Psychological Resolve and the War Effort (Photo 1)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 2)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 3)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 4)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 5)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 6)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 7)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 8)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 9)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Psychological Resolve (Photo 10)National Archives and Records Administration: Pictures of World War II
Description: These grouped resources illustrate through photographs and poster art the ways in which the communications and media industries
took on the task of promoting the war effort and hardening American resolve for victory. Examination of these images gives
students the chance to discuss various issues surrounding the fine line between encouragement and propaganda.
Teaching Tips:
"Do Now" Suggestion
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The teacher can show students several of the posters/photographs to students and ask them to respond to the following questions:
a) What do you see? b) When was this photograph/poster taken/created? c) What was the perspective of the artist? d) Who is
the audience? d) What was the artist's motive?
Suggestion for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson
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The teacher can give students a packet of all the photographs/posters and ask them to organize them into groups by finding
ways that they are similar or related. The students must then label the groups, which would help them to define the similarities
(a mini-concept development activity). The students might group the photographs/posters along such lines as morale building,
recruiting techniques, war bonds/economic support, scrap metal resources, etc. Such groupings could easily lead to a discussion
on how the United States government used poster propaganda to help mobilize the war effort (because the focus in this standard
is on how the United States mobilized economic, human and military resources).
