U.S propaganda and the Nazi Germany - Essay Example

?U.S PROPAGANDA AND THE NAZI GERMANY Introduction Propaganda is a way of communication that aims at influencing and manipulating theattitudes of the society towards some position or cause. It is usually repeated and dispensed over a wide variety of media so as to establish the desired impact in audience attitudes. Propaganda during wartime attempts to prepare people to adjust to abnormal conditions and adapt their objectives and norms or morals to accommodate the demands of the war. In order to achieve this, propagandists use conventional visual codes such as postcards established in mass culture. Propaganda and war is aimed at influencing people’s attitudes and perception towards the war rather than being involved in open dialogue (Randal, 2002). American propaganda during world war was used to increase American commitment and support for the war. American propagandists used various media to foment animosity and hatred against American enemies especially the Nazi Germans, Authoritarian Italy and Aggressive Japan. For instance, American propagandists persuaded American people to fully participate in the war by urging them to do what they can by providing war materials such as victory gardens and to extent that they sold war bonds. Americans perceived propaganda as a tool of totalitarian dictatorship. In addition, they recalled with fear and anger the fervor of the First World War propaganda efforts, which was recognized as violation of human rights as well as dissemination of wrong information. The United States was reluctant to participate in propaganda campaigns but it succumbed to pressure from business sector, media and advertisers who wanted the government to take active role in propaganda campaigns. In 1944, policy makers in the U.S began convincing Americans to accept the harsh peace for the German citizens since it was thought that the German people and the Nazi party were different entities. Anti-German propaganda Hitler was often depicted in scenarios ridiculing and embarrassing him, and that cartoons always portrayed him in caricature. Hitler’s rule was often satirized. In order to raise war morale and motivation, American cartoonists often released cartoons showing Hitler as doomed. He and Nazi-Germans were depicted as fools to an extent that a German father was scolded saying that Germans did not eat food instead they ate countries. Among authoritarian regimes of the time such as Japan and Italy, Nazi-German was seen as the deadliest threat to the Americans. American propaganda often stereotyped Germans as evil and bad people in posters and films, despite the fact that many crimes or atrocities were ascribed by Hitler and Nazis. Similarly, American propaganda did not leave out other authoritarian regimes such as Italy and Japan in that they always portrayed as evil and bad. For instance, Mussolini appeared in an editorial Cartoon which presented him as a two-bit dictator. In Japan, propaganda depicted Japanese as uncivilized and foreign enemy of the United States of America just like Italy and Nazi-Germany. Basing on samurai traditions, American propagandists depicted Japanese as blindly ruthless and fanatic with a history of looking and desiring for an overseas conquest. More so, they argued that Japanese people were one mindless and unified mass that had no vision. The U.S applied propaganda to influence and manipulate its citizens. In addition, propaganda in war is used in deceiving your friends with lying to the enemies. On the other hand, between States, it involves lying about potential acquisition and development of new and powerful weapons, which can be used to convince other nations that something which is feasible, is in fact not in order to pour disinforming party a head start in looking for the technology/weapons (Andrew, 2011). The use of propaganda in war is applicable with the compliance of mass media and popular culture that allows it to proclaim a new mobilization of society and military against an imagined or real enemy without altering the status quo of the society. Propagandists have to disseminate information to their opponents that they are still in control even if a new enemy of the people has emerged. Propaganda at wartime is carried out in combination with a comprehensive attempt to censor or stifle dissenting opinion. For instance, during the Second World War, U.S citizens were given pro-war messages via newsreels, photographs and posters. During the Second World War, the United States of America applied propaganda postcards and posters as a means of justifying their involvement in the war, procuring and recruiting men, money and resources so as to sustain the military campaign. Propaganda ensured that the public only got access to information that the government wanted them to know. The U.S propaganda towards Germany was aimed at intimidating the Germans during the war and other authoritarian regimes. For instance, during war time, the extent to which government would go in an attempt to blacken the enemies name reached a new pick (Randal, 2002). In a bit to ensure that every citizen thought in the manner the government wanted, all forms of information were controlled. For