Guns, tanks, and bombs were the principal weapons of World War II, but there were other, more...

Guns, tanks, and bombs Guns, tanks, and bombs were the principal weapons were the principal weapons of World War II, but there of World War II, but there were other, more subtle, were other, more subtle, forms of warfare as well.forms of warfare as well.

Words, posters, and films Words, posters, and films waged a constant battle waged a constant battle for the hearts and minds for the hearts and minds of the American citizenry of the American citizenry just as surely as military just as surely as military weapons engaged the weapons engaged the enemy. enemy.

Even Bugs Bunny, Mickey Even Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse and other cartoon Mouse and other cartoon characters contributed to the characters contributed to the war effort with propaganda war effort with propaganda films.films.

Even before the U.S. was Even before the U.S. was officially at war ..officially at war ..

Politicians were preparing us ….Politicians were preparing us ….

FDR made a speech to congress FDR made a speech to congress in January, 1941.in January, 1941.

He listed four He listed four essential freedoms ...essential freedoms ...

““We look forward to a world We look forward to a world founded upon four essential founded upon four essential human freedoms.human freedoms.The first is freedom of speech The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in and expression--everywhere in the world.”the world.”

““The second is freedom of The second is freedom of every person to worship every person to worship God in his own way--God in his own way--everywhere in the world.”everywhere in the world.”

““The third is freedom from want . . . The third is freedom from want . . . everywhere in the world.”everywhere in the world.”

““The fourth is freedom The fourth is freedom from fear . . . from fear . . .

anywhere in the world.”anywhere in the world.”

As WWII heated up, Uncle As WWII heated up, Uncle Sam did more than call for Sam did more than call for “men at arms.”“men at arms.”

Their civilian jobs had Their civilian jobs had to be filled.to be filled.

Whether by Whether by the perky the perky high school high school sweetheart ..sweetheart ..

Or by the Or by the anxious anxious wife or wife or fiancee.fiancee.

Poster and film images Poster and film images glorified and glamorized the glorified and glamorized the roles of working women and roles of working women and suggested that a woman's suggested that a woman's femininity need not be femininity need not be sacrificed. sacrificed.

Rosie the Riveter--Rosie the Riveter--the strong, the strong, competent woman competent woman dressed in overalls dressed in overalls and bandanna--and bandanna--was introduced as was introduced as a symbol of a symbol of patriotic patriotic womanhood. womanhood.

Rosie the Riveter--Rosie the Riveter--the strong, the strong, competent woman competent woman dressed in overalls dressed in overalls and bandanna--and bandanna--was introduced as was introduced as a symbol of a symbol of patriotic patriotic womanhood. womanhood.

““Women’s Women’s work” was work” was about to about to change change forever.forever.

“These jobs will have to be glorified as a patriotic war service if American women are to be persuaded to take them and stick to them. Their importance to a nation engaged in total war must be convincingly presented.”

--Basic Program Plan for WomanpowerOffice of War Information

In propaganda art, In propaganda art, “our side” was always “our side” was always very attractivevery attractive .. ..

and pure of heartand pure of heart

and and noblenoble

During World War II, During World War II, the military employed the military employed policies of racial policies of racial restriction and restriction and segregation. At the segregation. At the beginning of the war, beginning of the war, for example, blacks for example, blacks could join the Navy could join the Navy but could serve only as but could serve only as messmen. messmen.

Doris ("Dorie") Miller joined Doris ("Dorie") Miller joined the Navy and was in service the Navy and was in service on board the U.S.S. on board the U.S.S. West West Virginia Virginia during the attack on during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Restricted to Pearl Harbor. Restricted to the position of messman, he the position of messman, he received no gunnery training. received no gunnery training. But during the attack, at great But during the attack, at great personal risk, he manned the personal risk, he manned the weapon of a fallen gunman weapon of a fallen gunman and succeeded in hitting and succeeded in hitting Japanese planes.Japanese planes.

