Art of War: Posters in World Conflicts
Resources for Teachers
Introduction
Students are exposed to advertisements and information presented for a specific purpose daily. The colors, images, spokesperson and music used were not selected by chance. There is a multimillion, maybe multibillion dollar industry that studies what companies can do to make us want their product. Advertisements are so common that often we are subconsciously aware of them but do not give them our undivided attention.
Posters are a means of giving a specific message to a specific group for a specific reason. When we look at posters as historical documents, we must consider what the poster implies. In less than a single sentence, and on occasion with no words at all, posters are highly selective in the way that they depict the world. The way that a group, race, class or gender is portrayed in a poster can be very biased or skewed to fit the needs of the creator or to raise the desired reaction from viewers.
The word propaganda originates from the verb propagates which means to spread or multiply. In science class students may have learned about "propagating" new plants, or increasing the number of plants. Propaganda means to spread a doctrine or belief. The term is often considered negative or information that is assumed to be a lie. Typically, the information presented it factual, but it is presented in a way that individuals approach with their own bias or preconceived beliefs. The Unites States used propaganda techniques to encourage citizens to conserve energy and support activities on the homefront. Propaganda comes in a variety of forms such as movies, audio, documents, photographs and posters.
Famous images and slogans that originated on posters of past wars are still recognized today. Some of the same techniques that were used to invoke emotion are used today in advertisements, something students will be able to understand. Posters attract our attention and often immediately appeal to some type of emotional reaction.
When reading a poster, decoding and the use of context clues can be helpful. Students must understand that although their first impression is important, they must continue to investigate the attributes of the poster to fully appreciate how the artist developed the entire finished product. Using the Poster Analysis Worksheet students can deconstruct the poster to consider symbolism and messages. As a final step, student will consider all of these features to try to understand the possible motivation and goal of the creator and possible reactions of various groups that view the poster.
Library of Congress Resources
Exhibits, Presentations and Collections
Exhibits
American Treasures of the Library of Congress. Memory. The Most Famous Poster.
From the Home Front and the Front Lines. This exhibition consists of original materials and oral histories drawn from the Veterans History Project collections at the Library of Congress. With an emphasis on World War I (1914-1918), World War II (1939-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), the Vietnam War (1965-1975), and the Persian Gulf War (1991), the Veterans History Project, by act of Congress, collects and preserves the experiences of America's war veterans and those who supported them.
Prints and Photographs
Prints and Photographs Division: Online Catalog-WPA Posters The WPA Poster Collection consists of 907 posters produced from 1936 to 1943 by various branches of the WPA. Of the 2,000 WPA posters known to exist, the Library of Congress's collection of more than 900 is the largest. The posters were designed to publicize exhibits, community activities, theatrical productions, and health and educational programs in seventeen states and the District of Columbia, with the strongest representation from California, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The results of one of the first U.S. Government programs to support the arts, the posters were added to the Library's holdings in the 1940s.
Prints and Photographs Searching World War I Posters 1914-1920. American, Australian, Austrian, British, Canadian, French, German, Italian and other posters supporting the war effort.
Rosie Pictures: Select Images Relating to American Women Workers During World War II The selected images were issued by the U.S. government or by commercial sources during World War II, often to encourage women to join the work force or to highlight other aspects of the war effort. Original titles and captions have been retained. Locations for both original and surrogate images are listed, where appropriate.
American Memory
During the World War I era (1914-18), leading newspapers took advantage of a new printing process that dramatically altered their ability to reproduce images. Rotogravure printing, which produced richly detailed, high quality illustrations - even on inexpensive newsprint paper - was used to create vivid new pictorial sections. Publishers that could afford to invest in the new technology saw sharp increases both in readership and advertising revenue.
The images in this collection track American sentiment about the war in Europe, week by week, before and after the United States became involved. Events of the war are detailed alongside society news and advertisements touting products of the day, creating a pictorial record of both the war effort and life at home. The collection includes an illustrated history of World War I selected from newspaper rotogravure sections that graphically documents the people, places, and events important to the war.
The By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943 collection consists of 908 boldly colored and graphically diverse original posters produced from 1936 to 1943 as part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal. Of the 2,000 WPA posters known to exist, the Library of Congress's collection of more than 900 is the largest. These striking silkscreen, lithograph, and woodcut posters were designed to publicize health and safety programs; cultural programs including art exhibitions, theatrical, and musical performances; travel and tourism; educational programs; and community activities in seventeen states and the District of Columbia. The posters were made possible by one of the first U.S. Government programs to support the arts and were added to the Library's holdings in the 1940s.
Unlike most American Memory presentations, American Women is not a collection of digital items. It is a gateway - a first stop for Library of Congress researchers working in the field of American women's history.
