Effect of Good Propaganda (part I)

These are the pictures that slipped into our stream of subconsciousness, and stayed there! These are examples of good propaganda strategies that made an effect on society. We looked at propaganda posters from any country, group, historical event or political persuasion and have selected posters based on their impact and historical context.

10) “Liberators” (1944)

It’s fair to say the Nazi Party had a penchant for propaganda, and this particular piece has to be one of the heaviest images of anti-American-ness ever known. Drawn by Norwegian cartoonist Harald Damsleth, “Liberators” shows the United States as a mechanical, morally-flawed monster carving a trail of destruction through Europe. The U.S. is shown as a gun-toting, bomb-dropping, money-grabbing, sex-obsessed race, set out to fulfill the exact opposite of this poster’s title pledge... this is the American Dream given a nightmarish makeover!

9) “Open Trap…” (1940s)

If there’s one thing that propaganda posters do well, it’s racism. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into the already raging Second World War, caricatured Oriental figures could be found all over advertising and everyday life. This poster and ones like it were done to dehumanize the Japanese as much as possible and lessen negative feelings at home as conflict between the two nations increased. With its buck teeth, big ears, exaggerated eyes, and poor grammar “Open Trap make Happy Jap” is a notorious example of racial dehumanization.

8) “To Defend USSR” (1930)

There are two distinct strategies when it comes to conveying subliminal messages in a time of conflict – paint the enemy as evil, or make yourself look righteous. The makers of “To Defend USSR” chose the latter. Here, the might of the USSR is presented beyond any doubt. Adopting a cubist, machine-like look, the Red Army is presented as seemingly impenetrable. Projecting strength and nationalism, the image suggests that the defenders of Mother Russia can only be marching towards victory and there is no one who can stand in their way.

7) “Beat Back the Hun with Liberty Bonds” (1918)

The message is clear: if you don’t buy liberty bonds, you are aiding a monstrous enemy to invade from across the Atlantic. Created at the height of World War One, “Beat Back the Hun” is a brutalizing look at the German Army seen through the eyes of the United States of America. The poster’s striking contrast between dark, dirty skin and red, gleaming blood is enough to give anyone bad dreams at night... and it was enough to have many Americans reaching for their purse-strings.

6) “They Shall Not Pass” (1918)

Sometimes the best way to drum up camaraderie during times of war is to present that war as realistically as possible. Designed in 1917 by Maurice Neumont but not released until 1918 as German armies were advancing in France, this stirring image depicts defiance in the face of very real fears in Allied Europe that opposition forces might be too strong. However, Allied forces did not give up and – like the poster’s soldier – held their ground. More than a motivational picture, this French poster helped popularize a mantra used for the remainder of the First World War.