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Every theme created by the OWI addressed the problems of a wartime society. Posters created under the theme, “the nature of the enemy,” often portrayed stereotypical or monstrous images of the German and Japanese people. For example, the image, “This is the enemy,” portrays the hand of a Nazi stabbing through the Bible with a knife. “The need to fight” inspired images calling young men into active military service, and “the nature of our Allies” portrayed images of smiling young Chinese, English, Canadian, or Australian soldiers accompanied by the bold text, “This man is your friend. He fights for freedom.” Whether cheerful posters in bright patriotic colors, or dark foreboding representations of the enemy created by war, these posters were created to each address a specific problem in the United States that had to be overcome in order to unite citizens and provide encouragement during the hardships of war.

Teacher Preparation

Prepare sets of WWII poster reproductions. Include images that address a spectrum of war issues. Resources for preparing poster reproductions:
· The Northwestern Library Collection of WWII posters
· “A Summons to Comradeship” A Collection of World War I and II posters sponsored by University of Minnesota.

Prepare photocopies of “WWII Poster Classification Chart."

Discussion: Total War Effort

Review the background information and discuss with students the hardships United States citizens faced during World War II. Students should make a list of problems created by the war, such as economic hardship, the need to unite against a common enemy, the need to fill vacant positions in the defense industry, the need to reuse and recycle consumer products, the sale of bonds to finance the war, and the need for men to enlist in military service. These categories may vary depending on topics you have covered in class or topics that students may bring up to discuss. Have students refer to their list as they examine the war poster reproductions that you have selected for this lesson.

Activity: Classification of War Images

Group students and give each group a set of reproductions of U.S. wartime posters. Include posters in each set which address the spectrum of problems and issues of World War II. Problems and issues may include: portrayal of the enemy, conservation, financing the war, or enlistment. The sets may be identical, or selected posters may vary.

Review wartime issues with students, and ask individual students to write category names on the board from their list of problems and issues drawn from the discussion. Direct a student from each group to place a poster from their chart under the appropriate category name. Students can use the “WWII Poster Classification Chart” to record the issues and problems discovered as well as conclusions about the purposes of posters. These charts can later be used as an assessment tool.

Summary and Assessment

Direct students to respond to the following writing prompt:
In a visual analysis of the poster of your choice, identify which issue, or challenge, the image addresses, and explain how the image exemplifies the concern.

Use the “WWII Poster Classification Chart” to evaluate each student in their understanding of how problems in WWII influenced creation of the war posters.

Extensions

Rosie the Riveter: The Women of World War II.

Of all the images of working women during World War II, images of women working in factories is the most common.. Rosie the Riveter became symbol of patriotic womanhood. Symbols of the industrial workforce, work clothes, tools, and lunch pails, became the new image of the feminine ideal.

Examine how war posters used this powerful icon to draw women into typically male dominated occupations:
“It’s a Woman’s War Too!”

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