When the soldiers marched off to war in the summer of 1914, crowds cheered, young men rushed to enlist, and politicians promised that “the boys would be home by Christmas.” Without having experienced a general war since the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 and with little thought to the millions of causalities in the American Civil War, Europeans saw the war as a glorious adventure—an opportunity to fight for the flag or Kaiser or queen, to wear splendid uniforms, and to win glory in battles that would be decided by élan, spirit, and bravery. The war they fought was nothing like the war they imagined, and the disparity between expectations and reality was one of many reasons why the four-year struggle was fraught with such disillusionment and bitterness.The four illustrations I would like you to study (you can see all four by clicking here) portray the positive attitudes toward the war that all belligerents shared at the outset and that governments sought to perpetuate as the war dragged on. The first, entitled The Departure, shows a German troop train departing for the battle front in late summer 1914. The work of B. Hennerberg, an artist originally from Sweden, it originally appeared in the German periodical Simplicissimus in August 1914. That Simplicissimus would publish such an illustration indicates the depth of the nationalist emotions the war generated. Noted before the war for its irreverent satire and criticism of German militarism, Simplicissimus, once the fighting started, lent its full support to the war effort.
The second illustration is one of a series of war-related cards that the Mitchell Tobacco Company included in its packs of Golden Dawn Cigarettes in 1914 and early 1915. It shows a sergeant offering smokes to the soldiers under his command before battle. Tobacco advertising with military themes reached a saturation point in England during the war years.
An Australian recruitment poster issued in 1915 serves as the third illustration. Although Australia, like Canada, had assumed authority over its own internal affairs by the time the war started, its foreign policy was still controlled by Great Britain. Hence when Great Britain went to war, so did Australia. The Australian parliament refused to approve conscription, however, so the government had to work hard to encourage volunteers. This particular poster appeared at a time when Australian troops were heavily involved in the Gallipoli campaign, the allied effort to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war. Directing its message to the many young men who were members of sports clubs, it promised them an opportunity to enlist in a battalion made up entirely of fellow sportsmen. Such battalions had already been formed in England.
The fourth poster was produced and distributed by the newly formed British Ministry of Munitions in early 1917 to encourage women to accept jobs in the munitions industry. This was just one example of the broad government attempt from 1915 onward to enlist women in the war effort as medical workers, police, agricultural workers, porters, drivers, foresters, members of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, and, most important, factory laborers. This particular poster shows a young and attractive English woman offering a jaunty salute to a passing soldier as she arrives for work. During the war approximately 300 “munitionettes” were killed in explosions or from chemical-related sicknesses. Women who worked with TNT came to be known as “canaries” because of the yellow color of their skin. Despite such hazards and relatively low pay, approximately 950,000 women were working in munitions factories by war’s end.
After studying all four illustrations, I would like you all to consider and discuss the following: What message about the war does each of the four illustrations seek to convey? In what specific ways does each poster romanticize the life of a solder or female munitions worker? What impression of battle does the English tobacco card communicate? What does a comparison of Hennerberg’s painting and the English poster of the munitions worker suggest about changing views of women’s role during the war and in society at large? Your thoughts…
48 comments:
Hey Mr.Prill can we take notes on the blog posts and use it for tomorrow's quiz just like how we use the reading notes?
i think the illustrations are actually good advertisements because i have learned in deca how to market the right way. i mean they arent honest and they portray a false message so its false advertising but im sure they got business from it.
i think it shows the public that the army life is fun and not as hard as people say. it is showing the people that the war was a "good" thing. the fact that the women working in both pictures looked "happy" puts the war in good light. it makes people hink that the war is good. so it gives the people a sense of new pride and it makes them all agree with the governments decission because from what they have seen, the war looks good and all happy... that isnt right..
The pictures are not coming up on my computer. Is it just me? or is there something wrong with the link?
The posters are feeding off the nationalism of men and women, convincing them that they are doing something worthy and noble by helping the war effort. In the posters of men there are always a lot of them, so it's like "Come join the war! Make new friends! Show your manliness! For women it seems to be the guilt trip, "Come do your part"! Like, your husbands are fighting so what are you doing? It seems like all wars have the same pattern with women's roles. They do work at home most of the time, but when there's no one to get money for the famly and run the business they start working.
yes mr. g...
perhaps you need to download the latest version of adobe reader mr. hong?
