Propaganda is a form of communication technique used to convince the audience of the authenticity of specific arguments. Propaganda can instill political bias, national pride, and hatred for an adversary. During WWII, the primary function of propaganda was to enrage the general population while instilling a sense of patriotism in them. America was the primary nation to employ excessive propaganda for war-related purposes. It primarily had a positive impact on people’s mindsets about the battle.
During WWII, posters were an essential means of disseminating propaganda. Government leaders and private organizations used coloured posters to portray either the heroism of the soldiers or the evil behaviour of the opponent. Additionally, some advertisements were created to encourage people to save assets for a better cause. Unlike the other countries, the posters from the United States were mainly concerned with depicting soldiers as the primary driving force behind war successes. These efforts influenced and enlisted many young people to fight for a better life.
Advertisements and comic books were also altered for propaganda purposes. Businesses started to include war-related imagery in their advertisements. Numerous companies illustrated were attempting to reduce their reliance on raw resources. They were assisting the nation by conserving resources in this manner. In the form of satire, comic books also depicted patriotism and the evil nature of the enemy. During WWII, radio was among the most widely used modes of communication. It also served as a means of disseminating propaganda. On the radio, uplifting speeches were streamed live. Radio stations frequently played songs about the war. Political leaders used airwaves to address the nation. For instance, Roosevelt’s speeches to unite people were telecast on radio shows.
While most propaganda aimed to instill nationalistic pride, several had racialist undertones. Why We Fight, a sequence of seven movies directed by Frank Capra, portrayed Germany, Italy, and Japan as countries of cold-hearted killers. As World War II proceeded, the O.W.I. gained a foothold in Hollywood, producing patriotic movies. Even animated characters joined the bandwagon. The war, films, and cartoons all played a role in keeping Americans concentrated on the war while entertaining them. Overall, American propaganda used various methods to spread a sense of nationalism among people during WWII effectively.