Compare American Propaganda film to German Propaganda film in WWII and analyse what values each reflect about the respective country Propaganda Films purposely try to convince or influence the opinions or behavior of the viewer. Propaganda is defined as, “ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one 's cause or to damage an opposing cause” In WWII American Propaganda Film and German Propaganda film had many similarities and differences, each reflecting the values of … about the respective country. Although there were various aims for propaganda films in WWII, including ones that aimed to psychologically prepare and mobilize audience for war and uphold and strengthen morale during war rations messages, attempted to enlist President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's Office of War Information (OWI) had considerable power over American motion picture content, from script approval, final cut and the ability to deny an export license for a movie. The main things they did was make sure the movie would portray an idealized image of a harmonious American society united in the fight against a common enemy and help the war effort. OWI were staffed by many people including some of America 's most famous intellectuals Elmer Davis, Robert Sherwood, and Archibald MacLeish whereas Hitler’s Propaganda Ministry and the Chamber of Films was led only by Joseph Goebbels, who worked directly under Hitler, and controlled every aspect of the industry. This contrast clearly shows the difference between America’s democratic style and the dictatorship of Germany. The Reich Chamber of Culture which focused on creative arts and included the creation of ‘proper’ Nazi films, was much stricter than OWI, with the membership compulsory for anyone wanting to work in creative arts. This meant artists censored their own work, knowing that, if they did not, they would lose their membership. Of the 1094 films released between 1933 and 1945, only about 14 per cent were overtly political but none Hollywood movies consistently glorified the achievements of the American soldier. After Pearl Harbor, the War Department asked Hollywood directors to make short documentaries that could be presented in theatres before the featured films. The creators often based it on a true story to show Americans what was at stake and give them a glimpse of what their soldiers were going through but twisted aspects of the truth to stir up patriotic feelings. A perfect example is Wake Island (1942), a film that while the documentary style and story of the onslaught by the Japanese to the United States military garrison on Wake Island following the attack on Pearl Harbor, appears true, it twists the truth, depicting the defenders fighting to the last man; when in reality, they surrendered after repelling the first wave of the
Propaganda is mainly used to persuade your audience in thinking and believing in a certain way; the way that you want them to think. In the film of
Kracauer, Siegfried. From Caligari to Hitler: A Psychological History of the German Film. Princeton University Press: Princeton and Oxford, 2004.
The overall appeal of the cinema to the masses was particularly evident during the interwar era. Audiences worldwide wanted to watch the variety of films, particularly American produced films, and they always went back. The visibly attractive and glamorous Hollywood movies often depicted the success of the underdog over unjust authority. Values of cash over culture were often a theme in the early American films and societies with restricted social mobility, such as those in Europe, could dream of such a triumph. The working class and unemployed could fantasise about wealth, fame and freedom which America as a country was portrayed as offering.
Pearl Harbor focuses more about the loss of people and how the U.S. attempted to fight back during the attack. This specific documentary was factual with the specific clues to the attack. During the time, the commander was not positive if the new equipment and signals actually worked. Dramatic music is played throughout the documentary to give a feel of what happened that day. Soft music is played when it is a personal story. Loud and dramatic music is played during the reenactment of the bombing itself. The music creates the scenes to come to life, and make the viewer feel more attached to the movie; giving the sense that the person is actually there. The movie is called Pearl Harbor, but it has the lense of World War Two. Even though Pearl Harbor was the lead into WW2, the documentary leaned more towards telling the story of leading up to World War Two and parts or facts of the
When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, America was at last forced to officially enter World War II. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially declared war on the Japanese and in his famous radio address to the American people, he professed that December 7 was a day that would live in infamy. Americans and Japanese alike, still remember Pearl Harbor Day, but how many remember the gallant, fighting Marines who served on a tiny atoll in the Pacific by the name of Wake Island?
