What are the cores values to which the posters speak? How do they compare to recruitment efforts that you have seen?
Posters of World War 1 presented a different style of propaganda because of the war time effort of U S government. These posters contains many values which all are touched the citizens who believed in democratic principles. Posters stated that U S A is the land of civilization apart from the Germans. Liberty is an essential attribute of democracy that is unbeaten in U S political system so it projected as the central value in posters. During the period of War Germany was under the monarchical rule of Kaiser. This was a positive factor exploited by the Americans that effectively used in war propaganda. Above values are helped to make public opinion approving the decision of government. Today’s recruitment efforts are entirely different to compare with World War 1. Present recruitment methods generally based on attractive offers or make the sense financial benefit. National feeling has no more roles in today’s recruitment efforts because of the profit motive advertisement.
How are women portrayed in the posters? How are Germans portrayed in the posters?
Posters are widely used to attract public opinion among the people of U S A to recognize the involvement in World War 1. That time there was no other effective medium of communication with the people. Many of the talented illustrators and journalists participated to the poster making to inspire the masses. Analyzing these posters one can find that most of them have acquired a successive influence among the public. One of the posters, “a sleeping woman dressed in the Stars and Stripes, reads, WAKE UP, AMERICA CIVILIZATION CALLS EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD”.In Howard Chandler Christy’s poster “ a girl exclaims, GEE I WISH I WERE A MAN ….I’D JOIN THE NAVY” (Selling the war: Recruitment posters of world war1 139). Another girl of Christy says, “I WANT YOU FOR THE NAVY”. During the time of U S war propaganda Germans also portrayed in the posters of the artists. F. Strothman created a useful “Freedom bond poster by portraying a German as the Satan-eyed, Spike-helmeted, his bayonet and hands dripping blood, reads, Beat Back the Hun with LIBERTY BONDS” (Selling the war: Recruitment posters of world war1 139).
What did the CPI do?
President Wilson and his military leaders decided to set up a committee concerned with World War 1 known as Committee on Public Information. C P I started a great labor for the propaganda to arise support of the U S citizens towards the entry in World War 1.During the time of Second World War there was no need of a wide propaganda because when the U S A directly attacked by the Japanese forces that made a terrible shock among the people. Here no such type of direct invasion over the land area of the country. So C P I faced a difficult task to create national feeling towards government policy. For these thousands of pamphlets, press releases, posters, drawings and speakers were arranged by this committee. Thus U S war message developed through a number of ways planned under Committee on Public Information.
Why did America figt?
America faced crucial pressure from the side of both international communities and their own homeland. International communities have required America to prove idealism, unselfishness, and its indomitable purpose. The severe problem is that Americans struggled with the problem of keeping morale. More than this American community faced the challenge of ignorance and falsehood abroad.
Self image and self advancement are two important values or features of American society. During the time of world war it first appeared on the international level, when political leaders decided to intervene into the war. The U S government aimed to express the military and technological advancement of the country before the world nations, for it broke the Non-Interference Policy of the state in 1917. Another dimension was the need to protect liberty, equality, and fraternity those are the basic principles of democracy. To achieve this entry of U S A was crucial because in 1917, Russia withdrew from the war by signed a treaty with Germany.
What advantages do visuals appeals have over written appeals?
Visual medias and other visual advertising methods have more significance than the over written information. One of the major advantages of visual appeal is its reliability and visual impact. In case of World War I most of the American companies have pictured various war posters. Then the arrival of the motion pictures International community has earned numerous information about different subjects such as German army, role of women in the war field, America’s effort in Warfield and the great American idealism. Written information has the limitation of passive reading and reader ignores the possibility of further referencing. The journal article entitled How We Advertised America gives valuable information about advertising for the military in America. George Creel notices; “Through the medium of motion pictures, America’s war progress, as well as the meanings and purpose of democracy, were carried to every community in the United States and to every corner of the world” (Creel 2005). Through these posters and other visual Medias America successfully overcame its national or international pressures. America has proved its morale and unselfishness, and its own idealism into the global community. Written documents have often give limited information to the reader and it only constitute the authors views and ideas about a particular subject.
