VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS IN POLITICS

 New technologies impacting in propaganda during WWII      The use of new technologies, such as radio and film, had a significant impact on propaganda during World War II. These technologies allowed propaganda to be disseminated more widely and quickly than ever before and to reach a larger and more diverse audience.      Radio was significant in spreading propaganda during the war, as it allowed messages to be broadcast over long distances and to reach people who may not have had access to other forms of media. The film was also used extensively to produce propaganda, and many governments produced short films and newsreels in theaters and other public places. These films often depicted the war positively and were used to boost morale and support the war effort.      For instance, during World War II, the Nazi party made extensive use of new technologies, such as radio and film, to spread their propaganda and promote their ideology. The ...

How Communication Creates Dictators? When the Nazi concentration camps were liberated at the end of World War II from the years 1939 to 1945, the whole world discovered the true horrors of Adolf Hitler's regime. At that moment many Germans discovered what Nazism was truly about. Dictatorships such as Nazism by Hitler, and Fascism by Mussolini and Franco, would've never made it if it wasn't thanks to propaganda.   Even today, modern dictators always try to get the power of all the mass media so that they can influence the minds of their citizens or they can't distinguish the actual truth from their situation. The most common examples nowadays can be Kim Jong-Un and Sadam Hussein. And all these dictators have something in common; their regimes killed too many people. The difference between the past century to the one in which we currently live is not that big. Mass media technology just changes and the ways of manipulating it change as well.  Adolf Hitler, Sadam Hussein, ...

 Sings and Symbols used in Propaganda      Propaganda often uses symbols and signs to communicate ideas and messages quickly and effectively and to evoke an emotional response in the audience. Symbols can be visual, such as a flag or a picture, and represent an idea or concept, such as freedom or patriotism. On the other hand, signs are physical objects or phenomena that indicate the presence or occurrence of something, such as a stop sign or a siren. In propaganda, both symbols and signs can be used to convey a message and influence the audience's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. In addition to this, i n contemporary propaganda, various symbols represent different ideas and ideologies. For instance, a  hammer and sickle, which is a symbol of communism and was used extensively in Soviet propaganda. Furthermore, in contemporary propaganda, various signs are used to communicate messages and influence the audience's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. For insta...

    Distorting Propaganda    Differently than the Fascist countries, the Allies (and mostly Democratic) nations have developed a different style of Propaganda. Its graphics was much more focused on the ideal, people and freedom concepts than the centralized dictator, such as the previous example posted in the blog.      Understanding society and adapting Propaganda to their style and context is a key factor of visual persuasion. "Persuasion to get the new accepted is successful, usually, only when it is cleverly associated with the old, the customary" (Miller, 1946). Clyde R. Miller is one of the most remarkable western propaganda theorists. He has studied closely the Nazi Propaganda machine during the 30s and 40s and has helped the United States to find a formula for their own.      The Allies Propaganda has focused, as previously mentioned, on common the belief of freedom. Below, some iconic examples of it.  "Uncle Sam" represents...

    Axis Propaganda during WWII      Since the first half of 20th century,  Propaganda has been a powerful and persuasive tool. Under Hitler's watch, the Nazi Germany has controlled Mass Media in every single level and also has created innumerous  of unprecedented techniques .       The man responsible for such a structured censor machine was named Joseph Goebbels. He "began to create the Führer myth around the person of Hitler and to institute the ritual of party celebrations and demonstrations that played a decisive role in converting the masses to Nazism. In addition, he spread propaganda by continuing his rigorous schedule of speech making" (Heiber, 2022).     In the  picture below, it is possible to notice the concept of the "Myth creation". Adolf Hitler is found in the image foreground and in a much bigger size than the people behind. The usage of German word for "leader" is still highly associated to his image...