Big Brother

By accident, while searching more information on number one dictator, Joseph Stalin, I found a website with propaganda posters from the US and some European countries of the WWII period.

It was actually very interesting to observe how spin doctors of that time strived to deliver their message and to make people buying their truth. Of course I have no accurate indications on the date the were released and on their origin – where they official propaganda or not? Anyway my target was to have a quick “tour d’horizon” on different subjects.



THE WAR


War at that period was of course the major business propaganda was dealing with. The objective was either to make their people alert and willing to do their best for the Nation.







This Soviet poster is entitled Nation and Army United. And like its American/British counterpart below, people should feel through the picture their commitment and even debt towards their country.




Nazis were the only one to promote a sort of “Pan-europeanism” striving to involve other people in the battle. In some respect it’s possible to say that Nazi Germany was developing a sort of “European identity”… Long before the Rome Treaties! However, this was limited in scope (only arians were entitled to it: so no French, Italian or Polish) and the purpose was to set up a ad hoc coalition (like in Iraq nowadays) rather than an alliance. So when the poster was saying to Norsemen to fight for Norway it had to be understand: “Norsemen, fight for a Nazi friendly Norway).






Besides exalting the virtues of their people, communication specialists, used propaganda as a mean to present in a Manichean way the threat their people were facing: THEY hate everything WE stand for! (it’s of very common use).





I actually really like this Ad (I suspect it to be British) because, unlike the following it does not show people suffering and dominated vs. a happy mother and child. It just shows the two most important items of a modern capitalist democracy: the house and the car, both destroyed.
Private property is not only a right in the modern western society, it one of the bases of the society itself unlike fascists and communist societies.






WAR AND RELIGION

In a world where everyone is concerned or even expect somehow a “Clash of civilization” fueled by religious grief, it is interesting to see that American/British propaganda incorporated in it’s war with Nazi Germany a religious dimension.
The message was that Nazis were against God and that God is indeed with us. I have no evidence of such propaganda against Soviet Union but I guess I might have existed as well.













THE WOMEN

Nazis and communist had rather the same opinion on women! They shall receive an education which prepare them for their role in the society: good mother and supporter of the regime.













WAY OF LIVING


In wartime, both the economy and the society are changing. Production is a vital need to overcome the enemy in the fighting. Therefore, propaganda strived to convince citizens to do their best to maximize production




Besides, the private consumption had to be limited so that a larger share could be dedicated to the war effort. I do like very much the following poster about petrol consumption… Actually, but for different reasons, eco efficiency is a concept already explored by our grand parents!




A constant subject of concern in period of war is also the spies and the fear that the enemy gets access to top secret information. Therefore, people were asked to keep a low profile in any circumstances. Such strategy had feature: it prevented somehow people to discuss or challenge the policy carried out by the government since they could not express freely their opinions.




To conclude, on can say that WWII political propaganda is just one chapter of the history of mass persuasion. Since then, most of the job is done by marketing or branding departments of companies or by agencies specialized in communication. War propaganda, has however a distinct feature: it does not target our lust or greed but rather our nationalistic feelings our duty towards the homeland.






However, the time when the Dutch sailor was our friend because he fought for freedom is maybe not over. We have indeed been told since 2003 that our GIs and Tommy friends fight for democracy in the Middle East. This only diference is that this time, nobody buy it!