Featured Media

You will now analyze a set of WWI-era recruitment posters to gain a better understanding of the arguments that were used for and against the war. Look at the WWI posters and respond to the following questions.

WWI Recruitment Posters

1. Is there a portrayal of the enemy in the poster, and if so, how is the enemy portrayed? Why do you think the government chose to do this?
2. What emotion(s) does the poster attempt to appeal to (fear, duty, loyalty, patriotism, etc.)?
3. Does the poster specifically attempt to address and ameliorate any particular anti-intervention argument, or does it simply support an intervention point of view?
4. What important information is left out of this poster for the potential recruit? How would this information or message have been in conflict with the recruitment goals of the poster? Would this information have been available to the recruit through other sources? If so, where?
5. What aspects of these posters make them most effective for their time? Are there cultural icons or symbols that would incline the U.S. to support the Entente rather than the Triple Alliance? What aspects would make them perhaps less effective in another time period during another war?

Optional

If time allows, you can analyze WWI-era posters on another topic -- such as recruitment posters from England or posters that encourage Americans who remain at home to conserve resources or purchase war bonds -- and compare them to the U.S. recruitment posters. You can find posters on these topics at the following sites: