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DecodingWorldWarIIPropaganda

Overview
Inthislesson,studentswilldefinepropagandaandstudythevarioustypesofpropagandatechniques.
AfterviewinganassortmentofWorldWarIIpropagandaacrossdifferentmediums(postersandvideos),
studentswillcreateapieceofWorldWarIIpropaganda.Thereisalsoanoptionalviewingguideforthe
Nazipropagandafilm,TriumphoftheWill.(TeacherNote:Thelengthofthislessonsprocedureisonly4
pageslong;theadditionalpagesarevariouspropagandapostersandhandoutsthatcanbeprovidedtostudents.
Thus,teachersshouldreviewthehandoutstodeterminewhichpagestoprint.)

NCEssentialStandardsforWorldHistory
WH.7.3Analyzeeconomicandpoliticalrivalries,ethnicandregionalconflicts,andnationalismand
imperialismasunderlyingcausesofwar

Materials
TypesofPropagandadefinitions(attached)
TypesofPropagandaWorksheet(attached)
DerFuehrersFaceAdayinthelifeofDonaldDuckifhelivedinNaziGermany.(Runningtimeis
7:56)
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LYD0Fzf1LU
EducationforDeathBasedonanantiNazipropagandabook,thiscartoonportraysthelifeofchildin
NaziGermany.(Runningtimeis10:00)
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQqCeEG5hs0&skipcontrinter=1
Postitnotes
YoureaPropagandaMinisterhandout(attached)
YoureaPropagandaMinisterimagehandouts(attached)
VariousWorldWarIIPropagandaPosters(attached)
TriumphoftheWillViewingGuide(attached)(optional)

EssentialQuestions:
Whatarethebasicpropagandatechniquesandwhyisitimportanttobeabletoidentifysuch
techniques?
HowwaspropagandausedduringWorldWarII?
Inwhatwaysdoespropagandainfluencepeoplesopinions?

Duration
90minutes

TeacherPreparation
PreviewtheYouTubepropagandavideosprovided.Teachersshouldusetheirdiscretionregarding
whichvideostouseinclass,sincetheracialovertonesmaybeinappropriateforstudentswhoarenot
preparedtorespectfullyhandleanddiscusscontroversialissues.Also,sincemanyschooldistrictsblock

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YouTube,itisrecommendedteachersdownloadthevideoclipstheyplantouseinclass.Thiswillalso
ensurestudentsarenotprivytothecommentsbelowthevideos,whichcanoftenbeinappropriate.

StudentPreparation
Studentsshouldhaveabasicunderstandingofthecauses,leaders,andeventsofWorldWarII.

Procedure
WarmUp:DefiningPropaganda
1. Asawarmup,writethewordpropagandaontheboardandasaclassaskstudentstobrainstorm
whatthiswordmeans.Encouragestudentstothinkaboutthedefinition,examples,situationsin
whichitisused,etc.Afterthediscussion,studentsshouldunderstandthatpropagandareferstoa
typeofmessageaimedatinfluencingopinionsand/orbehaviorofpeople.Manygovernments,
especiallytheNazis,usedpropagandaeffectivelyduringWWII.Propagandamayprovideonly
partialinformationorbedeliberatelymisleading.Propagandatechniquesareoftenfoundon
televisionandradio,aswellasmagazinesandnewspapers.Posethefollowingquestionstotheclass:
Whydoyouthinkgovernmentswouldusepropaganda,especiallyduringwartime?
Howstronglydoyouthinkpropagandainfluencespeoplesopinions?
Doyouthinkthatpeoplecanrecognizepropagandaassoonastheyseeit?
Canyouthinkofanypropagandayouhaveseenrecently?Summarizewhatyousawandwhere
yousawit.

2. Askstudentstoiftheycanidentifythedifferenttypesofpropagandatechniques.Writethemdown
ontheboardastheyarecalledout.Onceallstudentshaveexhaustedthepossibilities,projectthe
attachedTypesofPropagandaTechniqueshandoutandpassouttheattachedTypesof
PropagandaWorksheet.Allowstudentsafewminutestosilentlycopythedefinitions.Once
studentshavefinishedcopyingthedefinitions,choosestudentstoreadeachdefinitionaloud.While
goingthrougheachdefinition,askstudentsiftheycanthinkofexamplestheyhavewitnessedofeach
technique.

DisneyandWorldWarIIPropaganda
3. Asstudentsarecopyingthedefinitions,cueuponeofthefollowingvideos:
DerFuehrersFaceAdayinthelifeofDonaldDuckifhelivedinNaziGermany.(Runningtimeis
7:56)
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LYD0Fzf1LU
EducationforDeathBasedonanantiNazipropagandabook,thiscartoonportraysthelifeofa
childinNaziGermany.(Runningtimeis10:00)
o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQqCeEG5hs0

4. Explaintostudentsthatthesevideoswereshownbeforemoviesatthemovietheatre(rememberTVs
werentwidelyavailableduringthe1940s)duringWorldWarII.Someoftheshortfilmswere
instructional(teachingpeoplehowtoconserve,forexample),whileotherswereintendedtoinform
Americancitizensabouttheirenemies.Astheyareviewingthevideos,tellthemtonotewhichtypes
ofpropagandatechniquesarebeingused.

5. Oncethevideohasconcluded,posethefollowingquestionstotheclass:

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WhydoyouthinktheUSGovernmentcommissionedthecreationofthisvideo?Whatwerethey
tryingtogetacrosstotheAmericanpeople?
Whattypesofpropagandatechniquesdidyounoticewhileyouwereviewingthevideo?
Describeyourfeelingswhilewatchingthevideo.
Whataspectsofthevideodoyouthinkareaccurate?Whataspectsareexaggerated?Whataspects
arefabricated?
Besidescartoons,whatotherwaystoyouthinktheUSGovernmentdisseminatedpropaganda?

InterpretingWorldWarIIPropaganda
6. TellstudentsthattheyaregoingtoanalyzevariouspiecesofWorldWarIIpropaganda.Explainthat
oneofthemostpopularandwidespreadformsofpropagandaduringWorldWarIIwereposters.
Dividethestudentsintogroupsoftwotofourstudentsanddistributetheattachedpropaganda
posters.

7. Allowstudentsafewminutestoviewtheposterswiththeirgroupmatesandtorecordtheirinitial
impressionsoftheposters.Aftertheallottedtime,projectthefollowingquestionsandhavethegroup
discuss/answer:
Whatpropagandatechniquesarebeingutilizedinyourposter?
Whatevidencefromtheposterdoyouhavetojustifyyouranswer?
Whatcountryisyourpropagandaposterfrom?
Whoarethemajorfiguresinyourposter?
Whatmessagedoyouthinkyourposteristryingtoconvey?
Isthemessagesubtleorovert?
Doyouthinkthisisaneffectivepieceofpropaganda?Whyorwhynot?

8. Whilegroupsareinspectingtheirposters,passoutonepieceoftapepergroupandonepostitnote
perstudent.Aftergroupshaveanalyzedtheirposter,instructthemtohangtheirposteratthefrontof
theroom.Telltheclasstotakeafewminutestogetupandcloselyviewtheposters.Oncetheyhave
hadtimetoviewalltheposters,theyshouldputtheirpostitnoteontheposterthattheythinkisthe
mosteffectivepieceofpropaganda.

9. Aftertallyingthevotes,discusstheresultsandhavestudentselaborateonwhytheyvotedfora
poster.Thenposethefollowingquestionsforfurtherdiscussion:
Whataresomecommonalitiesbetweenthepostershangingatthefrontoftheroom?
Ifanationsleaderisdepictedintheposter,whatdoyounoticeabouthowtheyredrawn?
Ifanationsenemyisintheposter,howaretheydrawnorportrayed?
WhatdoyounoticeaboutthewaymanyoftheJapanesefiguresareportrayed?
Whichpropagandatechniqueismostcommonamongthepostersatthefrontoftheroom?

YoureaPropagandaMinister
10. PassouttheattachedYoureaPropagandaMinisterhandoutandreviewtheinstructionsbefore
allowingstudentstoworkfortheremainderoftheclass.ForPartIoftheassignment,studentswill
createtwodifferentcaptionsforthesameimage.Randomlypassouttheattachedphotohandoutsfor
thispartoftheassignment.InPartII,studentswillcreatetheirownpropagandaposter.Ifstudents
donotfinishtheirpostersinclass,instructthemtofinishthemforhomework.

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11. Asawarmupthenextday,chooseafewstudentstopresenttheirpostersandhavetheclassinterpret
whatpropagandatechniquesarebeingused.Alternatively,teacherscanhavestudentshandallof
theirpostersaroundtheroomandinstructstudenttofreelyrotateamongtheposters,examiningthem
foreffectivepropagandatechniques.

AdditionalActivities
ViewtheNazipropagandafilmTriumphoftheWill.(AfreecopycanbefoundonYouTube.)Usethe
attachedviewingguidesothatstudentscannotetheirthoughtswhileviewing;ensureclasstimeis
providedtodiscussanddebriefthefilmindepth.

Teachersnote:SomeoftheYouTubeusercommentsareinflammatoryandpromoteNaziideology.It
isbesttopreviewthevideosbeforeshowingthem.SincemanydistrictsblockaccesstoYouTubefrom
schools,andtoensurethecommentsarenotvisibletostudents,teachersshouldalsoconsider
downloadingthematerialtotheircomputer.

o FullFilm
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=8C37DA9DB19DB294&search_query=triumph+of
+the+will+english+subtitles
o PartI(HitlersArrival)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsTBkrrl5Gg&feature=PlayList&p=8C37DA9DB19DB294
&index=0
o Part5(HitlerYouthRally)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJtd37HzpbQ&feature=PlayList&p=8C37DA9DB19DB294
&index=4
o Part9(HitlersConcludingSpeech)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHVwgWzz5dQ&feature=PlayList&p=8C37DA9DB19DB2
94&index=8
o Part10(HitlersConcludingSpeech)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gwK9_ElGn8&feature=PlayList&p=8C37DA9DB19DB294
&index=9
o HavestudentsfollowthefilmusingtheattachedTriumphoftheWillViewingGuide

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TypesofPropagandaTechniques

Emotionalappeal(e.g.fear):Appealingtotheemotionsofyouraudience.Forexample,whena
propagandistwarmsmembersofheraudiencethatdisasterwillresultiftheydonotfollowa
particularcourseofaction,sheisusingfearappeal.

Glitteringgeneralities:Aglitteringgeneralitydeviceseekstomakeusapproveandaccept
withoutexaminingtheevidence;GlitteringgeneralitiesincludephrasessuchasWebelievein,
fightfor,andlivebyvirtue.Theyalsoincludewordsaboutwhichwehavedeepsetideas,
suchascivilization,Christianity,good,proper,right,democracy,patriotism,motherhood,
fatherhood,science,medicine,health,andlove.

Testimonials:Famouspeopleorfigureswhowillappeartrustworthyspeaktotheaudience.

Bandwagon:Thebasicthemeofthebandwagonappealisthateveryoneelseisdoingit,andso
shouldyou.

Plainfolks:Byusingtheplainfolkstechnique,speakersattempttoconvincetheiraudiencethat
they,andtheirideas,areofthepeople.

Scientificapproach:Usingscientificjargon(e.g.numbers,statistics,data,etc.)toconvinceyour
audience.

Snobappeal:Givingtheimpressionthatpeopleofwealthandprestigeareonboard.

Cardstacking:Onlypresentingonesideoftheissue/situation.

Transfer:Transferisadevicebywhichthepropagandistcarriesovertheauthority,sanction,and
prestigeofsomethingwerespectandreveretosomethinghewouldhaveusaccept.

Namecalling:Thenamecallingtechniquelinksaperson,oridea,toanegativesymbol.The
propagandistwhousesthistechniquehopesthattheaudiencewillrejectthepersonortheidea
onthebasisofthenegativesymbol,insteadoflookingattheavailableevidence.

Euphemisms:Thepropagandistattemptstopacifytheaudienceinordertomakeanunpleasant
realitymorepalatable.Thisisaccomplishedbyusingwordsthatareblandandeuphemistic.An
exampleisduringwartime,sincewarisparticularlyunpleasant,militarydiscourseisfullof
euphemisms.Inthe1940s,AmericachangedthenameoftheWarDepartmenttothe
DepartmentofDefense.

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Name _____________________________________
1.

Types of Propaganda Techniques Worksheet

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Name______________________________________

YoureaPropagandaMinister

Directions:YouhavebeenappointedthepropagandaministerforoneofthefollowingcountriesduringWorldWar
II:theUnitedStates,Germany,Japan,Russia,orEngland.Itisyourjobtocompletebothpartsoftheassignment:

Part1
Youhavebeenassignedtwoidenticalimagesandyoumustcreatetwodifferentcaptions/slogansforeachimage:
OnefortheAxisperspectiveandonefortheAlliedperspective.Usetheexamplebelowandthepostersyouviewed
inyourgroupasguides.Besuretouseatleastoneofthepropagandatechniques.

AxisPerspective

Allied
Perspective

OurBelovedFuehrerDemonstratesGerman

HitlerCapturesFrance:WeCouldBeNext!

