WWI Big Questions

The US got involved in WWI because Germany violated their pledge to not participate in submarine warfare in the Atlantic. Since the Spanish- American war, the US has been very involved in world affairs. Early in the war, the United States participated in trade with Britain even though they had a blockade on Germany. To help prepare for the war, the United States had the9ir presidential election, with Wilson winning.  Involvement in the war resulted in a 4.8 million strong military, $33 billion in war budget, and higher demand for services and goods in the States. The US was affected by the participation in WWI by ultimately killing the progressive movement with the decision to not join the League of Nations.

Propaganda Posters Part 2

Did the poster sets you reviewed accomplish the goal of the American government during this time frame or was more effort needed?

The poster sets reviewed in class accomplished the goal of the American government during this time frame. The posters were able to include everyone in the war efforts, and persuaded men to join the army, women to become nurses or do other things like knit socks, children to change their food to mush to save the wheat for the soldiers, and people to buy liberty bonds and stamps. I believe that without the propaganda posters, Americans would not have been so responsive to the war and what the government was asking for. Many of the posters are what brought in people to enlist, specifically the "I want you for U. S Army" poster. 

This poster uses dark colors, with the background as a fire showing that no matter whats going on, the military will look out for the women and children. The sailors look distraught with whats going on, but the sailor that the eyes are drawn to is leaning forward, with his hand to his mouth as if to be telling the audience something. I think this poster helps play with the "buy liberty bonds" and "donate," and all the ploys the government is using to get money, because when widows and orphans are brought up, most people will feel bad and want to give money to the war efforts that are trying to help orphans and widows. 

The French kids are pleading for the help of America and other allies. By saying "Have you room in your heart for us," it pulls at peoples hearts making them seem selfish. The illustrator uses the demolished buildings in the background to show what the children lives are like, and then the two children in the front, one pleading, the other crying in his sisters lap, to show that the war is terrible where they live and that Americans should be able to help as much as they can because they don't have it nearly as bad. 

This poster uses a picture of a woman and her child. In the woman's face, the audience can see her bone structure and how tired she is because she is starving. The baby is pointing at the audience to show that it is their responsibility to not allow them to starve. Using the statistic of "2.5 million women and children now starving to death" ensures a sense of guilt in the people making them want to donate money. 

Using the image of Christ makes helping out in the war a religious thing. With the Bible quote, people would see that it is their religious duty to help out in the war efforts because it is what Christ would do. Also, the illustrator using a nurse in bright white helping a man in darker clothing to show that she is good and will help out no matter who. There are guys who are dark in the shadows to show the audience that if you don't help, you're not being very Christ- like and will just burn in the shadows. 

Propaganda Posters

Propaganda is what the government, or supreme rulers use to guilt and rally the people in their nation  for a bigger cause. 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propaganda

"the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person”

In this picture, a woman is holding her child with another trying to climb her. She’s on her knees with her hand raised above her, as if to try to stop someone or something. The illustrator used muted blues, whites, grays and others to convey that the picture is supposed to be dark and sad. The first thing my eyes are drawn to in this picture is the child tugging on their mother. There is also a bunch of clutter and random house hold items surrounding the woman. I think the illustrator did this to show that they are suffering. I believe the artist was trying to make the public feel bad and sympathize for the woman and her children, to the point of them wanting to buy liberty bonds. The ideal targets for the audience are family oriented people, specifically woman. Because of the use of children, and “must children die and mothers plead in vain,” the reaction of buying liberty bonds, I think, would b e higher because people care about the well being of women and children.

The first thing my eyes are drawn to is the red cross behind the girl. The color really helps bring the symbol forward. The girl is wearing an American flag as he outfit that turns into the sea. The artist did this combination to show that America will help over seas. The girl is used to symbolize Lady Liberty, but with the sadness in her face, she’s pleading for Americans help over seas. Pointing with one hand, showing where to go, and palm up in the other as a stretched out hand to grab to help, this girl is speaking to all of America asking for anyone and everyone to help, specifically with money because “They are giving their lives out there… you must give every cent you can spare.”

The only image on this poster is able to speak to everyone. The dead soldier on it is able to speak to how he was able to sacrifice everything, including his life, so everyone else should be able to sacrifice a few cents. Using only black ink for the drawing and red for the print, the print really stands out making everyone want to read it, which is where it says "This boy has made his last great sacrifice." I think they intentionally used the word "boy" so it really comes across as to how young he was and so it speaks to the women. The posters a veered towards everyone, but women specifically because the men were off fighting, so the main decision makers (for the most part), were the women. This poster, I believe, was mainly used to guilt people into buying liberty bonds. 

I don’t think I’m uncomfortable with the idea of federal government spending tax dollars to create propaganda, but I’m not necessarily comfortable with it. I think the main use of propaganda is to get money from people, so why would they use money to make something to ask for money?

I think the federal government felt it was necessary to invest in producing propaganda posters during WWI because I don’t think the people really knew what they were getting into, because nothing major had happened to the country. I believe they used the propaganda posters to help the people understand how serious it is getting involved in the War.