“Words, posters, and film waged constant battle for the hearts and minds of the American citizenry just as surely as military weapons engaged the enemy. Persuading the American public became a wartime industry, almost as important as the manufacturing of bullets and planes.”
This quote, taken from one of the posters’ captions, depicts the power of art in swaying the wills of people and the importance of this influence during times of war.
The 14 posters that have been put up will, tentatively, be on display until January.
Federal Park Ranger Susan Fishman-Tudor speculates, “there may be a part two of the exhibit.”
She explains that some of the posters contained content that could be deemed not family friendly, so the decision was made to exclude them from the exhibit for this first time around.
In an interview yesterday, Fishman-Tudor tells Variety, “The importance of all this [the posters] is that it united people in the war efforts. Even for those who were against the war, a focus was found to persuade them to assist.”
The exhibit makes us think about, “how important advertisement has been to the world especially after the WWII era,” she says.
“At the time these posters were publicized, they were essential for the person at home. It made these issues an everyday experience,” she continues.
The pieces on recycling and conservation really caught her imagination.
“Everybody thinks recycling is a new, leftist idea,” she says, but on the contrary, even 50 years ago during the war, people were saving rubber and metal and rationing products in efforts to conserve.
Much of the content of the posters are applicable to today’s general public.
“Everything old is new again,” Fishman-Tudor quotes song writer Peter Allen to emphasize this.
The exhibit presents pictorial representations of issues such as women’s rights, racial equality, conservation efforts, and children during wartime.
These creations inspired Americans to rise above their adversities.
The engaging showcase was compiled by the staff of War In The Pacific, National Historic Park, Guam. This exhibit was originally seen in its entirety at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., from May 1994 to February 1995.
Anyone and everyone is encouraged to make their way down to the park’s Visitor Center and view the exhibit. There is no fee for admission.