He was He was awarded awarded the Navy the Navy CrossCross

Masculine strength was a Masculine strength was a common visual theme in common visual theme in patriotic posters. Pictures of patriotic posters. Pictures of powerful men and mighty powerful men and mighty machines illustrated machines illustrated America's ability to channel America's ability to channel its formidable strength into its formidable strength into the war effort. the war effort.

American American muscle was muscle was presented in a presented in a proud display of proud display of national national confidence.confidence.

Our men Our men were strong, were strong, muscular, muscular, and had and had rugged rugged good-looks.good-looks.

We were We were encouraged encouraged toward toward some some “worthy” “worthy” purpose.purpose.

A variety of devices A variety of devices encouraged us to encouraged us to “conserve.”“conserve.”

A little bit of A little bit of “guilt”..“guilt”..

or a lot or a lot of guiltof guilt

We were We were ashamed if ashamed if we we complainedcomplained

We were We were exhorted exhorted to to produce produce more ..more ..

Although brutality is always Although brutality is always part of war, the atrocities of part of war, the atrocities of World War II were so World War II were so terrible, and of such terrible, and of such magnitude, as to engender a magnitude, as to engender a new category of crime--new category of crime--crimes against humanity. crimes against humanity.

Lidice was a Lidice was a Czech mining Czech mining village that was village that was obliterated by obliterated by the Nazis in the Nazis in retaliation for retaliation for the 1942 the 1942 shooting of a shooting of a Nazi official by Nazi official by two Czechstwo Czechs

All men of the village were killed in a All men of the village were killed in a 10-hour massacre; the women and 10-hour massacre; the women and children were sent to concentration children were sent to concentration camps. The destruction of Lidice camps. The destruction of Lidice became a symbol for the brutality of became a symbol for the brutality of Nazi occupation during World War II. Nazi occupation during World War II.

Civilians must have the war brought homeCivilians must have the war brought hometo them. Every individual must be made toto them. Every individual must be made to

see the immediacy of the danger to him. . . . see the immediacy of the danger to him. . . . He must be made to understand that he is anHe must be made to understand that he is anintegral part of the war front, and that if heintegral part of the war front, and that if he

loses the war, he loses everything. loses the war, he loses everything.

Government Information Manual for the Government Information Manual for the Motion Picture IndustryMotion Picture IndustryOffice of War InformationOffice of War Information

Note the Note the caricatured caricatured features features and and expressionexpression

It was easy to imagine them capable of all sorts of outrageous acts

No one No one would be would be safesafe

Of course Of course our cause our cause was just, was just, because ..because ..

““we’re on we’re on God’s God’s side.”side.”

The The enemy enemy was was presented presented as godlessas godless

one who sows the seeds one who sows the seeds of death and destructionof death and destruction

Words are ammunition. Each word an American Words are ammunition. Each word an American utters either helps or hurts the war effort. He mustutters either helps or hurts the war effort. He muststop rumors. He must challenge the cynic and thestop rumors. He must challenge the cynic and theappeaser. He must not speak recklessly. He mustappeaser. He must not speak recklessly. He mustremember that the enemy is listening. remember that the enemy is listening.

--Government Information Manual for the Motion Picture Industry

Office of War Information

““Loose Loose lips lips sink sink ships”ships”

This Gold Star was displayed by families who had lost someone in the war.

A woman--someone A woman--someone who could resemble who could resemble the viewer's neighbor, the viewer's neighbor, sister, wife, or sister, wife, or daughter--was shown daughter--was shown on a "wanted" poster on a "wanted" poster as an unwitting as an unwitting murderess.murderess.

The viewer was to The viewer was to conclude that this conclude that this woman's careless talk woman's careless talk resulted in the death resulted in the death of American soldiers. of American soldiers.

Posters work!Posters work!Roadside signs, Roadside signs, magazine ads .. magazine ads ..

Just posters.Just posters.