I think the pictures are definitely sending false messages out.
Mainly with the cigarettes. I know that back then they didn't know much about it, but didn't they think advertising those by using the army as an example was a little strange? It seems like all of these pictures are showing nothing but lies. Thay're glorifying the army saying how great t is, you should join, ect.
I'm glad the women got to work, but it's a little unsettling that hteir skin would turn green and that a lot of them their lives by just being nurses and things of that nature. I think they just needed more people to sign up for the military (with the Austrailian one saying "be a real man" basically) and used things likes women's rights, cigarettes, and happy soldiers on departing trains to do so, even if it was nothing but lies.
The Departure makes the war seem like some fantasy trip. The women are out at the side passing out what looks like teacups? Everyone there is smiling when they should be more stern in times of war. The cigarette ad disgusts me. How tobacco companies perpetually try and find any way to increase profit even as far as to have military themes, is revolting. It gives off an assumption that even at war, you could just take the time off from the conflict and have a smoke in the trenches. The Australian recruitment poster makes me think of a notice at some school to entice kids to play more team sports. Like the other posters, it really avoids the seriousness of the war and tries to sell it of as just another team sport. The Munitions poster is pretty offsetting too, although in comparison to "The Departure" it does show women as a more involved and prominent role, instead of just handing out drinks. This proves as an example of how women are gaining more of an independent and involved role in society.
these posters are interesting. The cigarette poster has people smiling in the trenches looking like they are having a great time... I also think its weird that the Australian poster is calling for sportsmen to enlist like war is some sort of sport. The posters do express nationalism for example Show the enemy what Australian sporting men can do. I do like to see that women are begining to become more involved in the war also because when the war is over they are still going to want to work in the factories.
Prill is the trip to the high museum this saturday? If it is what's the plan for times and stuff? Are we going to carpool? Is it ok for me to tag along?
Obviously Propaganda is going to be used during wartime to coarse the masses into aiding the war effort. Nationalism, honor, pride, and even the fun factor of war were all used to persuade and convince people to join the the military effort. The tobacco ad gave off the impression that the war was no a serious endevour, the soldiers are smiling and talking while exposed to enemy bullets and gas, if they wanted a more accurate ad then the could have put the cigarettes inside of their gas mask. The Ads featuring women gives off the impression that the should come out of the kitchens [hahaha] and help with the war effort by taking the jobs of men as they leave to fight the war, and more directly help the war effort by making thinks that the army needs in factories.
I agree with Cameron in that it was CRAZY false advertising...however in tonight's reading it seemed as if the citizens knew that it was going to be good and jolly too not just the people trying to recruit...everyone felt that this war would be short and sweet and end the growing tensions. I think it's weird how everyone (most) felt war was the best option..
I bet they all encouraged a lot of men to be in the army. The posters always talk about how good it is to be a soldier and how rewarding it is. But in reality it has bad conditions. I think that the posters were good advertisement even though they are false. The women are also encouraged to do the work left by their husbands who left for the war.
I think these pictures were more or less realistic to those who are not fighting in the war for nobody had no acess to battlefront. Compared to right now, it portrays war in the positive way
Nice pictures, they definetly convey that if you join the military or work in a munitions(Ammo) factory, your life is amazing and that it will be better. I did see a lot of LEE ENFIELDS, so im going to guess that the cigarett poster was proabably a Brittish poster. Am i right mr. Prill??? It may not have been a good part in World history, but it was a necessary part to have been gone through.
I think all the advertisements are making war seem like a fair or something, like its not that serious. also they make it seem like the people would be working hard for their country...they are giving women a chance to come out and the last picture showed women working in factories but looking happy to be working with TNT?! ofcourse all women want to be yellow and have oragne hair right?
The first three images portray being a soldier as heroic and reflect nationalist sentiments. The solider is portrayed as happy to fight for country, heroic, strong, and brave. The English tobacco ad portrays battle as exciting and rewarding. The munitions poster reflects the changing role of women and their role in the war on the "home front". Women are viewed more equal as they proved they could do the jobs of men in WWI. Dixon's comments should be interesting.
it's just like a normal advertisement, making the product seem good. no one would fight if they said "hey it kinda completely sucks on the battlefield, but will u help anyway?"
feeding off of one of Lora's statements, they were throwing nationalism at people left and right. The first poster is showing "Wow, this is the life. We get served by these beautiful women." I believe you could also argue how naive these men are, seeing how they are extremely happy when leaving for WAR. yes, everyone was excited to "get some action," but none of them knew what was coming.
