patriotic appeals, catchy
slogans, and evocative visuals
symbols.
Poster B
• This shows a U.S. poster of an angry
man ripping off his jacket to put on a
U.S. Marine Corps uniform. He
source of the man’s anger is revealed
by the newspaper at his feet which
tells of German atrocities: Germany’s
purportedly ruthless invasion of
France through Belgium. The
newspaper headline refers to the
Germans as “Huns” to evoke
memories of past German aggression.
The objective of the poster is to recruit
soldiers. In the poster we see
evidence of the following propaganda
tools: demonization, emotional
appeals, name calling, patriotic
appeals, half-truths or lies, and
evocative visual symbols.
Poster C
•
This shows a German poster depicting a
drawing of a fist in knight’s armor, evoking
Germany’s past military strength and
medieval past. The caption of this poster
reads, “Das ist der Weg zum Frieden-die
Feinde wollen es so! Darum zeichne
Kriegsanleihe!” (“That is the way to
freedom-the enemy wills it so! Therefore
sign up for war loans!”) Despite the fact that
Germany launched the offensive that
initiated the fighting in World War I, the
poster claims that Germany had no choice
but to fight the war because it was forced
upon Germany by its enemies. The
objective of the poster is to raise funds for
the war effort, and to eliminate dissent and
untie the country behind the war effort. In
this poster we see evidence of the following
propaganda tools: emotional appeals, halftruths and lies, and evocative visual
symbols.
•
The show a U.S. poster of a female
gardener with a variety of fruits and
vegetables going “over the top” of a trench
to assist in achieving victory over the
enemy. The U.S. flag flies proudly in the
background. The poster encourages
Americans to plant what the federal
government called “victory gardens” to
grow more food for World War I soldiers.
During the war, the U.S. Food
Administration used posters like this ne to
promote victory gardens as well as food
conservation efforts called wheatless
Mondays and Wednesdays, meatless
Tuesdays, and porkless Thursdays. The
object of this poster is to solicit support for
the conservation of resources. In the
poster we see evidence of the following
propaganda tools: emotional appeals,
patriotic appeals, catchy slogans,
evocative visual symbols, and humor or
caricatures.
Poster D
Poster E
• Here we see a French poster showing the
French rooster on a coin attacking a fearful
German soldier. The coin is labeled
“liberty, equality, fraternity,” three strong
French values dating to the French
Revolution. The caption reads, “pour la
France, Versez Votre Or. L’Or Combat
Pour La Victorie.” (For France pour out
your gold. Gold fights for victory.”) The
objective of this poster is to finance the war
effort. In this poster we see evidence of the
following propaganda tools: patriotic
appeals, catchy slogans, and evoctive
visuals symbols.
Poster F
• Here we see a U.S. poster depicting the German
Kaiser drawn as a devil, with a red body and a pointed
tail. The Kaiser is sitting on a stack of skulls, with a
bloody sword at his feet. The caption reads “Uber
Allies” (“Superior to everything”). The objective of the
poster is to eliminate dissent and unify the country
behind the American war effort. In the poster we see
the evidence of the following propaganda tools:
demonization, emotional appeals, half-truths or lies,
name calling, and humor or caricatures.
• Here we see a German poster
showing Great Britain as an
octopus whose tentacles encircle
the globe. The caption reads
“Freiheit ge Meere. England der
Blutsauger der Welt.” (Freedom of
the seas. England is the
bloodsucker of the world.”) The
message of the poster is that Great
Britain is the enemy of freedom in
the world. The list of dates and
places at the bottom of the poster
is to eliminate dissent and unify the
German people behind the war
effort. In this poster we see
evidence of the following
propaganda tools: demonization,
emotional appeals, half-truths or
lies, name calling and evocative
visual symbols.
Poster G
Poster H
• Here we see a British poster
showing a German helmet filled
with ferns. The caption reads “Do
you want a fern basket like this?
Join the Sixth and come and get
one.” The German helmet was a
prized acquisition among Allied
soldiers, and the ferns are a
reference to the death of the
German soldier who had worn the
helmet. The objective of the
poster is to recruit soldiers. In
this poster we see evidence of
the following propaganda tools;
patriotic appeals and evocative
visual symbols.
Poster I
• Here we see a U.S. poster showing
a soldier returning from war and
facing a student in a cap and gown.
The caption reads, “When the Boys
Come Home. While I was Over
There what were You Doing Here?
Students of America how will you
answer him?” The poster was
created by a home-front
organization, the United War Work
Campaign. The objective of the
poster is to recruit participations for
the organization to support the war
effort. In the poster we see
evidence of the following
propaganda tools: emotional
appeals, patriotic appeals, and
evocative visual symbols.
