Propaganda of the Past
Now available on Wikimedia as part of a project with the UK National Archives is a large collection of British propaganda and war art from WWII. This collection currently contains over 350 images and posters, and will be significantly expanded to include thousands more.
The art—and it literally is painted art—is mostly aimed domestically at the British public. What it truly highlights is the effort to unite the entirety of the British population in the war effort, from canal workers, to factory laborers, farmers, and women. It reflects a total war mentality that hasn’t been seen since, either in Britain or the United States. Nearly anything you can think of was considered part of the war effort, from walking instead of taking public transport to save room for soldiers, to saving bones for use in glue, fertilizer and explosives.
What does this say about wars today, and how disconnected the public can be?
Take a look at the collection here and reflect on how times have changed.