The second poster is feeding off of media persuasion. "Hey, if the military men are doing, it looks cool to me!" They used them as major advertising tools. But I believe there is an underlying message here. Notice the text "Time for one more." You can argue many different ways on this, but I think it is trying to say that they are smoking a cigarette after every successful trench battle. Once again, this is most likely an advertising strategy. People will think that the cigarettes are leading the military to victory, one trench war after another. This will promote more buying.
Third poster is quick and simple. It's much like the "I Want You" Uncle Sam posters displayed for nationalism in the U.S.A. when they were recruiting/drafting. They are just trying to recruit more people in appealing to their interests. "Hey, we need to show the world that Australia can fight too! We are the real 'sportsmen!'"
The Final Poster is just trying to recruit the women to join the munitions race. This could be a major turning point for women. Since the men will all be away, someone has to run all the industries and munitions: the women. (QUITE a lot like Sparta! When the men left for war, the women were left in high positions of power, and thus the women had higher statuses.)
Sorry for the long post...I just couldn't stop! :D
These illustrations/propaganda are just a way to enroll as many soldiers as possible resulting in the loss of the work labor force, which is then replaced with women, hence the propaganda that reels in women to work, especially when the women in the posters are happy and smiling. These illustrations are definitely to trick the people's minds. they look at the posters and say, hmmm... i might have to think of that now knowing there is more to war than just fighting which was the australians example of sports and that the army is not just fighting. These are also used to help businesses like the tobacco company. This is all just a way to trick people into fighting for their country!!
The picture of the women, the last one, kind of hints the fact that the women need to get up and do something and take places of their husbands jobs since their husbands are off to war; to tell women to take part during the war, they've been wanting more rights, so why don't they go and take the jobs and munity? The men in the pictures act like the war is all jolly and they can have ciggarettes when they want to and that they are having fun and showing off their skills like in the austalian picture.
Wow. okay so the first thing i noticed in the first picture is the smiling faces. Usually when somone thinks of war, they associate it with violence and casualties and sorrow for the families that many leave behind. Just because a nation hasn't experienced a war in a few decades doesnt mean its a bad thing. The second thing is that women are serving men drinks on the train. So women are still in submission to men, serving to them, but they've gotta pick up for what the men leave behind as well.. which means more getting out of the domestic affairs and into more business related things.
In the second picture, it is conveyed the war can almost be put off as an afterthought, as if it doesnt really have too much value and it can be almost played with. They thought it was going to be an easy task, yet they were seriously mistaken.. the caption "time for one more" demonstrates what i mean. They think they have leisure time in the middle of a war.
This third picture really got me. The amount of nationalism that just shows through this picture is tremendous and its only one picture. It's like a chance for each person to show just how strong they are while at the same time bonding them with other australians.
The fourth picture is nice :) Its kinda funny in a bad way. Its saying women are doing their part in the war by making the men ammunition. haha so women are obviously still undermined by men.. are we only supposed to do stuff for men? uh no..
All of these pictures show the army as being fun. It makes life seem fairly easy for people in the army. people dont actually realize what this war is like until they go out onto the battlefield.
They show that the war is a good thing and that supporting it is the best way to ensure glory. They make everyone seem happy to cover up the truth about war and the harsh conditions one in the army has to live through. Using women as helpers in the first and fourth picture try to get women into being proactive and get jobs to supply the soldiers with what they need. I cant really tell whats in the back of the cigar picture but i think that its showing the stress-free side of war and the safe side of it making people portray the pic as real life and support the war no matter how many casualties. The women show in the pictures that they are gaining more rights but they still show that they are serving men, its not as much of the whole women belong in the kitchen, but the idea that the women serve the men still applies. The women at the time were extremely important when it came to making arms, since the men were at wore, the women had to take there jobs and still increase production so that the soldiers would be able to defeat there enemies. They became extremely important but when the soldiers came back after the war, i' pretty sure there was issues about women in the workplace and men coming back to claim there jobs. A loss of jobs in arms and machinery and more people coming back for there job will most likely lead to a financial crisis. (Black Tuesday perhaps??? it might have been one factor for the U.S.)
