Hollywood Propaganda and WWII

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how, during World War II, Hollywood was part of the war effort and produced a number of works intended to stir up the troops, encourage those at home to help in the war effort, and demonize the enemy. The paper examines the different types of propaganda and shows how Disney used films and cartoons in their fight against Nazi Germany. The paper discusses how these films show a side of the war that many may not realize was so powerful.

From the Paper:

"We tend to think of propaganda as a tool used by the enemy, but America uses propaganda as well. During World War II, Hollywood was part of the war effort and produced a number of works intended to stir up the troops and often to demonize the enemy as part of the process. The most obvious such films were the wartime war movies that celebrated Allied victories and killed off dozens of the enemy. Cartoons were also used in service of the war effort, often involving racially charged images that do not fit well with today's culture and so are often not seen any longer. A number of Popeye cartoons involved denigrating images of Japanese people. At Warner Bros., the Private Snafu series for the army included not only similar racist images but some swearing. Walt Disney Studios also enlisted in the war effort and produced a number of films intended to support the troops and demonize the enemy."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Arnold, Gary. "Disney's 'Victory' in WWII." The Washington Times (29 May 2004), B01.
• Blum, John Morton. V Was for Victory. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1976.
• Ginsberg, Benjamin. The Captive Public. New York: Basic Books, 1986.
• Schwarz, Benjamin. "Walt's World: What to Read This Month." The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 298, Issue 5 (2006), 121-122.
• Smith, Michael. "Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion." Whole Earth Review (Fall 1992), 61.

More papers on Hollywood Propaganda and WWII:

• Term Paper # 96410 : "WWII and Movies"
• Film Review # 143087 : "Propaganda and Persuasion"
• Analytical Essay # 74168 : "Propaganda and Media"

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