Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Introduction
In the United states, the war in the pacific was justified through the use of racist media that was broadcasted to the general public. Propaganda films represented Japanese people as primitive and hostile by nature. Political cartoons showed racist depictions of Japanese people with slanted eyes and crooked teeth attacking the U.S. Posters were made that showed how to distinguish between Chinese and Japanese people. This open racism helped to make the American people as a whole feel confident with the U.S.’s standing in the war. They also enforced the idea that the U.S.’s position in the war was morally right. In the United States before and during World War II racist propaganda against the Japanese was used to justify the war to the American people. This exhibit will examine examples of the different types of media used in the U.S. to justify the war.
Source 1
Origin: This is a section of a U.S. propaganda film released by the War Department. It is titled “Know your Enemy: Japan”
Purpose: This is a film. Its purpose is to convince the viewer of the accuracy of a certain point of view. In this case the film's purpose is to convince the viewer that the Japanese are primitive and inhuman.
This source is a U.S. anti-Japanese propaganda film. The video presents a stereotypical image of Japanese people to the viewer. The video says that Japanese soldiers “are as much alike as photographic prints off the same negative” (1) this, paired with the video’s description of the average Japanese soldier as being “five feet three inches” (1) tall, weighing “117 pounds” (1) and having an “unsoldierly” (1) appearance paints the Japanese army as an unintimidating force. This made the U.S.’s position in the war seem desirable, as it cast the enemy as being weak and easily defeated. The video goes on to portray the Japanese as simplistic, subhuman, uncivilized and violent. According to the film, Japanese soldiers “live on rice” (1). They are said to have “tough little mind[s]” (1). The video also says that the Japanese think that “treachery, brutality, rape, and torture are all justified” (1), portraying them as being uncivilized, violent and less mentally capable than an American person. This video makes it seem like the U.S. was fighting a war against savages who were wicked and violent and thus justifies the war to the American populace. This source is significant because it uses racial stereotypes to portray the Japanese as being bad in order to justify the war, which is a standard tactic used in propaganda.
Artifact (click this, it is a link)
Purpose: This is a film. Its purpose is to convince the viewer of the accuracy of a certain point of view. In this case the film's purpose is to convince the viewer that the Japanese are primitive and inhuman.
This source is a U.S. anti-Japanese propaganda film. The video presents a stereotypical image of Japanese people to the viewer. The video says that Japanese soldiers “are as much alike as photographic prints off the same negative” (1) this, paired with the video’s description of the average Japanese soldier as being “five feet three inches” (1) tall, weighing “117 pounds” (1) and having an “unsoldierly” (1) appearance paints the Japanese army as an unintimidating force. This made the U.S.’s position in the war seem desirable, as it cast the enemy as being weak and easily defeated. The video goes on to portray the Japanese as simplistic, subhuman, uncivilized and violent. According to the film, Japanese soldiers “live on rice” (1). They are said to have “tough little mind[s]” (1). The video also says that the Japanese think that “treachery, brutality, rape, and torture are all justified” (1), portraying them as being uncivilized, violent and less mentally capable than an American person. This video makes it seem like the U.S. was fighting a war against savages who were wicked and violent and thus justifies the war to the American populace. This source is significant because it uses racial stereotypes to portray the Japanese as being bad in order to justify the war, which is a standard tactic used in propaganda.
Artifact (click this, it is a link)
Source 2
Origin: This is a poster entitled “This is the Enemy”. The poster was created and circulated by the U.S. Government in 1942.
Purpose: Because this is a poster its purpose is to inform the viewer of something. The information given is not always accurate. In this case the purpose was to establish the Japanese as being a savage and villainous people, and to show that the Japanese were not totally human.
This artifact shows a Japanese soldier lunging at a white woman with a knife. The soldier is given apelike features in order to establish that he is less human than the people of the U.S. This artifact is unique because it portrays the Japanese as a savage animal. This was done to create a sense of American superiority over the Japanese, as well as a sense that the Japanese were attacking America. This artifact is significant because it shows the type of propaganda that citizens of the U.S. were bombarded with. The poster is a typical example of media that dehumanizes the enemy, and thus justifies opposition to the enemy. This type of Propaganda was common during WWII, and lent itself to U.S. belief that killing Japanese people was not morally wrong, as the Japanese were really not people. This justified the war to the American public.
