WW2 Imagery

In this picture, are the three allied power leaders, the president of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, and Premier of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. It is interesting to think about the fact that whatever any of these men say goes. They were obviously more power during the war and had the other countries involved during the war under their power.

It is also interesting to think about the fact that millions of people in the world see these men as "the good guys." Yes, they fought for their country and they protected their people's freedom and safety, but they did it at the risk of the lives of others. Some might argue that the fact that the people they were killing were mass murderers, but all they did was fight fire with fire. They did a good thing by stopping Hitler and they simply had to get involved after they were bombed by Japan... right?

A study of commercial posters undertaken by the U.S. Government found that images of women and children in danger were effective emotional devices. This Canadian poster was part of the study and served as a model for American posters, by G. K. Odell. During 1941 through 1945 this poster was commissioned by Canadian government. The top right hand represents the "dangerous" Nazis, and the bottom left hand with Japan's rising sun represents the "hateful" Japanese.

It is kind of ridiculous how they put this picture. They know that most men can relate to this either because they have a girl friend and want a family with them, have a wife and baby, or simply see their loving mom in the eyes of this woman. It reminds me of Maria O'hare, because her concern is that families are being affected by the war.

President Roosevelt declared the date “A Day that will live in infamy”. Webster’s defines the word as a state of extreme dishonor. The United States was attacked without provocation, drawing us into a war that claimed many of our finest young men and women.

"Sailors in a motor launch rescue a survivor from the water alongside the sunken USS West Virginia(BB-48) during or shortly after the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor." (http://www.acepilots.com/ww2/pictures.html)

To me it seems like the photographer is trying to show something that is not really realistic. They try to make it seem like the United States navy, in this case, is he only victim. Hiroshima was many times greater and more impacting than Pearl Harbor was. Japan attacking a base, which even though it violated their peace treaty, this picture doesn't justify that the United States then bombed innocent citizens