In World War Two the countries America and Japan had great conflicts. To help promote war and nationalism, the art of propaganda was confined to be an excellent way to manipulate individuals into believing so much destruction was good. Being the primary source to prevail such a thing, it needed much thought put into in order to make it success able to brain wash just about anyone. It may have even been such a huge factor that it gave the “art of war” its true meaning. Was it necessary to imbed animosity into innocent minds of children, adults, and elderly?
Psychological warfare, in short PSYWAR or PSYPO, was based on many aspects, and took much time to plan. Psychological warfare gives one a purpose, whether it is to persuade someone to join the army, or to help destroy another country. PSYWAR is dense, It takes skilled artist’s, people that really know how to gain one’s trust. No matter how drastic the argument is, the key is to take one in, to change the heart and desires of one. This system is used through propaganda.
The American’s verses the Japanese in World War Two, it was never enough just to have a simple war. But to have such violence plastered everywhere took war to a new level. Both the Americans and the Japanese knew they had to manipulate people to believe that killing would be morally right in order to truly be a part of their country, even a hint of dehumanization of each other even seeped into society’s minds. The Americans believed that promoting destruction of Japan would increase the success of winning the war. They also made films mocking the Japanese, which was highly offensive and on many levels racist. The Japanese made it a priority to convince the enemy to surrender.
On December 7, 1941 the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor which was said to be without warning to the Americans. Japan having potential to grow and with mass talk of a successful country, America had worried that Japan could have strength to control much more than the small island had intention to. Sinks had sunk and it destroyed a great amount of the navy. Without warning the ships were like targets, they sat in the water like ducks with no room to fight back. In American propaganda sprung with the idea of “Loose Lips Sink Ships”. It gave the idea that watching what you say can prevent a spy from hearing important information. After the tragedy, Einstein and the theory of relativity helped America bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There were thousands of deaths that spread on for years, even generations which spread defected through defects. All three of these events lead to the Surrendering of Japan on one condition, America had to help rebuild their country.
These three events are just proof to show that propaganda causes great amounts of pride to the people, but it is not just talk. It is more than just words or pictures; it is a kick in the butt to fight for ones country. It is scary to think that reading a simple picture that one thought was just any ordinary picture, truly has so much meaning, and can even mean that thousands of lives will be taken. It takes a brave society to even promote something so powerful. In my view sure propaganda was scary, offensive, racist, and at times just completely wrong. But it is necessary to push people in war, and after the Great Depression it is only smart to give some hope. War is not always horrible, it can make a country appear stronger, which is what propaganda is based on. Emotions and the human mind is all tied into propaganda, in order to win something, a little support can go much further than one thinks.
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Propaganda was definately an issue in WWII but could it have been stopped? Could someone that believed in everyone is equal spoken up and said that being racist is wrong?
ReplyDeleteI think it is not so much that it could have been stopped. But the governments support could have been reduced so that it was more of the citizens to decide which side to pick, or what was right and what was wrong.
ReplyDeletePropaganda was a major issue during the war. But wasnt it also necessary also?
ReplyDeleteIt was necessary to an extent. Much of the propaganda used in WWII was used in a negative way. It was manipulative and provoked war, instead of settling things.
ReplyDeleteBut had the propaganda not been used in a negative way the U.S. citizens would not have gotten behind the war effort as strongly.
ReplyDeleteIf we did not use propaganda we would not have had as many men in the war. We could of lost. Propaganda is still used today and is necessary to build our army
ReplyDeleteDuring WW2 most all countries were using propaganda. German and Japanese propaganda probably were the most intense propaganda. Many Japanese citizens committed suicide after US troops took over Japanese territories. I agree with Brian that without the propaganda not as many troops would have joined but if every country stopped propaganda would the war have ended a lot sooner? and do you think other wars could've been prevented?
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