Purpose: Because this is a poster its purpose is to inform the viewer of something. The information given is not always accurate. In this case the purpose was to establish the Japanese as being a savage and villainous people, and to show that the Japanese were not totally human.
This artifact shows a Japanese soldier lunging at a white woman with a knife. The soldier is given apelike features in order to establish that he is less human than the people of the U.S. This artifact is unique because it portrays the Japanese as a savage animal. This was done to create a sense of American superiority over the Japanese, as well as a sense that the Japanese were attacking America. This artifact is significant because it shows the type of propaganda that citizens of the U.S. were bombarded with. The poster is a typical example of media that dehumanizes the enemy, and thus justifies opposition to the enemy. This type of Propaganda was common during WWII, and lent itself to U.S. belief that killing Japanese people was not morally wrong, as the Japanese were really not people. This justified the war to the American public.
Source 3
Origin: This is an article published in the December of 1941 issue of Life Magazine.
Purpose: Because this is an article in a magazine, its purpose is to convince the reader that the author’s point of view is accurate. In this case, the purpose was to convince the reader that all Japanese people are the same.
This artifact is a picture guide to telling the difference between a Japanese person and a Chinese person. The example of a Chinese person is portrayed as having more amiable features, such as a slight smile, while the example of a Japanese person is portrayed as being less friendly by features like his noticeable frown. This artifact states states that Japanese people have “flatter nose[s]” (3) than those of other races, and that Japanese people tend to be “short and squat” (3). The artifact stereo-typically profiles both the Japanese and the Chinese. This artifact is relevant because it displays the racism of the time period. Entire countries worth of people were profiled as being “tall and slender” (3) or as having “shorter legs” (3). This racism was important because it lowered the positions of both Japanese and Chinese people from people to animals to be studied. The artifact treats both Chinese people and Japanese people in a racist manner, but China’s treatment is slightly more respectful. The source refers to Chinese people in a non derogatory manner as “the Chinese” (3), while it refers to the Japanese in a disrespectful manner, simply as “Japs” (3). This shows that while the source treated both Chinese people and Japanese people disrespectfully, it was more disrespectful to the Japanese. This created the idea that Americans were superior to both the Japanese and the Chinese, and thus that the United States’ position in the war was “right” while Japan’s was “wrong”. This artifact was unique because it dehumanized both the Japanese people and the Chinese people. This again shows the anti-Asia racism present in the U.S. during the war.
Purpose: Because this is an article in a magazine, its purpose is to convince the reader that the author’s point of view is accurate. In this case, the purpose was to convince the reader that all Japanese people are the same.
This artifact is a picture guide to telling the difference between a Japanese person and a Chinese person. The example of a Chinese person is portrayed as having more amiable features, such as a slight smile, while the example of a Japanese person is portrayed as being less friendly by features like his noticeable frown. This artifact states states that Japanese people have “flatter nose[s]” (3) than those of other races, and that Japanese people tend to be “short and squat” (3). The artifact stereo-typically profiles both the Japanese and the Chinese. This artifact is relevant because it displays the racism of the time period. Entire countries worth of people were profiled as being “tall and slender” (3) or as having “shorter legs” (3). This racism was important because it lowered the positions of both Japanese and Chinese people from people to animals to be studied. The artifact treats both Chinese people and Japanese people in a racist manner, but China’s treatment is slightly more respectful. The source refers to Chinese people in a non derogatory manner as “the Chinese” (3), while it refers to the Japanese in a disrespectful manner, simply as “Japs” (3). This shows that while the source treated both Chinese people and Japanese people disrespectfully, it was more disrespectful to the Japanese. This created the idea that Americans were superior to both the Japanese and the Chinese, and thus that the United States’ position in the war was “right” while Japan’s was “wrong”. This artifact was unique because it dehumanized both the Japanese people and the Chinese people. This again shows the anti-Asia racism present in the U.S. during the war.
