WWI: Big Question

1. Why did the US get involved in WWI?

On May 7, 1915 Germany sunk a British passenger liner named Lusitania believing it was carrying munitions. It happened to be carrying both munitions and passenger and 1,198 people died, 128 of them being Americans which started tensions between the two countries. However It was not until 1917 that Wilson finally proposed joining the war believing it could be a vehicle to construct a new world order based on American Ideals.

2. What major events had shapes its readiness to participate in global issues?

The sinking of the Lusitania by the Germans, and a similar incident with a French ship named the Sussex caused tensions to grow between America and Germany.  In an intercepted telegram Germany proposed allying with Mexico to help regain their land if they went to war the US. While America had wanted to go to war Wilson prolonged America's entry until 1917.

3. How had it become prepared to participate in modern warfare overseas?

Wilson proposed a rapid expansion of the US armed forces, and had proposed a post-war order where the US would maintain peace alongside a league of nations,

4. What aspects of US involvement were the subject of debate?

The United States involvement in the war was heavily questioned by pacifists, whose pleas were heard less and less as tensions between the US and Germany began to grow.

5. For the US, what was involvement in WWI like?

The United States involvement in WWI was brief, but had a huge effect on the country. The US gained a spot on the world stage, and was able to make some of its demands reality.

6. How was the US affected by its participation in WWI?

The United States government had to have a hand in industry, agriculture, and other areas due to how taxing the war was on the economy. The economy did go through a period of economic due to all the industrial work being done, and the war caused "The Great Migration" of African Americans from the South into the North for industrial jobs. The war cost the US 32 Billion dollars, and because of how great the expenses were the US had to rely on loans from the American People or "liberty bonds" and additional taxes were introduced to help fund the war.

WWI Posters: Second Set

Did the poster sets you reviewed accomplish the goal of the American government during this time frame or was more effort needed?

I would say that the posters definitely conveyed the message they were trying to as they used symbols and text that made everything quite clear. However, I do not know how successful they were in actually getting people to participate willingly, as women had to pick up the slack of men in various industries when they were off at war.

1. All the posters feature bleak backgrounds with darkness as well as looming figures to make the posters seem ominous, and drive home the message of an impending threat. The threat in the first image being the conflict on the horizon shown by the billowing smoke, the "Mad Brute" with a German helmet was meant to represent the Germans in the second image, and the "Hun" or German with bloodied hands and bayonet. The brute is scary and crazy looking and has a bloodied bat labeled "culture" to instill fear. The Hun soaked in blood is done similarly to instill fear. America is also featured in the first two images, represented by a sleeping lady liberty in the first, and the word "America" written on the soil in the second.   Images


2. The posters have clear directives. The first addresses "Every man, women, and child!" to wake up and do the part, the second calls upon men to "Enlist" to push back the Germans or "Mad Brute," and the final one is directed at people on the homefront says to back the army by purchasing liberty bonds. As I said earlier the posters were meant to instill a sense of fear and urgency in the demographics targeted to convince them to do their part.

3. The ideal target audience for poster one is "Every man woman and child!" You can tell because it says so clearly at the bottom. The second poster is targeted at men because it is calling upon them to enlist in the army, and also features a damsel in distress to further hammer the point home. The final is directed at those on the homefront who cannot participate in the war for some reason, and it is asking them to support through the use of "Liberty Bonds."

WWI Poster

Propaganda

1. Any material or media created for the sole purpose of influencing peoples decisions or views on something, typically politics.

2. Definition of Propaganda(As provided by Dictionary.com)

Images

3. The images all depict woman practicing various trades in the army. The first two show women as nurses and the second shows a lady running a switchboard. Both of the nurses are featured prominently, one with a hand reaching out, and another welcoming the viewer into a doorway. The text is also rather large to make it more noticanle and catch the readers eye. That way if the image doesn't speak to them the text surely will.   . Images 

4. All the posters feature women doing tasks to show that woman also have a place in the war beside men. Whether it is as a nurse or switchboard manager. They hoped to persuade the women that they have a part in the war as well, and that the men are not the only one with a duty to their country.

5. All the posters are targeted at women, and you can tell because they all only feature women. The first asks women to aid by joining the Red Cross, the second clearly outlines the opportunities available to women who pursue nursing in the war, and the third asks the women to join the force and "back our girls."

6.  I don't really mind the government using tax dollars to pay for propaganda as I am perfectly capable of making decisions without the government's influence. On the other hand it could convince less rational thinking people of something that isn't true which could present a concern. Overall I am not that bothered by it though.

7. The government most likely wanted to make the war seem much more glorious that what it was in an effort to get people to join. While war was typically romanticized most people probably would not be happy going to war, so the ads would persuade the uneasy or undecided.