In conclusion, even though the Nazi political party was known for their constant dependence on advertising, throughout the World War II and all history this king of propaganda has been no stranger to any type of government. Its power should never be underestimated since it has the ability to be used as a weapon of political warfare and determine the magnitude of the sovereignty of a particular government, in other words, it can make or break a social movement. Works Cited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_propaganda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_propaganda_during_World_War_II http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_effective_was_Government_propaganda_in_World_War_1 http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/voices/testimonies/life/backgd/before.html http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/propaganda_in_nazi_germany.htm http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/goeb36.htm http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/statements.htm http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/statements.htm https://www.msu.edu/navarro6/srop.html The Hunger Games Left to Tell Enciclopedia Salvat
However in other parts the movie got it wrong. Although it is impossible to make the movie completely accurate I believe this movie could have done better. As the veterans stated in their critiques of the movie, hundreds of men and women who were at Pearl Harbor and served in World War II did receive the praise they deserved. On top of that many of the things that were inaccurate in the movie were way off. For instance the scene when they were listening to the airplane radio transmissions from Hawaii. Overall, the movie does a fine job of showing the horrors of the Pearl Harbor. It is a great way to get a close representation of the events at Pearl Harbor and the events of World War II after
Hummel, William and Huntress, Keith. The Analysis of Propaganda. New York: William Sloane Associates, 1949
Before the Second World War began Hollywood’s purpose lied within entertainment for the American people. After the war started, the main focus shifted to wartime propaganda. Film was used to display the war in a way that did not show its true colors—including the censorship of soldier causalities and other negative connotations that are a simple fact of war. There was even a time in which some actors became better known to America than politians. Through films, Hollywood began to make a statement of their anti-Nazi beliefs. They began to make motion pictures for American recruitment into the Army as well as many that supported the war effort, and intended to make other Americans more aware of the war’s effect on the United States, and how people can get involved. Many European countries banned these Hollywood films, as they began to affect not only America but many other countries that were involved in the war as well.
Germany was radically monopolized by propaganda, it emphasized German prowess. Hitler was aware of valuable propaganda and so he appointed Joseph Goebbels as the Minister of Propaganda and National Enlightenment. Goebbels had to ensure nobody in Germany encountered anything that was hostile to the Nazi Party, he also had to make sure that the views of the Nazis were put across in the most persuasive and convincing manner. He executed this by making sure that all newspapers, films, radio programs, plays and other forms of entertainments displayed Nazi ideas.
The film industry during World War II played a big role in the war. German Filmmakers were constantly showing false propaganda and films about the United States to make America look like they were the bad people. Meanwhile, American filmmakers slowly realized the type of films German filmmakers were putting out. Sergeant York and The Great Dictator were films that were put out before Pearl Harbor since Americans were still blind to what was really happening overseas. However, when America did get involved in the war many films were shown how females weren’t frail but they played an important role in the war just like the men. The American government wanted play a role in the film industry because they really wanted to show the American people
Pearl Harbor carries on with books and even in the movies from generation to generation. The United States suffered defeat at Pearl Harbor, but united together to pursue victory. The film stays exceedingly accurate to the history of Pearl Harbor in comparison with Prange's book.
Introductory Paragraph: Propaganda is a tool of influence that Adolph Hitler used to abuse the German population by brainwashing them and completely deteriorating an entire race. How does one person get the beliefs of an entire country? Hitler put Joseph Goebbels in charge of the propaganda movement. Goebbels controlled every element of propaganda, there were many varieties of Nazi Propaganda. Propaganda was also being used as a tool to gain the support of the German population for the war, and supporting their government. The Jew’s were the targeted race and were completely pulverized by the Nazi’s. Hitler not only tried to destroy an entire race, he gained complete control of an entire country.
Thesis: Propaganda was a tool that leaders used to get people involved in wars of the past.
The filmmaking industry of Post-war Germany was virtually non-existent, but was in the process of being rebuilt. Firstly, the Allies dismantled the Nazi propaganda industry. Then, they used films to re-educate Germans. Hollywood jumped at the chance to distribute their films in Germany again. Without import quotas in West Germany, American films could cheaply enter the market, which subdued domestic filmmaking. The few German films that did get made had a typical hero of a “little man,” and portrayed Germans as victims of Nazism rather than as the ones responsible for it. These films weren’t artistic, and had mostly conservative messages, rarely acknowledging the country’s Nazi past. The low point of German cinema came at the 1961 Berlin Film Festival in which no Federal Film Prize was awarded because no film made was worthy of it. The New German Cinema arose under these