They weren't working for me at first Kris, but I just kept trying and eventually they came. I think that they are just stubborn haha.
Sapp.
So very nationalistic, all these images convey positive images of war and not the grueling agony that makes up most of the job. Overall ads sway alot of opinions and If I had probably seen these and if I had the effort I would enlist in the army or possibly work in a munnitions factory if I were of the opposite gender
The illustrations are so misleading. War is really not as cheerful and happy as the advertisements make it seem like it is. All advertisements are a little bit misleading but this one is super duper misleading. However, I don't think that anyone knew how tough this new type of war was really going to be like.
The 1st illustration shows that being a soldier is not depressing nor sad (the happy smiles of soldiers) and i think the ladies are meant to be cheering and appreciating the men's devotions.
The 2nd illustration perhaps shows how not-so-hard war can be. that they will even have a time to smoke and have "time for one more."
The 3rd illustration shows that war is like sports :you fight and you win; it is more violent but winning makes them look "macho."
The 4th illustration shows how important women's role can be in a war. Its like "you can actually take a really important part in a war!"
All of these seem to use big exaggerations and some lies. These illustrations provoke people to want to join the military or work or buy cigarretts.
It showed how happy and fun the war will be. All the soldiers are smiling, the ladies look important (even though they get paid a little) and i think the 3rd one especially provokes nationalism. the man looks really patriotic and powerful (maybe its just me)
All of these illustrations make the war seem as it will be sortof like a piece of cake, like the commander handing his soldiers a smoke as they are sitting in the trenches. They are optimistic and trying to provoke full support from everyone especially trying to appeal to the women who become a crucial part in their ability to continue to produce the military goods needed in order to keep fighting and keep the economy running back at home.
wow that was genius advertising. they made the war look like a fun and relaxing time instead of a bloody war. They also made it seem like if you go to war then women would love you. genius because men are easily won over if they think they get attention from women. like good advertising on the governments part.
These pictures dont really tell the truth about the war. In the munitions factory, the artist should have shown what the people did, and what they looked like during their work. Especially in the Cigarette ad, the picture gives whoever is looking at it a false sense of security about the war.
The 1st picture sure would make men want to join, because of the pretty ladies handing out treats to soldiers, and who doesn't want that! 8.
The cigarette picture shows happy soldiers and their leader. It places an image on making god friends and having a smoke usually signified the great winning of something, as having a victory smoke, etc. and this could eaisly be showing the "glory" of war, as well as a good way to sell products.
Wow. Havn't heard much about Australia so far... I wouldn't think they would want to fight necessairly, but it seems a few are quite avid. The picture is a nice display of joining together with your friends to show what you can do, very much for nationalism.
Good picture of the women. I'm glad they are getting out there and helping, making their way in society, but that has got to be a terrible job! They are showing VERY strong support if they are willing to be harmed or killed working for their country or their men. I'm proud of them, but agh more weapons building.not cool.
There's a lot of false advertising in these pictures. They give the illusion that war is easy and fun in order to get more people to join in on the army. Tobacco was a recreational type thing, so if the "real men" in war were relaxing on the battle field with it, so should everyone else. The people in the war were looked up to because they seemed to be the most nationalistic and proud to fight for their country. In the last illustration, they were even trying to encourage women to "do their bit" and show some nationalism by taking high-risk jobs. Didn't seem so high-risk in the picture because the lady seems pretty eager to accept the job and get to work.. even if it was low pay.
The pictures are trying to send get more participants enlisted in the army, and more participants on the homefront. The ads are making the war look easy and positive.
The English tobacco card makes the war look like it is a simple war that will be easily won. If that was the case the British wouldn't need the ads to encourage more solders to enlist, and by putting it in cigerettes they are targeting smokers to join the army, which won't make running through barbed wire any easier.
By the pictures of the women one can see that womens roles are changing from housekeeping to working outside the house and replacing the soldiers.