instance, newspapers were directed to print and write what the government wanted them to write. In fact, though seemed to be as a form of censorship, the newspapers of United States was effectively controlled by the media barons and were happy to do so. They printed headlines such as ‘the American way ‘that were aimed at stirring up the emotions of people regardless of whether they were correct or not. War propaganda was designed to create and strengthen the current animosity and hatred that was already prevailing in United States of America. The same thing was happening in Germany and other countries that were involved in the war. The Second World War relied explicitly on propaganda to mobilize local citizens to support their respective armies. For example, U.S propaganda during war with Nazi Germany set a new benchmark that motivated the socialist and fascist regimes during 1930s and 1940s and eventually gave birth to the public relations firms in Britain and France. It was apparent that large number of civilians could be manipulated and mobilized for a massive war effort via persuasive methods derived from the emerging disciplines of social sciences and behavioral psychology (Martin, 2004). World war two techniques developed by one-part regimes of Fascists, Third Reich, Soviet Union and Italy were projects of social science development became part of daily life and were eventually borrowed by propagandists from democratic nations such US. Messages presented to the public via television and other form of mass media repositioned citizens as people who had the duties and responsibilities to the State. Furthermore, United States of America such used different techniques to influence its people to rally against Germany who they considered as a threat to their national security at the time. During world war one when US entered the war in 1917 especially against the Axis powers led by Nazi Germany, lack of public unity was a major concern. For instance, in Washington, unwavering public endorsement was considered to be vital to the entire wartime efforts. The formation of committee on public information aimed to promote and enhance the war domestically while at the same time publicizing American war priorities abroad. The techniques used by American journalists were sophisticated and complex to understanding of human psychology, and its efforts signify the first time that a contemporary or modern government dispensed propaganda on such a high level or scale. It is interesting and fascinating that this phenomenon often linked to authoritarian and totalitarian regimes emerged in German, Italy and Japan (Andrew, 2011). This showed how propaganda played a vital role in war and how it has evolved over time. It is rational to argue that propaganda during world war one helped various governments in winning over the general public and gaining support while maintaining high morale of the people. Due to this, the extent to which the U.S used propaganda against authoritarian regimes such as Nazi Germany shows how propaganda was vital in winning wars. The governments of the warring nations had to achieve different goals and objectives; its most important was using propaganda to motivate and encourage the public to become engaged and serve their country. In addition, the posters carried information that focused to influence people’s attitudes towards war and believe that the people’s reaction would assist the war efforts. This in turn helped the government to control what people thought whilst establishing false impressions of the war being fought. For example, people in East German were being discouraged to listen to rapidly growing U.S radio station as they believed it was causing tension by spreading incitements and lies. During this period, the use of telegraphs was the most effective and fastest mode of communication that the propaganda relied mostly on. By carefully feeding countries around the world with information, they ensured that their stories first received audience around the globe thereby earning a competitive edge in influencing people’s opinions by the fact that the first side of the story seemed to be true. The use of propaganda during the Second World War was escalated to the highest level in history. As the Axis and Allies powers prepared for war, it was significant for both parties to encourage and motivate their population and increase production. At this time, America had just come out of depression and stuck to its isolationist policy. Most America citizens who witnessed the costly and expensive world war one thought it was not a good idea for America to be involved in another war (Martin, 2004). Majority of them thought that the war being fought in Europe and Asia was far removed from the Americas. They instead proposed that America’s resources be used in rebuilding the damaged economy after the depression and not fighting in the war. The American government began propaganda to convince the American people of the possible threats that were presented by the Axis powers particularly Nazi Germany. In Germany, it was vital for the Nazis to adapt their propaganda campaigns in order to attain their objectives. There existed tension between the Nazi government and the