American War Propaganda – World War II and Beyond
Michael Pollock
AHTC Summer Institute 2007
Abstract
This is a three-day lesson within a WW II unit that covers the propaganda of the war from
December 1941. We will:
1) Investigate the role propaganda played in the political and social circumstances that led to
the war and how propaganda contributed to the war’s prosecution on the home front.
2) Analyze and discuss WW II propaganda from local sources.
3) Create a propaganda poster that uses an emotional appeal relating to the current armed
conflict in Iraq.
Essential Questions
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What is propaganda and how is it used?
What kinds of propaganda were used to unite the nation and contribute to the war effort?
How do these materials compare to those used in American military actions in 1898 and
1917?
What were some of the issues that faced nation on the home front during WW II and how
was propaganda used to address them?
How has propaganda been used during the current conflict in Iraq?
Setting the Purpose
The class will review the definition and meaning of propaganda as previously discussed in
relation to American military conflicts before and during the Spanish American War and WW I.
The goal of this series of lessons will be to apply student understanding of these concepts to our
current national involvement in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.
Background
Propaganda is the use of information or ideas designed to help or injure an institution or cause,
and relies on making an emotional appeal to a mass audience. Propaganda created by “yellow
journalists” played a major role in the American involvement in Cuba and the Philippines against
the Spanish in 1898. The events surrounding the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor,
the Delome Letter, and the portrayal of Spanish atrocities in U.S newspapers swayed the public,
which pressured the government into action. In 1917, anti-German propaganda, the sensational
reporting of instances of submarine warfare, and President Wilson’s plea to make the world safe
for democracy were instrumental in convincing the American public that American entry in the
European conflict that had been raging since 1914 was necessary.
Part I
Students will analyze national propaganda posters.
Part II
Students will analyze local propaganda posters.
Part III
Students will create a final propaganda poster regarding the current conflict in Iraq.
Assessment
Student assessment for this lesson can include an individual grade for participation, a group
grade for the presentation of the local primary sources, and/or the poster, the summary, and the
poster presentation. An evaluation of propaganda graphics can also be included on the unit
exam.