All the posters are trying to hype up the war and get support behind it. The ad for cigarettes tried to make trench warfare look like the cool thing to do and make it seem like smoking was cool to do when you were fighting to sell more. Also when comparing the first and third picture, you can see the change of role of women from supporting men to move more towards working in factories and working to support the war more. I also thought the recruition poster for Australian's was kind of odd, but I guess they were just trying to go after a specific type of people to make them pay attention to the poster more.
all of the posters have something positive associated with war, the first one has women, the secong has cigaretts, the third glory, and the forth is portraying womens liberation.
even if these are all untrue, they have an impact on all the people who look at them. this is false incouragement for the young people seeking glory.
it's difficult to say stuff that no one else has when there are so many other comments, so for what it's worth i give you my word that i haven't read any of them
it seems like the posters for women are like: you need to help out the war effort or you are not patriotic. they make it look easy and gratifying, something that is immediately socially acceptable.
the soldier's posters make it seem as though lif in the trenches were easy, like you're just having a good time with old friends, enjoying the "sport" of it all.
lies.
The posters are a perfect example of the difference between the public view of the war and the actual war. The posters almost depict the war as being fun. They call on the public's nationalism to inspire them to join the war effort for the good of their country. Almost nobody that looked at these posters actually understood the realities of the war and all its worst details.
All four posters are definately giving out false information...just like any other poster/propaganda. The posters are all basically trying to make the war seem like a good thing and making it seem positive. But what their not showing is the negetive effects. And also companies are using the war to get business and make money.
wow. all these pictures make war look so good. it shows the exact opposite of the reality of the war. In the first one, the women look like they are happy that their husbands or loved ones are going and have a change of dieing and never coming back. the second picture seems like it's trying to say war is addicting like cigarettes. in the third picture, i think they are missing a last line after the "Join together, Train together, Embark together, Fight together." All you need is a "Die together" line.
I think these illustrations are just like today's. I got these people full of pride for their country, nationalism! They made the people in the illustrations look happy too. It made war seem like the perfect job. It made people feel dutiful. The one with women do their bit too. It said that everyone was able to support war. All of this stuff was good for recruitment, and some businesses got some money using war as a propaganda.
the posters show great ideas and show the intelligence of the advertisers. yes the advertisements are false but its a great and easy way to one recruit and get people involved and two get people to buy their products. im not saying that their actions are right but i must commend them on the smart concepts. they make women want to help out and in the end it helped womens social standing in society and with the men the told them if yall are truly men u will join the army. it was a devious sly way of getting people involved but it worked
The first picture really illustrates the anticipation that people were feeling about to go to war. The soldiers are on board the train and are relaxed and appear to be excited to go to war. The next three are a way to gain support for the war. The cigarrette poster emphasizes the sense of being comfortable while in the trenches. The soldiers are having a good time while enjoying a smoke. The next is to gain Australian supporters and the last is to encourage more women to help make bomb shells back at the home front.
The pictures glorified the war, and made it seem like a good thing to everyday citizens, when in reality its terrible, and millions of people are being killed.
This has nothing to do with the pictures but i saw slumdog millionaire today, and i thought it was one of the greatest movies i have ever seen, if you hadnt promoted it so much i probably would have never seen it.
These ads are exactly the reason why you said today that the civilians were "fighting" the war just as much as the soldiers themselves! They portray the war as being a great, fanciful adventure. The first and fourth illustrations tell the women that they can be a part of the war too by helping in factories. Propoganda like this is what helped spark excitement for something that these people had never witnessed before, but what actually turned out to be horrific and terrifying for all.
To me this fascination of war seems irrational and stupid, they all thought they were gonna win, i mean how can everyone win? The illustrations show the war portrayed on the home front as good, exciting and appealing in every way. The pictures are not accurate and portray false images.I think it is because of these false advertising the government and civilians that the war was so unsuccessful and long. They were not understanding what was really going on.
Well its obvious the governments are going to use propaganda to gather soldiers. Why would so many people fight if they knew the horror and devestation that occured on the battlefield?
All four pictures encourage people to join the army by showing great nationalism. All of the people in the pictures look extremely happy even though they are in war. This falsely convinces people to want to join, kind of like how advertisement convinces people to buy stuff they dont really need. it persuades men to fight for their country and that they will be happy doing it. But for the women, it makes it seem as if they should take part in the war and support their men.
these advertisments or whatever u wanna call them was just the way for the government to cover up how bad the war really was.. it was showing that war was good for people and everyone was always happy, including the women.. what they really didnt show was all of the dead people in the no mans land and all of those pictures of people with the messed up feet that u showed in class
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