Introduction
Thanks to the American consumer culture, the country has developed distinct ways of expressing and emphasizing values or customs, for instance, through commercial advertising. Politicians used media and advertising slogans to convey statements about desirable or undesirable behavior to society (Witkowski, 2003, p. 69). As a result, posters became a powerful propaganda tool for communicating important messages to the population during World War II (WWII). They focused on several key announcements, like the importance of frugality or investing in bonds. The current paper explores an example of a poster created in the early years of the war. Although posters from the WWII era contain only images and short slogans, they could influence the population by appealing to their emotions, and today, they have become critical sources of information about the period.
The Poster Context: Bonds
Waging war requires significant funds, and the government needs to look for ways to obtain and use them effectively. During WWII, tax increases did not cover the military spending enough, and Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Secretary of the Treasury, proposed expanding the sale of bonds to the public (Knowlton, 2019, p. 48). Following Samuel (1997), the government had several goals in addition to covering military expenses (as cited in Knowlton, 2019, p. 48). They include curbing inflation amid rising personal incomes in the emerging military economy and releasing cash after the war to facilitate peacetime transition (Samuel, 1997, as cited in Knowlton, 2019, p. 48). Thus, the sale of bonds was supposed to benefit the United States significantly.
However, it was important for the government to ensure a high level of sales for bonds. Therefore, posters became an essential tool for their promotion – they developed a sense of belonging to the country’s defense (Knowlton, 2019, p. 49). Bonds have become an opportunity for any citizen, such as housewives or the older generation who were not directly involved in hostilities, to make their contribution (Knowlton, 2019, p. 49). For these reasons, many posters dedicated to bonds were created during the war to engage the population to help.
Analysis
The poster under study, Bonds or bondage: Everybody – every pay day 10%, deals with the issue of bond purchases (see Figure 1). It depicts a middle-aged man who, considering his clothes – overalls and a cap – represents the working class, which means that the target audience of this advertisement is also workers. After the difficulties of the Great Depression, the US economy began to develop rapidly during WWII, and the working class in the country could finally afford some surplus (Witkowski, 2003, p. 70). However, the government needed to reduce consumption, and as mentioned above, bonds had to solve this problem. This wartime feature in the United States explains the choice of audience and character for the poster.
The poster was created to convey an important message to its target audience using design features and specific symbols. The split into two parts suggests citizens can expect two options for the future. In the case of bond investments, this is a chance to win the war, implying freedom, development, and happiness, presented on the left through the flag, factories, and the character’s smile. If the opportunity to invest is ignored, the scenario is bondage and decline, represented by shackles with symbols of Nazism on the right. In this way, the poster is aimed at evoking citizens’ psychological and emotional responses to stimulate the purchase of bonds, which is typical for most posters created on the issue at that time (Hollins, 2015, p. 51). The advertisement’s tone is serious and cautionary, which enhances the emotional impact.
One can use the poster to analyze ways of waging war. In particular, posters are part of propaganda, which aims to mobilize hatred against enemies, support allies, and prove the justice of their actions (Welch, 2017, p. XIV). The poster in question demonstrates the embodiment of two of the directions listed. It fuels hatred of the enemy by associating it with slavery and demonstrates the fairness of US efforts by linking the country’s actions to protecting freedom. Moreover, President Roosevelt positioned the initial preparations for the war as a defense (Knowlton, 2019, p. 47). More broadly, the poster demonstrates the struggle and protection of the democracy of Western states against totalitarian regimes. At the same time, the use of propaganda suggests that the way of warfare of Western countries includes multilateral methods like soft power, not just battlefield efforts.
I believe that the poster studied is a crucial and credible historical resource. It has features characteristic of the propaganda of its time and, therefore, can tell much information. The poster confirms the features of the circumstances in which it was created. Its study can be supplemented by the analysis of propaganda materials of a similar nature since they all have a common direction and verify each other’s messages.
Conclusion
Thus, the conduct of US military operations during WWII also includes the use of propaganda. Posters are its instruments that were generated by the consumer culture. The poster example considered in the paper was devoted to the call for the purchase of bonds and the opportunity to acquire the government expanded for the entire population. The bonds helped cover military spending and reduce consumption levels to promote frugality. Posters, in turn, in addition to calling for purchase, strengthened hatred of the enemy and supported the justice of the struggle against them.
References
Bonds or bondage: Everybody – every pay day 10%. (1941). The UNT Digital Library. Web.
Hollins, H. (2015). The War Bond poster: State fundraising and National cohesion through mass media during the World Wars. Federal History, 7, 35-52. Web.
Knowlton, S. A. (2019). The Minute Man Flag and the Army-Navy “E” Flag: Unifying symbols for the American home front in World War II. Raven: A Journal of Vexillology, 26, 45-104. Web.
Samuel, L. (1997). Pledging allegiance: American identity and the bond drive of World War II. Smithsonian Institution Press.
Welch, D. (2017). World War II propaganda: Analyzing the art of persuasion during wartime. ABC-CLIO.
Witkowski, T. H. (2003). World War II poster campaigns – Preaching frugality to American consumers. Journal of Advertising, 32(1), 69-82. Web.