Source 4
Origin: This artifact is a political cartoon written by Dr. Seuss during WWII.
Purpose: Because this artifact is a political cartoon its purpose is to convince the viewer of a particular point of view on a certain issue. In this case the purpose was to convince the viewer that the internment of Japanese Americans was justified.
This cartoon shows stereotypical Japanese people in America arming themselves with TNT and “waiting for the signal” (4) from Japan to attack. The cartoon conveys the message that all Japanese Americans were fighting for the Japanese in the war, and as such should be locked in internment camps to prevent this. This cartoon is significant because it villainizes all Japanese people, including those who live in America. Japanese people are seen arming themselves with explosives to attack the U.S. This perpetuates the racist message that all Japanese people were working against the U.S., and thus justifies the U.S.’s war with Japan. Because the cartoon depicts the Japanese as aggressors it justifies the U.S.’s doings in the war. This Artifact is unique because it not only villainizes Japanese people living in Japan, but it also villainizes Japanese people living in the U.S.. This shows part of the general American perspective of the era, that all Japanese people were bad, even if they had no affiliation with Japan other than their heritage. This artifact presents the idea to the American population that all Japanese people were going to attack. This justified to the general public both the war and the racial practices of the war that took place in the U.S..
Purpose: Because this artifact is a political cartoon its purpose is to convince the viewer of a particular point of view on a certain issue. In this case the purpose was to convince the viewer that the internment of Japanese Americans was justified.
This cartoon shows stereotypical Japanese people in America arming themselves with TNT and “waiting for the signal” (4) from Japan to attack. The cartoon conveys the message that all Japanese Americans were fighting for the Japanese in the war, and as such should be locked in internment camps to prevent this. This cartoon is significant because it villainizes all Japanese people, including those who live in America. Japanese people are seen arming themselves with explosives to attack the U.S. This perpetuates the racist message that all Japanese people were working against the U.S., and thus justifies the U.S.’s war with Japan. Because the cartoon depicts the Japanese as aggressors it justifies the U.S.’s doings in the war. This Artifact is unique because it not only villainizes Japanese people living in Japan, but it also villainizes Japanese people living in the U.S.. This shows part of the general American perspective of the era, that all Japanese people were bad, even if they had no affiliation with Japan other than their heritage. This artifact presents the idea to the American population that all Japanese people were going to attack. This justified to the general public both the war and the racial practices of the war that took place in the U.S..
Source 5
Origin: This is a portion of an interview of Richardson Okie Shoemaker on February 10th, 2013 by Teddy Kortenhof. Mr. Shoemaker lived through the War, and was thus affected by the propaganda present at the time.
Purpose: This is an interview conducted long after the war ended. Its purpose is to gather historical information about an event from witnesses.
In this interview Mr. Shoemaker talked about propaganda and its effects in the United States during World War II. Mr. Shoemaker was 8 years old when the United States entered the war. He remembers lots of racist propaganda that was distributed in the United States. He remembers that the propaganda showed Japanese people as people who “had buck teeth and... wore thick Coke bottle glasses” (5). The propaganda made him “hate” (5) the Japanese. This shows that the propaganda in the U.S. served to install false images of Japanese people in the minds of U.S. civilians, and to make the people of the U.S. hate Japanese people. By creating a hatred of the Japanese in the mindset of Americans the U.S. Government made many American’s sympathetic to the cause of the War. This made the country more willing to support the war. This source is significant because it shows the effects of Propaganda on children who lived through WWII. This source allows researchers to get an idea of how propaganda affected the average U.S. civilian.
Interview Transcript
Question: How old were you at the beginning of World War II?
Answer: My eighth birthday was two weeks before the war started, so at the start of the war I was eight years old.
Question: Did you notice any propaganda during the war?
Answer: Back then the propaganda was everywhere. There were fliers about scrap metal drives, and lots of posters about joining the military.
Question: Was any of the propaganda you saw racist?
