Second World War Propaganda Analysis

On December 7th 1942, the day before Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) delivered his speech to Congress to ask them to go to war with Japan, The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Over 2000 American lives were lost from one of the most deceptive attacks the United States of America has ever undergone. FDR’s central purpose of his “Pearl Harbor address to the nation” speech is to try to persuade Congress to go to war with Japan. He develops this argument through characterizing japan and the nature of attack, showing the extent and danger of the attack, Reassuring the public and at the same time builds support, finally by his use of rhetoric.

During World War II propaganda posters where used to influence many peoples value, beliefs and behavior. The use of propaganda had a huge impact on the allied and axis power during this time. Both enemy’s used posters to get support from there government and families back home. Creating these posters encouraged people to save their materials so that most of the weapons could be used during the war. Propaganda it was a smart way to get people to degrade the enemy. Furthermore it was a great financial investment for America and its allies during the war. The poster I will address are what I found to be the most interesting and significant during this time.

At 7:55 a.m. on Sunday December 7, 1941, The Japanese Empire bombed America’s navel base in Hawaii without warning or a formal declaration of war. Japan did not see this attack as foolish and did not think of the consequences of this mistake. The war began in 1939 and wouldn’t last long after the United States was forcefully brought into it. This was the end of neutrality and the beginning of World War II for the United States. The attack on Pearl Harbor not only affected the course of the Second World War, but it also affected America. The safety that America once felt was gone, our economy was changed, Japanese- Americans suffered, and our opinion of the war took a total turn.

When President Wilson declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, the American people still needed convincing that his decision was the best course of action (World). This convincing was necessary due to the fact that many Americans remained isolationist and Wilson’s decision of war irked them (Belt). To convince and pacify the American people, Wilson created an agency that began to use propaganda supporting going to war on the side of Britain and France (Belt). The many methods of propaganda used by the government were highly effective and quickly won over the majority of the American population. This proved that propaganda had a highly motivational effect on Americans during World War I.

During this time was utilized to generate many different outcomes, whether it was to get young men to enlist, to promote the use of rations, or as in this poster, to get people to buy Liberty Bonds to support the war time effort. The people who created this type of propaganda played on the fears and frustrations of the American people to try and persuade them to help us win the war. Because the American people as a whole were in such a vulnerable and impressionable state due to the loss from the war, the propaganda was extremely successful. It is stated in an article by Authentic History that “farm production increased by twenty-five percent, and food exports to the Allies tripled.” This shows that citizens took the rations seriously, farmers worked harder to meet the demand of the soldiers, and that the encouragement from the government and the propaganda posters helped keep supplies coming and ultimately helped the Allied Powers win the

Another form of propaganda used by Americans during World War II were speeches. One such speech, Four Freedoms, was given by Roosevelt during his 1941 State of the Union Address before the United States officially joined the war. It outlined the four freedoms that would be guaranteed to all people across the world: “the freedom of speech; freedom of worship; freedom from want; and freedom from fear” (Foley 58). And since Americans believed that the U.S. was a symbol

When the United States declared war against Japan in 1941, many men were wanted to join the war. Many men wanted to contribute with the war and enlisted in the military. A famous poster during World War II, is the iconic “I Want You” poster. This poster shows Uncle Sam pointing, stating that he wants you to enlist in the military and to serve their nation. Many men, no matter their race joined the war and helped the United States win the war (Riddle). Making many of these types of propaganda helped the United States to have many men to enlist in the war. There were many other types of ways that men joined the war like the draft, but many other posters helped motivate men to join the war; such as the “Loose Lips Sink Ships” saying, and many racist pictures of the Japanese and the Germans. But the

Propaganda during World War II was very diverse, it impacted the world greatly. Propaganda had an overall negative and positive impact on the lives and political aspects in different countries. Propaganda is information spread around the world to persuade the society's views on the war. Countries would often target other governments and societies. People would react either positively or negatively it depended on how the topic was presented. Even though propaganda is not as prominent in our society today, it is still their.

World War II was a traumatic event that is known to be the darkest times in American and European history. It was estimated between 60 to 80 million people had lost their lives during time of battle. Before the United States was involved in the war, the country entered a state of isolationism. Americans saw the war was Europe’s problem and wished to stay out of it. However, as the situation in Europe became more urgent, this edged the United States closer to entering the war. The breaking point was, of course, Japan’s sudden attack on Pearl Harbor. Tensions between the United States and Japan had increased consistently years before the attack.

After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, Americans were terrified and motivated to bring an end to the Japanese war machine promoting, “Remember Pearl Harbor!”

Self-Defense, Abuse of Power, and Best Interest: A Study in American Involvement in World War II from Pearl Harbor to the Atomic Bomb

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and “Hitler declared War on the United States four days after Pearl Harbor” (Spielvogel 616). Papa said, “The war was everything”. There were billboards, posters, and radio shows only on the war. There were posters that portrayed Americans as good and the Germans as bad. Billboard had phrases such as “Loose Lips sink Ships”. Posters with pictures of “Rosy the Riveter” and “Wendy the Welder” encouraged the woman who build ships and planes like my great grandmother, Martha Yates, for the Allied Forces (Spielovogel, 619). Papa can remember listening to the radio for the battle locations and the casualties every night. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had “Fireside Chats” about how the war was going and how they as Americans needed to stick together. The war was the only thing people talked about and everyone was part of the war effort. In second grade, he would collect dimes which he would bring to school for the war cause. He recalls searching the trash piles in the junkyard to collect the metal from toothpaste containers

Introduction Theme 4 – Individual Development and Identity Theme 7 – Production, Distribution, and Consumption U.S. Isolationism/Neutrality Theme 1 – Culture and Cultural Diversity US Declares War Theme 4 – Individual Development and Identity Life in the US During WWII Theme 1 – Culture and Cultural Diversity Theme 4 – Individual Development and Identity Theme 7 – Production, Distribution, and Consumption Life in the US During WWII (Japanese Internment) Theme 1 – Culture and Cultural Diversity Theme 4 – Individual Development and Identity What were the causes of WWII? How did the agreements signed after World War I influence World War II? Why did America move from a stance of isolation to intervention by 1940?

America suddenly was thrown into the warfront. During World War II many ways and ideas of the American culture changed once again. Now, most Americans supported the war. Technology was advanced immensely, thus creating weapons of mass destruction. Even stifle American women were now getting jobs that were once held only by

Only a day after Pearl Harbor had been attacked, we declared war on the Empire of Japan. Even if Congress declares war on a country, the public may not completely agree with the government. “It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.” (Franklin D. Roosevelt, “A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”) This spurred the American people into wanting to go to war with Japan because it played on the emotions of being betrayed. After he had given this speech, millions of americans signed up for the service out of their own