socialist. Propaganda was significant in unifying the German public and preparing them for real war. It was necessary to convince the German people of the need of war by inciting and inflaming anger over restrictions imposed on German as well as the increase in nationalism. More so, German aimed to persuade its citizens to increase production and participate in war efforts just like America. For example, propagandists of the Nazi regime painted a picture of Hitler and the German people as responding to initiatives, injustices, and provocation of others. This propaganda created a sense of innocence and indignation among Germans which turned power relations between them and the Jews upside down, with the former taking the place of the innocent while the latter was viewed as the powerful one. U.S propaganda towards the Nazis achieved the same ends as in other authoritarian regimes such as Italy which made Nations involved during world war two to accelerate development of the real battle (Randal, 2002). It also played a significant role in individual countries in increasing production and public participation in the war. The Nazi regime under the leadership of Adolf Hitler is an example of how individual and party ambitions can be twisted into genuinely agreed theories by the masses. Hitler and his regime successfully created a victim mentality among the Germans and the need for creation of a superior race that would dominate the entire world. Effects of U.S Propaganda Strategies and methods of propaganda had far reaching effects on the public by arousing their emotions as patriots who were determined to support their Nations. The government aimed to portray the war as something to exploration or adventure. This move concealed the truth and secrets behind real war being fought; it was government’s role to use propaganda to disseminate the attitude that joining the army was something heroic and worthwhile (Martin, 2004). In addition, propaganda encouraged censorship which was used to ensure the information dispensed did not undermine the efforts of the war. For instance, publication of photos and pictures of dead United State’s soldiers would mean defeat; therefore, it was the role of the government to limit the publication of such information. Access to such information by the public would withdraw their morale and create a feeling of defeat. Propaganda played a big role in both first and second war in that it tried to keep the faith and morale of the nation during the course of the war. The Americans produced propaganda posters that were aimed at motivating and encouraging support for the war. It is significant to note that these posters were placed in places where there were no paid advertisements such as schools, retail stores railroads and post office. The United States published positive messages on the propaganda posters which in turn helped increase production domestically rather than insuring that money raised was lost. Another important point to note is that the U.S propaganda toward authoritarian regimes never bared images of war casualties instead they were replaced by commercial images that called for the need of the war. Many advertising firms in the U.S supported the war in that they assisted they kept their names secret before the public despite the fact that they had no goods to sell and they were allowed to view their advertising as a business venture. For instance, Lucky Bronze changed its packaging from green to white so as to save bronze for manufacture of weapons and as an aftermath, its sales increased tremendously. Furthermore, editorial columnists wanted to influence public opinion in that they published comic strips such as terry and the pirates before America attacked Pearl Harbor. The use of propaganda by the U.S in war especially Second World War made it achieve its objectives since it got backing from its citizens to fight and save their nation. Second World War relied on propaganda which greatly influenced the course of the war. All the nations involved in the Second World War relied heavily in the creation of victim mentality in their citizens and allies both in the buildup of the war and its implementation and sustenance. It is hard to unravel exactly what happened in the battle field unless you were a soldier who was on the ground. Therefore, U.S propaganda pursued the same ends as propaganda in authoritarian regime during world wars as discussed. References Andrew, R 2011, The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War, HarperCollins, New York. Balfour, M 1979, Propaganda in war 1939-45: Organization, policies and publics in Britain and Germany, Penguin Books, London. Belmonte, L. A 2010, Selling the America way: U.S propaganda and the cold war, Kindle Books, Philadelphia. Belton, J., America Cinema/America culture (Boston, 2005/2009. Bytwerk, R. L. 2004, Bending spines: The propaganda of Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic, East Lansing Mich, Berlin. Martin, G 2004, The Second World War: A Complete History, Henry Holt, New York. Randal, M 2002, Propaganda and the ethics of persuasion, Broadview Press, Peterborough. Rhodes, A 1976, Propaganda: The Art of Persuasion. Chelsea House Publishers, New York. Read More