How Propaganda Posters Helped Win Two World Wars
Many iconic images in World War I and II started out as posters
Moulin Rouge, an 1891 color poster created by French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, turned the poster into a fine art form.
Posters were celebrated via exhibitions and in magazines in 1890s Paris, France. But it was World War I, known at the time as the Great War, that began a new use for the poster: Propaganda.
Very public propaganda
According to the Library of Congress, “During World War I, the impact of the poster as a means of communication was greater than at any other time during history. The ability of posters to inspire, inform, and persuade combined with vibrant design trends in many of the participating countries to produce thousands of interesting visual works. …The poster was a major tool for broad dissemination of information during the war. Countries on both sides of the conflict distributed posters widely to garner support, urge action, and boost morale.”
In Europe and the United States, banks, post offices and local businesses with storefronts willingly displayed patriotic posters. America followed the lead of Great Britain, relying on posters to recruit for the military, promote the sale of war bonds and encourage women…
