Propaganda used by United States Government to get people to join or back the war effort ( WWI-WWII)
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This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
This gallery supplies you with several images on political posters made by the US government during both world wars. The government made these images in hope to get people to enlist in the military. Also, some posters were geared towards kids and the foods they ate during war times. These images were seen all over and many people joined the military simply because they saw these adds.
This political poster shows rations being dropped to troops in battle during WWII. It is geared to get people back home to not waist any food, because our soldiers needed food. This fits the theme because the government was trying to get the populist to act a certain way during war times. The artist used geometric shapes like square crates and circular parachutes.
This is another political poster geared to get the population to limit the resources they use at home, while the country is at war. The poster states "SAVE FUEL FOR THE BATTLE". Much fuel was needed to help win the WWII. Many tanks,planes,boats and jeeps needed to be supplied with this valuable resource. Movement is implied in the drawing of the steam and water rippling in the bath tube.
This poster is trying to get one to feel pressure to join the military. The pressure I speak of is peer pressure. You see the soldiers and one says "We're on the Job-How about you?" This is a very precise move to get people in on war times. This reflects the overall theme because once agin you have pressure form to join the government. Visually you see a lot of movement; Examples are the plane overhead and the soldier running.
Help them keep your war savings pledge : issued by U.S. Treasury Dept. / Casper Emerson Jr., Emerson, Casper., 1918, Original Source: Library of Virginia
This is a political poster geared at getting the average United States citizens to buy into the war effort, known as war savings stamps. This particular poster was made during WWI. Visually you see a rather scary and dark color scheme. The color scheme lends great into highlighting the darkness of war. This eminent darkness may have made people more likely to buy into the war effort by purchasing war savings stamps. Positive and negative space are present in the design, the red being the negative and the soldiers and black are the positive.
Little Americans do your bit eat oatmeal, cornmeal mush, hominy, other corn cereals, and rice with m, Parker, Cushman, 1881-, 1918, Original Source: Library of Virginia
Once again we have another political add. This add however is geared toward the young ones at the time. The kid giving a solute may implicate that all boys should get ready to be a soldier when he gets older. The straight forward purpose of this add is to get kids to eat wheat alternatives, so the wheat can be saved for the troops. The color scheme some what mimics our national colors.
Navy! Uncle Sam is Calling YOU! Enlist in the Navy! Do it Now!, Western Lithograph Co., 1917, From the collection of: Dallas Museum of Art
Uncle Sam is another piece of propaganda art. You see uncle Sam pointing at you (the viewer) and demanding that you "DO IT NOW" (join the military). Visually all the emphasis is put on Uncle Sam. This focus and emphasis catches your attention and almost makes you feel like Uncle Sam is going to reach out and grab you.
Gee I wish I were a Man, I'd Join the Navy, Howard Chandler Christy, after 1917, From the collection of: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Once again we have more political propaganda from the US during war times. This is provoking a mans sense of being a man. Since they are portraying a woman wishing she could do this, of corse many men would jump in and join. A triadic color scheme is taking place with the blue,red, and tan background.
E-e-e-yah-yip, go over with U.S. Marines, Falls, C. B. (Charles Buckles), 1874-1960., 1917, Original Source: Library of Virginia
Here we are again looking at yet another image of political propaganda form the USA. This is another image trying to get you to join the marines during WWI. An Analogous color scheme is present with green and orange being close to each other on the color wheel. Focus and emphasis are put in the soldier in the bottom left corner.
I want you for the Navy Howard Chandler Christy., Christy, Howard Chandler, 1873-1952, 1917, Original Source: Library of Virginia
Yet another image of what appears to be a woman in the military. The portrayal of a woman doing the job got many men to sign up because they needed to feel like men. The color scheme ( like most in this gallery ) are playing of the American colors of red, white, and blue. Also, as with most of these posters, emphasis is put on some figure. This figure is typically a service member in the foreground.
For every fighter a woman worker care for her through the YWCA : United War Work Campaign / Adolph T, Treidler, Adolph, 1886-, 1918, Original Source: Library of Virginia
Our finale example of US propaganda during war times is this one. We see a woman wearing mens workers clothes. She holds a war plane and bullet shells in her hands. This is showing that woman are buying into the war effort at home. They were the ones who had to work at the factories, since many men were at war. Once again the countries colors are present in this political add. The proportion is all out of wake because of how she holds a plane in her hands.
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This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
