In World War One “the war to end all wars” the Committee on Public Information used propaganda to recruit men, raise money, and use manipulation to unify the country or justify their involvement. One likely reason to the beginning of United States World War One propaganda was influences of German and British propaganda used to impact the nation’s decision on entering the war or staying neutral. The propaganda had such a powerful impact on Americans that the United States adopted WW1 Propaganda.
US Propaganda’ depicted images seem to be an unfair depiction of World War One showing only half-truths not realities of war. For instance, America was only in WW1 for two years but propaganda makes it seem like the entire war. Citizens who wanted to remain neutral or unbiased in war efforts were convinced through several different tactics used to target different audiences. One audience was for capable army recruits; they have advertised things that young men want. Women, on the other hand, were shown as being empowered which inspired them to join the war effort to contribute on behalf of all women. Without propaganda, America would not have as big of a united front joining the war effort.
A reason the United States World War One propaganda started was after Germany waged war in unrestricted war zones. In order to have a greater advantage against the allies, in February 1915, Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare in the waters around Britain. Germany disobeyed international warfare restrictions and sank the Lusitania, a British ship. This outraged Americans who strongly believed in restricted war zones with fair warning of naval attacks. The united states felt threatened because Britain was America’s closest trading partner and there were 128 Americans who were aboard the Lusitania.
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Germany and England realized that they could attempt to manipulate American citizens based on these strong emotions they felt in reaction to this major event. Britain wanted America to join the allies and fight against the Germans and other axis powers. Germany fought to keep America stance neutral and hopefully completely out of the war. Both countries set to work making many persuading propagandas. This was one of the many factors to why the United States joined World War One. After this nudge from Germany and Britain, America began using propaganda in their war efforts realizing how powerful they were.
World War One propaganda images, an unfair depiction of the soldiers are signing up for. The posters that inspired for many to volunteer show only the half-truths not realities of war. One poster simply advertised adventure like it was some sort of fun vacation! “Travel? Adventure? join the marines”. The full truth is World War One was incredibly brutal and inhumane. Men died of mustard gas suffocating to death, and others went mental after they experienced trauma from bombs constantly disrupting the trenches. Some died on the battlefield, but most of them died in the trenches not even receiving a proper burial. Nevertheless, the propaganda seemed to override the realities of war and World War One soldiers are still fondly remembered today.
The Committee on Public Information used propaganda to recruit men into enlisting into the army. The patriotic Americans were very unified with the idea that every American matter, the individual could affect the outcome of WW1 for the family, his country. Uncle Sam, an elderly man dressed in patriotic red, white and blue; points his finger directly at the viewer saying “I want you”. Every little thing in WW1 propaganda appears to directly lead to the end game of winning the war. The paths used in World War 1 propaganda promises a noble and glorious path that will result in victory. Propaganda was very canonized for being a way to convince people to join a brutal war. Most of the messages of enlistment propaganda spoke about respect for your country, protecting your homeland, protect the ones you love, being a man, fight for the freedom of your allies in Europe, and pride for your service to your county.
On the other hand, Propaganda had the tendency of becoming very dark shoving a lot of responsibilities and anxieties down people’s throats. The more strong negative messages had its toll on the youngest generation that was brainwashed into xenophobia. This happened because the US advertised nationalism and a growing fear of communism that made Americans fearful of other countries. It also festered hate for other countries, the images of the Axis powers were demonized. Their features on propaganda were demon like which set the allies apart more clearly from the enemy. This propaganda gave the men a strong sense of urgency to fight against communism. Propaganda made Americans feel responsible and like a very important asset to the war.
In the same way, women had a lot of responsibilities in supporting the war effort which they were encouraged to do through propaganda. The United States Food Administration encouraged voluntary food conservation and gardening to produce food. These efforts were to feed those who were starving in Europe. Propaganda showed malnourished Europeans on the street provoking feelings of sympathy and guilt. ‘Food Will Win the War’ was the name of the campaign initiated by the newly appointed head of the agency, Herbert Hoover. “Of course, the prime objective of the United States in undertaking the fight against famine in Europe is to save the lives of starving people. The secondary object, however, and of hardly less importance, [is] to defeat Anarchy, which is the handmaiden of Hunger.’ One of the advertisements reads “save a loaf a week, help win the war”. Translating buying a consumer good into winning the war is a lot to think about when all that is happening is choosing a loaf of bread.
Women were shown as being empowered which inspired them to join the war effort to contribute on behalf of all women. A glorious image is shown of a woman harvesting in the field, she is wearing patriotic colors. She is doing the work by herself she looks empowered and she tells women to do their part in the war and grow their own gardens. One woman was on a poster which said “Gee!! I wish I were a man, I’d join the Navy”. This message although not directly aimed at women since the recruits were mostly men it gave the idea that one-day women could be recruited by Navy. It gave off this idea because the woman was dressed in a navy uniform. Overall, the women were given more power to run the family as the husbands were at war. This new feeling of freedom came up a lot in Propaganda aimed at women. Women wanted to make a difference in the war and they were advertised having the freedom to do it.
The impacts of propaganda changed how people remembered history and affected the US’ mindset about WW1. Propaganda was not a moral way of gaining an adherent or devotion to the nation. World War One propaganda images, seems to be an unfair depiction of World War One, showing only half-truths not realities of war. The images conveyed to both women and men were equally deceiving in that creators of United States Propaganda in WW1 showed Americans what they wanted them to think. However, America benefited from this in that the country was not as divided by the war efforts. The country came together to greatly provide needed resources to Europe. The amount of military that the US added to the Allies side also greatly impacted war.
Propaganda to recruited men raised money and used manipulation to unify the country or justify their involvement. The sinking of the Lusitania greatly impacted the beginning of Propaganda. Propaganda gave the impression that America’s participation in the war lasted more than two years. US Propaganda’ depicted images seem to be an unfair depiction of World War One showing only half-truths not realities of war. Citizens who wanted to remain neutral or unbiased in war efforts were convinced through several different tactics used to target different audiences. One audience was for men joining the army, they were convinced by the glory and patriotism. Women, on the other hand, were shown as being empowered which inspired them to join the war effort to contribute on behalf of all women. Without propaganda, America could have been very divided, and not come together to win the war.
