Kaminski, Joseph Jon. “World War I and propaganda poster art: Comparing the United States and German cases.” Epiphany 7.2 (2014).

In this source, the author uses secondary sources to collect the information about the different propaganda that was used during the First World War. In paper, the Joseph Jon argues that propaganda played a key role in rallying masses behind the war. This is an important article because it provides an overview of the propaganda while also basing the argument on the posters that were used by both the United States and Germany.

Carlson, Marc. “The Greatest Mother in the World” 14 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 July 2017.

This is a primary source in which the author is mainly focused on explaining the caused about the poster. In the article, Marc explains how the poster the made, the reason behind and the impact of the poster to the country. The source is useful because it provides the detailed information about the “The Greatest Mother in the World” and results. In his argument, Marc argues that the propaganda poster was only focused on attracting support by influencing the public to sympathize with the soldiers.

Caris, Evan ‘British Masculinity and Propaganda during the First World war’ Georgia College & State University. 2015.

This is a primary source because it provides the information that was behind the use of propaganda between the U.S, Europe and other countries in the war. The information in the article provides masculinity objective of using propaganda to attract support. Countries used propaganda to showcase their masculinity and strength and win sympathy from the public. This article is useful because it provides the main bases for propaganda. In the article, Chris identifies the “The Greatest Mother in the World” as one of the propaganda methods that resonated with the Christian majority.

Morgan, Kely. “Christy Girls and Women Workers: The Depiction of Women in World War 1 Posters” New-York Historical Society. 7 June. 2017. Web. 1 July 2017.

Unlike the other articles, Morgan’s work is more focused on examining the impact of propaganda poster on women. This is a Secondary source in which the author examines various posters that were used during the First World War. In the article, Morgan, provides many posters that were used especially to influence women to engage in the services as nurses. The article is useful in this paper because it focuses on the exploring the impact of posters on women. The source is important in this paper because it reflects the same impact that was caused by the “The Greatest Mother in the World,” propaganda poster.

Introduction

During a war, propaganda is often used as an instrument to draw support from the public as a well as the strategy to scare off the enemies. Propaganda strategy was effectively used during both the first and the Second World War by various countries in order to attract the support from the public. During the war, the many people lost their lives, making the public to seek for an alternative to attract many people to join the service. The mother of “The Greatest Mother in the World” poster is one of the propaganda strategies that were employed.

This paper examines the “The Greatest Mother in the World” propaganda poster and its impact during the First World War.

The Greatest Mother in the World Propaganda Poster

The “The Greatest Mother in the World” poster was used to attract people to provide nursing support and any other help to the people working in the services. The Red Cross was the main base of the poster because it was an international organization offering medical services and support to the people across the world. When the First World War began in 1914, the nurses and volunteers from Red Cross Organization were sent to Europe to provide medical services to the wounded soldiers in the service (Morgan Par. 2).

As the war raged and many people were wounded and affected, it called for many supplies and volunteers. The desolation and the negative impact of the war grew rapidly as the need to develop new strategies to call people from home into supporting the service. The propaganda poster messages and posters were spread across Europe and America calling many people to provide supplies, money as well as volunteer for the services (Caris Par. 6). “The Greatest Mother in the World” is the greatest American poster that was established by illustrator Alonzo Foringer for the Red Cross Organization. The poster was focused on the influencing the public to amass support to the coarse. The poster was printed in 1918, only a year since the U.S joined the WW1. The illustrator’s choice of the day to release the poster was strategic because it was at the time that most of the people had lost lives, and perceived the war as futile. The poster was appealing because it reminded the people of the love for Mother Mary. It gave the people the impression that joining the Red Cross and providing any other support was identifying with the greatest mother Mary.

The “The Greatest Mother in the World” poster depicted a Red Cross Nurse holding a small wounded soldier. The nurse was wearing a long gown and besides her, there was drawn a big Red Cross. The whole poster was a reminder of the love that the people should show to the other people who need their support. The poster was in essence a call to people to execute their Christian duty.

The release of the poster was effective because it helped to attract many volunteers into the Red Cross Organization. According to Carlson (para 5), the poster convinced many people to support the course that was being taken by the Organization and the service people in the country. The image of the huge nurse and the small soldier elicited sympathy in people making them want to offer their support to the course. Although the message was more appealing to the Christian believers, the message on the poster reflected the priority of the Americans of protecting the country. Women who viewed the small soldier in the poster sympathized with the horrible situation and in need of their care (Kaminski par. 3).

 

Conclusion

The “The Greatest Mother in the World” is one of the biggest propagandas that were used during the First World War. The poster was printed by Foringer in 1918; only a year after the U.S joined the war in Europe. Because of the rising number of wounded and killed soldiers, the Red Cross required many people to offer their support and volunteer their services. The poster depicted a huge nurse with a gown holding small wounded soldier. The poster reminded the people of the Mary mother of Jesus and the love in Christianity. The poster was able to win the heart of many people because of the sympathy it elicited. Additionally, apart from raising the supplies and money, the propaganda poster influenced many women to volunteer as nurses to help the wounded people in service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Caris, Evan ‘British Masculinity and Propaganda during the First World War’ Georgia College & State University. 2015.

Carlson, Marc. “The Greatest Mother in the World” 14 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 July 2017.

Kaminski, Joseph Jon. “World War I and propaganda poster art: Comparing the United States and German cases.” Epiphany 7.2 (2014).

Morgan, Kely. “Christy Girls and Women Workers: The Depiction of Women in World war 1 Posters” New-York Historical Society. 7 June. 2017. Web. 1 July 2017.

 

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