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Hatred of the Enemy: The Use of Propaganda during WWII

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During times of warfare, countries such as Japan and the United States devoted much effort to designing material that shaped the opinion of their citizens perception of the enemy. The production of propaganda led to othering, which is a negative view of others who differ from you in some way, resulting in inferior treatment. This includes but is not limited to gender, race, and ethnicity. Through propaganda and othering, the depiction of the enemy is created. Propaganda is used to unite the public against a common enemy.      During World War II, patriotism became the central theme of advertising in the United States. Using various mediums, the U.S. government actively worked to instill in  American citizens a focused hatred for Japan. To aid in the assistance of production and distribution of propaganda, President Roosevelt founded the Office of War Information (OWI) in 1942, approximately six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The goal of the go...

Flags of Our Fathers: An Analysis

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Basic Information Flags of Our Fathers is a 2006 film directed by Clint Eastwood that details the raising of the famous American flag in Iwo Jima. It is based on a novel by James Bradley and Ron Powers of the same name. It was produced in the United States in English. This film is in color and runs for 132 minutes. This film was viewed via a DVD obtained from the library. Image courtesy of Wikipedia Plot Summary This is the story of one of the most iconic war images in history and the consequences that follow after the photo is published. In February of 1945, the 28th Marine Regiment sailed to Iwo Jima, 660 miles off the coast of mainland Japan.  There are three men that the film follows closely: Navy Corpsman John “Doc” Bradley, Marine Private First Class Rene Gangon, and Marine Private First Class Ira Hayes. When the soldiers arrive, the beaches of the small island of Iwo Jima are eerily quiet with no movement and no evidence of the Japanese. Somewhat confused b...