SuperioritybyCapturingFrance

SupporttheWarEffort

Part2

Createyourownpropagandaposterforoneofthefollowingnations:Germany,Japan,theUnitedStates,England,or
Russia.Chooseathemethatyouwanttopresent:supportthewareffort,vilifyingenemies,etc.Yourpostershould
becolorfulandeasytounderstand;rememberyouwantittocapturepeoplesattention.Besuretouseatleastone
ofthepropagandatechniques

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Name____________________________________________________________________YoureaPropagandaMinister

Source:http://www.afterimagegallery.com/

AxisPerspective:

AlliedPerspective:

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Name____________________________________________________________________YoureaPropagandaMinister

Source:http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1304/1356231392_94d31c47e9.jpg

AxisPerspective:

AlliedPerspective:

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Name____________________________________________________________________YoureaPropagandaMinister

Source:http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_utj_WiTT3tU/SRbET_iLeI/AAAAAAAAAs/SPiukoIb1wU/s400/churchill
winston+machine+gun.jpg

AxisPerspective:

AlliedPerspective:

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Name____________________________________________________________________YoureaPropagandaMinister

Source:http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Everyone%20Else/images4/HitlerMussolini.jpg

AxisPerspective:

AlliedPerspective:

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Name____________________________________________________________________YoureaPropagandaMinister

Source:http://www.limalima.com/art/Japanese%20Zero.jpg

AxisPerspective:

AlliedPerspective:

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WWIIPropagandaPosters

Source:http://www.ushmm.org/propaganda/assets/images/500x/posterbehindenemypowers.jpg

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Source:http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fps7jxvrEbw/SVjZHsmNP0I/AAAAAAAADyE/Y0J75Yxzlp8/s160/Poster%20
%20Nordmen%20Kjemp%20For%20Norge.jpg

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Source:http://cache4.asset
cache.net/xc/84358222.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789215ABF3343C02EA548351B83F84FD64430C94
478DDAC646CB84AB9F254822EB3B4
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Source:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_bjqmGmHDb1w/SUPpTl5aKI/AAAAAAAABvs/UltgDaBXSEA/s320/anti
japanesepropagandaposte+hate.jpg

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Source:http://www.hugeentity.com/blogger/antijapanesepropagandawwii.jpg

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Source:http://www.wreckamovie.com/system/task_references/0000/0019/Attack__Buy_War_Bonds.jpg

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Source:http://www.ilord.com/images/bitsofcarelesstalk1000.jpg
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Source:http://www.josephstalin.info/poster.jpg

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Source:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/AntiJapanesePropagandaTakeDayOff.gif

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Source:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/warning/images_html/images/our_homes_in_danger.jpg

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Source:http://z.about.com/d/history1900s/1/0/e/Q/wwiip117.jpg

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Source:http://gentlyused.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/liberatorskulturterrorantiamericanism1944nazi
propagandaposter.jpg

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Source:http://web.utk.edu/~glenn/EuropasSieg.jpg

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Source:http://static.rnw.nl/migratie/www.ranesi.nl/images/assets/13525855redirected

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Source:http://digilander.libero.it/romanoarchives/page2/files/page2_42.jpg

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Source:http://www.cynicalc.com/archives/bloggraphics/tokiokid.jpg

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Source:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/PropagandaNaziStabsBible.gif

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Source:http://www.wemakemoneynotart.com/yyy/rat%5B1%5D.jpg

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Source:http://www.usingutensils.com/wpcontent/gallery/wwiiposters/usa08.png

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Source:http://w00.middlebury.edu/ID085A/gallery/film/roosevelt.jpg

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Source:
http://tennesseebillsotr.com/otr/Otr%20Art%20ii/WW%20II%20Posters%20&%20Pics/Don%27t%20Let%20The%20Sh
adow.jpg

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Source:http://badcomics.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/slapajap.jpg

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Source:http://www.legion.org/documents/legion/posters/912.jpg

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Name ____________________
Triumph of Will Viewing Guide
Section 1: Hitlers Arrival
What do you think the scene of Hitlers plane descending from the sky trying to represent?

Why do you think the filmmaker wanted to show Hitlers drive from the airport to the hotel?

What do you think the work camp scenes are supposed to symbolize?

Section 2: Hitler Youth Rally


Why do you think Hitler organized the Hitler Youth movement?

What are some of the ideals taught to the Hitler Youth?

Section 3: Closing Ceremonies


During Hitlers final speech (the one in the large hall), Hitler states that all upstanding Germans must
___________________________ _________________________________________________________.
Hitler believed that the Third Reich would last _____________ years.
What two elements will carry the German state on their shoulders?
1.

2.

What does the scene with the Horst Wessel song intend to portray?

Do you think the responses of the crowd during Hitlers speech are forced or genuine?

If you were unaware of Hitlers actions and had just watched this film, would you think Hitler was a good leader? Would you
follow him?

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