U.S. War Propaganda
By: Kinsey Ayres
Background
During World War 2 propaganda was used to get the whole country behind the war effort. It was especially used in the United States to get the women to work back home to make things for the war and for recruitment for the men. There was slogans that were used to influence different emotions of the people. They used the propaganda to get the people to want to support the war because of the specific motives the creators used.
Themes
"When you ride alone you ride with Hitler."
"Loose lips sink ships."
Quotes like this were used to scare Americans into being behind the war. The creators, usually movie creators, artist, etc., used slogans like this in there propaganda in an effort to make the Americans want to scare the people into supporting the war. Themes usually consisted of recruitment, financing,unifying the public, conservation, and factory production of weapons, consequences of careless talking, civil defense, war bonds, women power, and anti- German and Japanese efforts.
Recruitment
During the war there was a huge effort to recruit men, women, and children. The government wanted men for the war, women to make things for war and to basically run the country while the men were at war, and children to work in the factories. The women became a huge part of the war. Women had to run the country, build machinery, weapons, and other war related materials, as well as still take care of their kids and the house. During this time women became very independent. Men as soon as out of school were recruited for the military. Men basically had to go into the battle field with the mind set that they were going to die during battle. Children had to learn how to work in tough conditions that were strenuous on their little bodies. The war made everyone have to learn to work in unison.
"We can do it"
"We can do it", one of the most recognizable quotes of the American propaganda efforts. During the war women started to realize that they were capable of doing everything the men could do. This was the start of equal rights in the states. Women started their own baseball league, a thing that had never been heard of. Now "softball” has became an international sport that was created through the war times. Women also were introduced into the governmental aspects of the country, which showed that women were capable of everything. Women were just as important in the war as men were and are an important piece of history because of what the started in terms of women rights.
War Bonds
During the war America was not in a financial position able to support the war alone, therefore creating war bonds. Propaganda posters were created to make the people want to back the war up financially too. People would go to locations and basically donate money to help the war. It was an effort that worked well in financing the war.
Conclusion
Propaganda was a huge part of the war. The war was a huge part of history that changed many things especially for women rights. Propaganda helped the people of the United States become a unified nation that made winning the war a much better success.