Savile Lumley's Propaganda

In 1915, Savile Lumley, an illustrator who designed childhood books, also designed one of the most famous and influential pieces of propaganda, that depicts a man blank faced in post-war times on a chair well dressed, with his daughter on his lap and son on the floor and reads “Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?” This propaganda poster made by Lumley was then printed by Johnson, Riddle, and Co and later published by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee of London in the year 1915. The target audience for this artefact was all men who had not already enlisted in the Great War as the 2.4 million who had already enlisted were not enough for a war of this size. Contextually, this artefact was specifically created to target the common
Propaganda at this time was all about challenging a man to serve his country. However, unlike other famous pieces like “Lord Kitchener wants you,” this artefact appeals to the emotional side, provoking guilt by using displaying kids in a poster that is promoting war. Rather than trying to use patriotism as the focal point it uses guilt and a charge to men. Similarly, in 1915, E.V Kealey produced a propaganda poster that read “Women of Britain Say-“GO!”” It depicts two women and a young kid bundled together in fear as the army men are just out of their window. These two posters are similar as they both demonstrate the importance of going to war. Where they differ is that the Kealey poster is saying that if you do not go to war you may lose your wife, whereas the Lumley poster says if you stay home, you will be a coward, and poses the internal questions of why would a woman want to be with a coward? By not using a wife in the artefact itself, it perhaps suggests that his wife does not want to spend time with him as she is
Those who have served would likely view these words with a sense of honor knowing what they did to serve their country in a time of need, while men who have avoided serving their country would feel anxious and almost pressured. It is so effective as it forces the reader to ponder how they would feel when they respond that they did nothing to help the effort. At the same time, this photo speaks to women as who would ever want to marry a man who others view as a coward or as someone who is unable to protect her? The representation of a man who is unable to respond to his child with honor and pride serves as humiliation towards the man, damaging his character, and at the same time sending subliminal messages to women that those who did not choose to serve posses lack of strength and character. Unlike many other pieces of propaganda is that it speaks to all audiences. Here by going to war you are not just serving your country, but you are being a role model for your kids, and you are making your wife proud. Another point to note of the famous phrase is the fact that it was already called the “Great War,” back in the year 1915 when the war was still relatively young. By calling it the Great War, it demonstrated the severity and importance