Claim
Radio programs and propaganda movies were just two examples of the new media that were increasingly used during World War II to help sway public opinion, promote national unity, and gain support for American policies.
Support
Fireside Chats
The Fireside Chat radio interview with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, published on the web platform on March 13, 2011, is a prime example of how radio may influence public opinion as a new media medium. Roosevelt developed a close relationship with American citizens through these radio talks, speaking to them indirectly and emotionally (Turner). Through his Fireside Chats, he made complex economic matters, including the financial crisis, understandable to the average person. To gain support for his ideas and to reassure the people during periods of economic instability and catastrophe, Roosevelt used radio broadcasting.
After the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbour on December 8, 1941, President Roosevelt used radio transmission to stir up strong feelings and mobilize the country. His use of strong words, including calling the attack a “date which will live in infamy,” incited outrage and patriotism among Americans (Chan). Roosevelt encouraged a sense of solidarity and a sense of shared purpose in reaction to the threat presented to the country’s security and safety by framing the assault as an unjustified act of aggression through this address. The speech’s radio broadcast exemplified how this new media impacts the public’s views and political choices.
Propaganda Films
Another example of the growing use of new media to sway public opinion is propaganda films, such as “Japanese Relocation,” created by the U.S. Office of War Information during World War II. The justification for measures like the incarceration of Japanese Americans was primarily made possible by these films. The government expressed its viewpoint, sparked feelings, and influenced public opinion through the potent visual medium of film. The movie intended to persuade the American population that such actions, even if they infringed on civil rights, were required for national security (WWII Japanese American Internment Propaganda Film “Japanese Relocation”). The government used propaganda films to spread support for its policies and provide a biased narrative that upheld incarceration, despite it being later recognized as unfair.
Works Cited
Chan, Melisa. “‘A Date Which Will Live in Infamy.’ Read President Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor Address.” Time. 2016. Web.
Turner, Brett William. Clip of President Franklin Roosevelt’s First Fireside Chat, C-span. 2011. Web.
“WWII Japanese American Internment Propaganda Film “Japanese Relocation”. Internet Archive. 2023. Web.