Answer: Oh my god yes. The propaganda in this country was everywhere. There were lots of posters and things about Japanese people. All the posters were very racist. They never referred to the Japanese as “Japanese”. They were all Japs. The posters always called them Japs, and so did we. We all knew, because of the propaganda, that they all had buck teeth and they all wore thick Coke bottle glasses. And they were all mean.
Purpose: This is an interview conducted long after the war ended. Its purpose is to gather historical information about an event from witnesses.
In this interview Mr. Shoemaker talked about propaganda and its effects in the United States during World War II. Mr. Shoemaker was 8 years old when the United States entered the war. He remembers lots of racist propaganda that was distributed in the United States. He remembers that the propaganda showed Japanese people as people who “had buck teeth and... wore thick Coke bottle glasses” (5). The propaganda made him “hate” (5) the Japanese. This shows that the propaganda in the U.S. served to install false images of Japanese people in the minds of U.S. civilians, and to make the people of the U.S. hate Japanese people. By creating a hatred of the Japanese in the mindset of Americans the U.S. Government made many American’s sympathetic to the cause of the War. This made the country more willing to support the war. This source is significant because it shows the effects of Propaganda on children who lived through WWII. This source allows researchers to get an idea of how propaganda affected the average U.S. civilian.
Interview Transcript
Question: How old were you at the beginning of World War II?
Answer: My eighth birthday was two weeks before the war started, so at the start of the war I was eight years old.
Question: Did you notice any propaganda during the war?
Answer: Back then the propaganda was everywhere. There were fliers about scrap metal drives, and lots of posters about joining the military.
Question: Was any of the propaganda you saw racist?
Answer: Oh my god yes. The propaganda in this country was everywhere. There were lots of posters and things about Japanese people. All the posters were very racist. They never referred to the Japanese as “Japanese”. They were all Japs. The posters always called them Japs, and so did we. We all knew, because of the propaganda, that they all had buck teeth and they all wore thick Coke bottle glasses. And they were all mean.
Source 6
Origin: The US government subsidized posters during World War II and this particular one was part of a six poster series entitled “Tokio Kid say”.
Purpose: To dehumanize the Japanese to the American public as well as motivate them to do their part at home to help the war effort by donating scrap metal, driving well, and working hard.
These posters depict a Japanese man with buck teeth, sharp fang-like teeth, pointed ears, sits for eyes, glasses, and a knife dripping blood, accompanied by a thank you note written in broken English. The overwhelming number of accentuated stereotypes as well as very animalistic features such as the fang like teeth, pointed ears, and what could be either venom or drool dripping from his mouth all play into the idea that the Japanese were less people than the Americans. The dehumanization of an enemy is a common wartime practice done through propaganda, the Germans were depicted as brutish apelike people but it was pushed especially far with the Japanese due to the greater difference in culture. This poster and the series of posters that it belongs to represent a dual-pronged approach the US government took in trying to simultaneously dehumanize the Japanese and motivate the American people.
Purpose: To dehumanize the Japanese to the American public as well as motivate them to do their part at home to help the war effort by donating scrap metal, driving well, and working hard.
These posters depict a Japanese man with buck teeth, sharp fang-like teeth, pointed ears, sits for eyes, glasses, and a knife dripping blood, accompanied by a thank you note written in broken English. The overwhelming number of accentuated stereotypes as well as very animalistic features such as the fang like teeth, pointed ears, and what could be either venom or drool dripping from his mouth all play into the idea that the Japanese were less people than the Americans. The dehumanization of an enemy is a common wartime practice done through propaganda, the Germans were depicted as brutish apelike people but it was pushed especially far with the Japanese due to the greater difference in culture. This poster and the series of posters that it belongs to represent a dual-pronged approach the US government took in trying to simultaneously dehumanize the Japanese and motivate the American people.
Source 7
Origin: Japanese hunting licenses were non-governmental and passed around the country after the attack on pearl harbor.
Purpose: They were distributed as a way for the American people to voice their hatred of the Japanese and there backstabbing.
