Government Propaganda's Role In World War II
Government propaganda played a major role in World War II by promoting national identity and unity. T World War II gave us countless examples of wartime propaganda posters that engaged Propaganda posters, fabricated by both Allied and Axis nations, persuaded their populaces of the justness of their cause. These posters today can be found in museums and online, allowing us all to study different methods of national advertising in times of war.
The War Production Board was established in 1942 to direct war production and and the procurement of materials in World War II. This included the creation of informational national advertisements. These propaganda posters were mass-produced and placed in areas like schools, post offices, railroad stations, stores, and restaurants. Popular locations like these saw a lot of foot traffic and were deemed to be the most influential locations for advertisements …show more content…
to be seen. They were created to impart directly upon the American people and typically had a central message calling the everyday citizen to action, highlighting their civic duty.
The “In the service they’re deserters” poster depicts a young man sleeping in his bed. On his nightstand, you can see that an alarm clock is going off next to a bottle of liquor. At the bottom, a United States air force official enthusiastically points to the message “Don’t be a production slacker, back up our battle skies!”. This poster was printed in 1943 by the Office of Emergency Management War Production Board.
This specific ad focused on getting the attention of the average, everyday U.S. citizen. Not every person in the U.S. was able to ship off overseas and fight the Axis powers, however, each citizen still had a civic responsibility to contribute to the war effort. Instead of picking up a gun, they were fighting the war in their own unique ways, whether it be war bonds, war gardens, or wartime production. No matter what you did, you were always expected to be doing something to help the boys overseas. War gardens were popular among women because they allowed for fresh fruits and vegetables to be grown in your backyard instead of using valuable resources to transport your food to a local grocery store. Schoolchildren were instructed to collect scrap metal around their neighborhoods as all sorts of materials could be used to help the war effort. In order to win the war, the U.S. had to devote all of it’s resources to production and these posters made sure the message was delivered. The mobilization of funds, people, and resources was a critical component of the U.S. victory because it gave the Allies the upper hand to eventually defeat the Axis powers.
The image itself depicts a man sleeping in his bed, next to a bottle of liquor. The image sets up a slothful type of scene, suggesting that the man drank alcohol and was laying in bed. The man is not doing anything productive, therefore he should be compared to a deserter. This image was meant to evoke anger in people who spent their time and energy fighting the war domestically. While many people’s sons were overseas fighting, some people laid around and drank themselves to sleep.
The advertisement uses direct language to convey its message.
“Don’t be a production slacker” is a very clear message that carries a simple meaning. By sitting around lazily and doing nothing, you could be actively contributing to the war production. The advertisement calls the people to action through a comparison to soldiers with “in the service they’re deserters”. The War Production Board used an argument of value to encourage the average citizen to join the war effort. This phrase compares the average citizen to a fighting soldier and gives them equal importance. These posters were very good at boosting morale and engaging the populace in the war effort. This simple comparison indirectly brings people into the war by comparing their laziness to a military deserter, a very serious crime that gives off a negative image. These messages made the war personal, giving every citizen the ability to make a difference. Using patriotism, values, and tradition, these advertisements allowed the U.S. to succeed in the war, transforming the nation into a maximum production
workhorse.
The War Production Board was established in 1942 to direct war production and and the procurement of materials in World War II. This included the creation of informational national advertisements. These propaganda posters were mass-produced and placed in areas like schools, post offices, railroad stations, stores, and restaurants. Popular locations like these saw a lot of foot traffic and were deemed to be the most influential locations for advertisements …show more content…
to be seen. They were created to impart directly upon the American people and typically had a central message calling the everyday citizen to action, highlighting their civic duty.
The “In the service they’re deserters” poster depicts a young man sleeping in his bed. On his nightstand, you can see that an alarm clock is going off next to a bottle of liquor. At the bottom, a United States air force official enthusiastically points to the message “Don’t be a production slacker, back up our battle skies!”. This poster was printed in 1943 by the Office of Emergency Management War Production Board.
This specific ad focused on getting the attention of the average, everyday U.S. citizen. Not every person in the U.S. was able to ship off overseas and fight the Axis powers, however, each citizen still had a civic responsibility to contribute to the war effort. Instead of picking up a gun, they were fighting the war in their own unique ways, whether it be war bonds, war gardens, or wartime production. No matter what you did, you were always expected to be doing something to help the boys overseas. War gardens were popular among women because they allowed for fresh fruits and vegetables to be grown in your backyard instead of using valuable resources to transport your food to a local grocery store. Schoolchildren were instructed to collect scrap metal around their neighborhoods as all sorts of materials could be used to help the war effort. In order to win the war, the U.S. had to devote all of it’s resources to production and these posters made sure the message was delivered. The mobilization of funds, people, and resources was a critical component of the U.S. victory because it gave the Allies the upper hand to eventually defeat the Axis powers.
The image itself depicts a man sleeping in his bed, next to a bottle of liquor. The image sets up a slothful type of scene, suggesting that the man drank alcohol and was laying in bed. The man is not doing anything productive, therefore he should be compared to a deserter. This image was meant to evoke anger in people who spent their time and energy fighting the war domestically. While many people’s sons were overseas fighting, some people laid around and drank themselves to sleep.
The advertisement uses direct language to convey its message.
“Don’t be a production slacker” is a very clear message that carries a simple meaning. By sitting around lazily and doing nothing, you could be actively contributing to the war production. The advertisement calls the people to action through a comparison to soldiers with “in the service they’re deserters”. The War Production Board used an argument of value to encourage the average citizen to join the war effort. This phrase compares the average citizen to a fighting soldier and gives them equal importance. These posters were very good at boosting morale and engaging the populace in the war effort. This simple comparison indirectly brings people into the war by comparing their laziness to a military deserter, a very serious crime that gives off a negative image. These messages made the war personal, giving every citizen the ability to make a difference. Using patriotism, values, and tradition, these advertisements allowed the U.S. to succeed in the war, transforming the nation into a maximum production
workhorse.