TIME TUNNEL 2…

October 8, 2009

WAR AND PROPAGANDA

“The first casualty when war comes is truth”

U.S Senator Hiram Johnson, 1947s

There is no doubt the history of mankind is the history of wars. Only 300 years of human history, has passed away with the peace in this world. Nevertheless, there are many things that we cannot compromise in the world.

Capitalism vs Communism

In the aftermath of the Second World War two power blocs formed in Europe, one dominated by America and capitalist democracy (though there were exceptions), the other dominated by the Soviet Union and communism. USA and Western Europe Countries are capitalist and they are called “First World Countries”. Communist countries are called “Second World Countries” such as USSR, Bulgaria, Romania etc. And this is occurred a clash of ideologies.

“Radio” as a Great Tool for War

Radio, from its very earliest days, was used as a tool for war. Radio can make a huge different. It was giving basic information and it is a great tool especially for spread propaganda. It is basic, but it has a great impact. By the 1930s, radio had become a prime tool for propaganda and counterpropaganda within and between countries especially during the World War II. The use of radio for war reflects its technical characteristics of being a broadcast medium, subject to interference and with declining costs. The early history of radio shows the importance of both shaping and use of technology for war and peace. Moreover, movies, books, comic books were being used for spreading regime and it is against the communism. There was a one television channel in The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The aim of the channel spread the state propaganda. Also there was a fear of different regimes like democracy. On the other hand, there is a Third World Countries that they are neither communist nor capitalist, and the only purpose of them is not starving. The term Third World arose during the “Cold War Era” to define countries that remained non-aligned or neutral with either capitalism and NATO (which along with its allies represented the First World) or communism and the Soviet Union (which along with its allies represented the Second World). This definition provided a way of broadly categorizing the nations of the Earth into three groups based on social, political, and economic divisions.

Quotations about War

“Peace at home, peace in the world”

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, The founder of the Turkish Republic and its first President

“All warfare is based on deception.”

Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Chinese Military Commander

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.” Dwight D. Eisenhower, speech, American Society of Newspaper Editors, 16 April 1953

“In modern war… you will die like a dog for no good reason.”

Ernest Hemingway, American writer and journalist

“Come you masters of war / You that build all the guns / You that build the death planes You that build the big bombs / You that hide behind walls / You that hide behind desks I just want you to know I can see through your masks.”

Bob Dylan, American singer, songwriter

WAR PROPAGANDA POSTERS

And these are some of the war propaganda posters were used by Nazis, Soviet Union, China and the U.S. during the World Wars.

3041_20081208010333_2