The Japanese hunting license above is one of many, this particular one depicts a snake with an angry Japanese face, derogatory language, and a warning that the “animal is noted for back stabbing”. The notion of back stabbing, vile, snakelike Japanese people was a common one among the American people, and the hunting licenses how this very well, as they were produced independent of any governmental agency. Much of the other propaganda is produced by a body with vested interest in Japanese hatred and fear so that more people will get behind defeating the Japanese, but because these were produced by private citizens it really shows the American view.
Purpose: They were distributed as a way for the American people to voice their hatred of the Japanese and there backstabbing.
The Japanese hunting license above is one of many, this particular one depicts a snake with an angry Japanese face, derogatory language, and a warning that the “animal is noted for back stabbing”. The notion of back stabbing, vile, snakelike Japanese people was a common one among the American people, and the hunting licenses how this very well, as they were produced independent of any governmental agency. Much of the other propaganda is produced by a body with vested interest in Japanese hatred and fear so that more people will get behind defeating the Japanese, but because these were produced by private citizens it really shows the American view.
Source 8
Origin: The Batman serial was created in 1943 and released in 15 parts in movie theaters across the country by Columbia Pictures. It casts Lewis Wilson as Batman and Carrol Naish as the antagonist.
Purpose: The serial was designed to sell tickets and make involved parties money, which it did to a degree of success that inspired a television show in later years.
This artifact, unlike others, was neither propaganda nor news, but fictional entertainment. This allows it to reflect the mood of the American people, as the creators wanted to sell their product they would craft it in a way that would be appealing to their customers and in this case align with their ideology. While not as extremely racist as many other things at the time, racism obviously bleeds through. The villain, Dr. Daka, is Japanese and is characterized by an accent, thin slits for eyes, and his offering of many praises to the emperor Hirohito as well as his overall evilness. In this serial Batman is also a US agent, so it puts an American icon up against what is seen as a Japanese power to show the American superiority. Batman also refers to Daka derogatorily as a “murdering Jap”. Daka is also seen at the end of the serial raising a knife to stab a woman in the back much like another one of our sources. The overall anti-Japanese feel to the movie portrays the average American feeling relatively well, and is echoed by the success of the film.
Purpose: The serial was designed to sell tickets and make involved parties money, which it did to a degree of success that inspired a television show in later years.
This artifact, unlike others, was neither propaganda nor news, but fictional entertainment. This allows it to reflect the mood of the American people, as the creators wanted to sell their product they would craft it in a way that would be appealing to their customers and in this case align with their ideology. While not as extremely racist as many other things at the time, racism obviously bleeds through. The villain, Dr. Daka, is Japanese and is characterized by an accent, thin slits for eyes, and his offering of many praises to the emperor Hirohito as well as his overall evilness. In this serial Batman is also a US agent, so it puts an American icon up against what is seen as a Japanese power to show the American superiority. Batman also refers to Daka derogatorily as a “murdering Jap”. Daka is also seen at the end of the serial raising a knife to stab a woman in the back much like another one of our sources. The overall anti-Japanese feel to the movie portrays the average American feeling relatively well, and is echoed by the success of the film.
Historiography
This exhibit contains pieces of history that were very important to American perception of the Japanese during the war years and that continue to be relevant to day in our knowledge of our past. All the elements of the exhibit demonstrate varying degrees of racism in a variety of places that were, and often still are, well regarded news sources and entertainment companies that have few ties to the US government. When they were published, even the most offensive of the posters and propaganda above was considered normal to a point where it wasn’t offensive. As testified to by Mr. Shoemaker, “[Americans] all knew...that [Japanese] all had buck teeth and they all wore thick Coke bottle glasses. And they were all mean.” So what would now be considered highly offensive, was assumed to be true in the time these were published. The original value for most of the artifacts was to shape the American point of view to a point where the death of Japanese people was not seen as important, the value now is that we are able to see how the government manipulated the citizens as well as how the citizens responded in their mood, actions, and beliefs. The limiting factor for this exhibit is the focus on the racism due to the artifacts or the effect of racism on the artifacts, but got into very little beyond that with background on cultural differences or the root reasons for the intense hatred many felt for the Japanese. The bias in the exhibit comes from the authors American viewpoint and education which has caused preferential ideas of the US.
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