What similarities are there between the posters and such provocative writings as ‘The Jungle’ and ‘How the Other Half Lives’?
Provocative writings are mainly used to pressurize the people for the author’s intentions. Posters also use for the same purpose to influence the public to make attention on a particular issue with brief explanation. For example, Hitler exploited German feelings by his provocative writings and ideals after World War 1. Propaganda of U S war effort and Hitler’s provocative methods produced the same result that is support of the people. But only difference was President Wilson aimed to secure liberty and humanity at the same time Hitler’s goal was supremacy of the Germans. Another major problem is that provocative writings have particular intentions and objectives which is based on political, social, regional and cultural. Personal intentions have often misused these kinds of overwritten Medias.
How do you feel about the use of propaganda in a democracy?
For smooth running, people of a democratic nation must feel that the government aims the welfare of its subjects. Propaganda plays a predominant part in democracy, public is the master of the rulers they determine their needs and future. Frank Kokori remarks; “But the world is more familiar with the definition of Abraham Lincoln. The great American states man and President of the Civil wars years. According to Lincoln “Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people” (Kokori 2007). It reveals that how the character of propaganda in a democratic political system especially in crucial matters. Interests of people surely divided in every event so the government has the role in shaping public opinion. Propaganda of World War 1 is the great example that how an able government direct the opinion of the people. In democracy sectional interests must be settled but call for the time considered for the advancement of the nation. To achieve this, leaders recognize possible ways of communication, like pamphlets, press releases, posters, drawings, and electronic Medias to shape national opinion.
Do you think advertising is a source of knowledge or deception? Give examples from your own experience
Analyzing different fields of advertising one can feel that a judicious selection is needed. One of the major goals of the advertising companies is to enhance their financial profits. Advertisements about food items and medicines often create issues. Barrie Gunter and et al. assert “the use of nutritional information can be viewed as either a positive addition to food advertisements or just a marketing strategy: it also raises the issue of how well children understand and interpret such information” (Gunter, Oates and Blades 2005, 5). Under the shadow of financial benefits advertisements never give knowledge to the common people. In case of military advertisements one can see the fact that news about war, military recruitments and other official information provide knowledge. In a great extent these advertisements require serious public intention and attentions. In my own experience I can say that advertisements about food items often mislead the consumer. I could not get the desirable results when I used the medicine which prescribed for digestion. Government and other non organizing agencies follow a serious attitude towards the advertisement procedure.
How does World War I advertising differ from today’s advertising for the military?
Posters have played a significant role in World War I advertising and these posters have offered an easy way of understanding or communication. One can easily find the reality that artists picture the images of hackneyed Germans, women and other American citizens. Most of them have demonstrated as more emotions and bend reality. The process of demonstrating war poster has influenced by political issues. The faces of these posters were faceless or apelike. This leads one to think serious details behind the images. Each and every poster has provided the visual consciousness that they signify a serious issue. The color of these posters gives meaningful comprehensions to the viewers. It is easy to find that toad’s advertising for the military is greatly differ from war poster art during the time of World War I. After the result of the knowledge explosion electronic media began to play a vital role in advertising military activities and war news. A large number of government and nongovernmental websites demonstrate news. More than this mobile phones and fax systems are also use in the battlefield. Televisions and other visual Medias give a clear cut vision about the events. Compared with this viewer or reader can make his own evaluation about a particular event or news in modern advertising.
Bibliography
Creel, George. How we advertised America. America: David J Voelker, 2005. Web.
Gunter, Barrie., Oates, Caroline., and Blades, Mark. Advertising to children on TV: content, impact, and regulation, volume 2004. Web.
Kokori, Frank. Democracy in Nigeria, the journey so far. Nigeria: Benni National Congress, 2007. Web.
Selling the war: Recruitment posters of world war1. (Provided by the customer).