Poster J
• Here we see a U.S. poster showing the
city of New York under attack by
German forces. The poster depicts the
destruction of the Statue of Liberty and
New York City in flames. In New York
Harbor, a German submarine can be
seen making its way up the Hudson
River to wreak further damage. The
objective of the poster is to eliminate
dissent and unite American behind the
war effort. In the poster we see
evidence of the following propaganda
tools: demonization, emotional appeals,
patriotic appeals, half-truths or lies, and
evocative visual symbols.
Notes on World War I Propaganda Posters
Poster Country Objective(s) Propaganda Tools
United
States
•Finance the war
effort
•Eliminating dissent
and uniting the
country behind the
war effort
•Emotional Appeals: appeals to the
feelings of obligation to protect deeply
held values
•Patriotic Appeals: soldier fights for love
of country
•Catchy Slogan: “For Home and
Country”
•Evocative Symbols: family, dutiful
soldier, enemy helmet
United
States
•Recruitment of
soldiers
Demonization: the Germans (Huns) are
portrayed as evil
Emotional Appeals: the expression on
the soldier’s face is designed to evoke
anger
Name Calling: Germans are called Huns
Half-Truths or Lies: atrocities committed
by the Germans were not as serious as
the poster implies
Notes on World War I Propaganda Posters
Poster Country Objective(s) Propaganda Tools
Germany
•Eliminating dissent
and uniting the
country behind the
war effort
•Financing of the
War
•Emotional Appeals: the clenched fist
and the phrase “the enemy wills it so”
create outrage and resolve
•Half-Truths or Lies: the poster shows
Germany on the defensive although
Germany Launched the attack
•Evocative Symbols: The clenched,
mailed fist evokes memories of
Germany’s military greatness
United
States
•Conservation of
resources
•Emotional Appeals: the gardener and
fruit and vegetables’ facial expressions
elicit a sense of urgency
•Catchy Slogans: “The Seeds of Victory
Insure the Fruits of Peace
•Evocative Symbols: the U.S. flag
•Humor or Caricatures: fruits and
vegetables becoming soldiers
Notes on World War I Propaganda Posters
Poster Country Objective(s) Propaganda Tools
France
•Financing of the
War
•Patriotic Appeals: the French rooster
and phrase “liberty, equality, fraternity”
evoke a sense of patriotic duty
•Catchy Slogans: “For France, pour out
your gold. Gold fights for victory.”
•Evocative Symbols: the fighting French
rooster is intended to produce a sense of
pride and fervent resolve
United
States
•Eliminating dissent
and uniting the
country behind the
war effort
•Demonization: the German kaiser is
depicted as the devil
•Emotional Appeals: skulls and the
caption evoke hostility
•Half-Truths and Lies: Germans are
blamed for the destruction of the war, but
other countries were involved
•Humor or Caricatures: the German
Kaiser strikes a comical pose
Notes on World War I Propaganda Posters
Poster Country Objective(s) Propaganda Tools
Germany
•Eliminating dissent
and uniting the
country behind the
war effort
•Demonization: Great Britain is portrayed
as a huge octopus
•Half-Truths or Lies: the British Empire
was imperialistic, but other nations,
including Germany, had colonial
possessions: also, the German U-Boat,
not the British Navy, was the chief threat
to neutral rights on the Atlantic Ocean
•Name Calling: England is called
“bloodsucker of the world”
United
States
•Recruitment of
soldiers
•Patriotic Appeals: the call to join the
military appeals to British patriotism and
implies that those who do not join will be
left out of the glory
•Evocative Symbols: the German helmet
was a highly regarded prize among Allied
soldiers; the fern refers to the death of
the German soldier who wore the helmet
Notes on World War I Propaganda Posters
Poster Country Objective(s) Propaganda Tools
United
States
•Participation in
homefront
organizations to
support the war
effort
•Emotional Appeals: soldier evokes
feelings of guilt and motivates the viewer
to act
•Patrioic Appeals: appeals to students’
sense of obligation for not joining the
military service
•Evocative Symbols: student’s cap and
gown; grim-faced, uniformed soldier;
dark clouds of war
Wrap Up Discussion 1/2
• What were some of the most common
objectives you identified in the propaganda
posters?
• What were some of the most common tools
you identified in the propaganda posters?
• To what extent does propaganda appeal to
emotions and not reason? Why do you think
this is so?
Wrap Up Discussion 2/2
• Can you think of any forms of propaganda
that effect your life? How do these forms
appeal to emotions of fear, hatred, sympathy,
patriotism, or consumerism?
• Have you ever been personally effected by a
piece of propaganda? Explain.
• How can you recognize propaganda in
today’s world? Should the government try to
limit or ban propaganda? Why or why not?