World War I & II Posters

Description

WORLD WAR I & II POSTERS

3,900 American World War posters. World War I (200) and World War II (3,700).

World War I and World War II posters promoting a wide variety of behaviors to support the war effort. These posters represent the two paths of persuasion used in American war time posters. Some posters were designed to motivate the viewer by instilling patriotism, confidence, and a positive outlook. Patriotic colors of red, white, and blue predominate. Pictures of fists, muscles, tools, and artillery convey American strength. American heroes and familiar national symbols appeal to patriotism. Other posters were designed to fight complacency with grim, unromantic visions. They depict the human cost of war, confronting the viewer with corpses, bloodshed, and gravestones. Some images appeal to darker impulses, fostering feelings of suspicion, fear, and even hate.