WWI Poster Analysis
IMAGE 1
1 1. In the first image, a young woman dressed in red
white and blue is asleep on a chair while what looks like black smoke rises in
the background. The text “Wake up, America! Civilization calls every man,
woman, and child!” The sleeping woman represents America’s inactivity in World
War I. She is the focus of the image, located at the center of the image.
2 2. The artist hoped to alert America to the threat
and their need to help. The artist displays America in a shameful position of
inactivity while the world around her falls into chaos. The image is designed
to convince Americans to joint he war through guilt.
3 3. The audience of this image does not seem to be a
specific group of people. Rather, the image seems to be directed at all levels
of society. Anyone who is informed of the violence and troubles of World War I
would understand the message of this propaganda.
IMAGE 2
1 1. In the second image, a grotesque gorilla,
depicting Germany, carries a half naked woman who looks distressed and
helpless. The gorilla looks directly at the audience and appears to be
screaming. The picture is mostly gray with other dark colors, setting an eerie
seen for the action. The gorilla carries a bloodied club named “kultur” or
culture while walking on the shore labeled “America”. The words “Destroy this
mad brute” and “Enlist. U.S. Army” stretch across the top and bottom of the
picture. A war torn city lies in the background, representing the destroyed
Europe. Germany appears to be changing its focus to America.
2 2. The artist hoped to scare Americans into
enlisting into the U.S. Army. Germany appears to be moving on from its
successful conquests in Europe and focusing on invading the United States. It
also holds some anti-immigration themes as the gorilla carries the club of
“culture” with it into America. He is trying to state that Germany could
further spread its culture into America if they are not opposed in World War I.
The naked woman further helps to instill fear in the directed audience as it
makes it seems like Germany will hurt America’s women as well.
3 3. This propaganda is directed at men who are
worried about German victories in the war and who dislike German immigrants and
foreigners in the United States. The club of culture and the advertisement to
“enlist” in the “U.S. Army” led me to this conclusion.
IMAGE 3
1 1.The third image is similar to the second as it
depicts Germany as a dark, evil being directing its focus towards the United
States. An Asian “hun” with bloodied hands and bayonet, clutching its conquered
lands in Europe, looks over to the United States across the Atlantic Ocean. Black
smoke rises from Europe. The hun stares directly at the viewer. The words “Beat
back the Hun with liberty bonds” stretch across the majority of the picture.
The words “Liberty Bonds” are contrasted with larger yellow font.
2 2. The artist hoped to scare Americans with the
proposition that Germany could invade the United States but give them hope of
stopping this by buying “liberty bonds”. Germany has conquered and destroyed
Europe in the image, as it spreads across it with its bloody hands and bayonet,
but it aims to continue its conquests into the U.S.
3 3. This poster is directed at anyone in the United
States who has money to pay for Liberty Bonds and cares about World War I. Even
if Americans are indifferent towards the war, the picture aims to create an
interest in it by threatening its audience with the possibility of a war on the
home front. The picture is aimed to convince Americans to buy Liberty Bonds,
therefore, its audience is anyone who has money to support the government with.