The site contains a slightly expanded and fully searchable version of the print publication American Women: A Library of Congress Guide for the Study of Women's History and Culture in the United States (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 2001). The guide has been redesigned for online use, with added illustrations and links to existing digitized material located throughout the Library of Congress Web site. These materials are supplemented by a small number of newly digitized items that provide a sample of the many relevant types of materials available in Library of Congress holdings.
Especially for Researchers
A Guide to World War I Materials Compiled by Kenneth Drexler, Digital Reference Specialist The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material related to World War I, including photographs, documents, newspapers, films, sheet music, and sound recordings. This guide compiles links to World War I resources throughout the Library of Congress Web site. In addition, this guide provides links to external Web sites focusing on World War I and a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger reader.
A Guide to World War II Materials Compiled by Mark Hall. World War II (1939-1945) was the largest international event of the twentieth century and one of the major turning points in U.S. and world history. In the six years between the invasion of Poland and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world was caught up in the most destructive war in history. Armed forces of more than seventeen million fought on the land, in the air, and on the sea. The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide and diverse selection of materials relating to this period. This guide gathers in one place links to World War II related resources throughout the Library of Congress Web site.
Wise Guide
"Are You Doing All You Can?"
"Experiencing the War?"
Learning Experiences
Below are some Learning Experiences from the Library of Congress website. Please take a look at these ideas that may help you develop activities for your classroom. You may click on the title to be linked to the site.
World War II and Public Service
This Learning Experience was developed by Library of Congress staff to accompany the American Memory Collection "By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943" and is part of the Collection Connection. Information about this collection is available in the Library of Congress Resources section of this booklet. Accessed February 18, 2008 at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/collections/poster/history.html
Creative Writing: Life During Wartime
This Learning Experience was developed by Library of Congress staff to accompany the American Memory Collection "By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943" and is part of the Collection Connection. Information about this collection is available in the Library of Congress Resources section of this booklet. Accessed February 18, 2008 at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/collections/poster/langarts.html
WW I Posters
This Learning Experience was developed by Library of Congress staff to accompany the American Memory Collection "Newspaper Pictorials: World War I Rotogravures: 1913-1919" and is part of the Collection Connection. Information about this collection is available in the Library of Congress Resources section of this booklet. Accessed February 18, 2008 at http://memory.loc.gov/learn/collections/rotog/langarts3.html
Depiction of the Japanese in WPA Posters and Japanese-American Internment Camps During World War II
This Learning Experience was developed by Library of Congress staff to accompany the American Memory Collection "By the People, For the People: Posters from the WPA, 1936-1943" and is part of the Collection Connection. Information about this collection is available in the Library of Congress Resources section of this booklet. Accessed February 18, 2008 at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/collections/poster/thinking.html
WW I and WW II Poster Analysis
Some of the material in the booklet is based on or from the activity "On the Homefront - America During World War I and World War II" from the Library of Congress Learning Page. This wonderful resource includes a multitude of primary sources in the print format as well as other media types. The categories used for the activity: Volunteer Work, Civil Defense, Conservation Efforts, Economic Initiatives and Patriotic Support are often used to organize posters many educators create their own system to reflect the curriculum and desired outcomes. Accessed February 18, 2008 at http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/homefront
Printable Resources
Choose a poster and use the Poster Analysis form to look closer!
Illinois Learning Standards
The following Illinois Learning Standards and Goals may be addressed when teaching topics within Art of War activities.
Language Arts
Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency.
A.
Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.
B.
Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.
C.
Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.
Goal 2: Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras and ideas.
A.
Understand how literary elements and techniques are used to convey meaning.
Goal 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.
A. Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure.
B. Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.
C. Communicate ideas in writing to acomplish a variety of purposes.
Goal 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.
A.
Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas.
B.
Analyze and evaluate information acquired from various sources.
C.
Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.
Social Studies
Goal 14: Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
A. Understand and explain basic principles of the US government.
B. Understand the structures and functions of the political systems of Illinois, the US and other nations.
C. Understand election processes and responsibilities of citizens.
D. Understand the roles and influences of individuals and interest groups in the political systems of Illinois, the US and other nations.
E. Understand US foreign policy as it related to other nations and international.
F. Understand the development of the US political ideas and traditions.
Goal 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
A.
Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
B.
Understand the development of significant political events.
C.
Understand the development of economic systems.
D.
Understand Illinois, US and world social history.
E.
Understand Illinois, US and world environmental history.
Goal 17: Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the United States. Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the united States.
A.
Locate, describe and explain places, regions and features on the Earth.
B.
Analyze and explain characteristics and interactions of the Earth’s physical systems.
C.
Understand relationships between geographic factors and society.
D.
Understand the historical significance of geography.
Goal 18 – Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the U.S.
A. Compare characteristics of culture as reflected in language, literature, the arts, traditions and institutions.
B. Understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society.
C.
Understand how social systems form and develop over time.
Fine Arts
Goal 25: Know the language of the arts.
A.
Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive qualities of the arts.
Goal 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.
A.
Analyze how the arts function in history, society and everyday life.
