World War II and Hollywood

1381 Words3 Pages

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. Hollywood played an important role in making the war seem like a positive thing to the public eye. The government teamed up with the film industry to produce motion pictures advertizing the war effort, and was able to hold a large influence over the American opinion. When the war started, many citizens were unenthusiastic and hesitant to enlist in the military; but as many famous actors—such as James Stewart and Ronald Reagan—began to enlist, it set a prime example for other American citizens to follow. Many actors received much praise for their accomplishments in the war effort, highly encouraging their fellow Americans to consider enlisting as well. This proved to be an excellent way to increase the number of United States soldiers in the war. Movie theatres also played a contributing role in the war, buy coll... ... middle of paper ... ... others want to help as well. This was an excellent way to promote the war effort, as people tend to follow trends set by celebrities. I would only recommend this book to someone who is interested in this topic. Or, if they just like to read about random history things. Works Cited Annacchino , Angel . "web page template." web page template. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. . "Digital History." Digital History. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. . Fyne, Robert. The Hollywood propaganda of World War II. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1994. Print. "TAKE ACTION:." Hollywood & World War II Exhibition at The National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .

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