These WWII Propaganda Posters Are More Shocking Than You Remember

Propaganda posters were all too common during the Second World War. When the globe plunged into total war, there came a need to get everyone on board. That said, some of these left something to be desired regarding overall content and messaging. Today, we're looking at some of the most shocking propaganda posters of World War 2.

At a surface level, this propaganda poster is at least somewhat understandable. People were concerned about the risk of Axis attacks on American soil. Produced by General Motors in 1942, this poster depicts both the Japanese and German supreme commanders as caricatures of sorts. The depiction of Hideki Tojo is bordering on grotesque, appearing more in line with racist depictions of East Asian people rather than having a basis in reality.

Large swathes of the Eastern Bloc were devoured by both German and Soviet forces. This poster, designed by German propagandists, targets Ukrainian citizens and features a grotesque depiction of a Jewish person as Satan. The translated text reads as "Satan has taken off his mask".

It wasn't too uncommon for propaganda posters to target the fear of average citizens. This American poster depicts a home and vehicle wrecked by an enemy attack. It immediately transforms the idyllic nature of suburbia into a nightmare for a shock toward people not engaging in government-mandated rationing at home.

Wartime production was paramount for the overall success of the American and Allied war efforts alike. This poster, depicting a man struggling to stay awake, is urged by Adolf Hitler to take the day off for his good. Such depictions of laziness equating to the death of servicemen weren't uncommon, but come as a shock to modern sensibilities.

Given the nature of how we speak about the Holocaust, it can be difficult to reconcile that the American public had some inkling of what was happening. This propaganda poster tells the story of Lidice, a Czech mining village that was razed to the ground after the death of Reinhard Heydrich by Czech partisans. It holds no punches back, which keeps that message sharp and clear.

Synchronized watches were something done to make sure all servicemen were operating on the same timetable. This poster has a benign enough message at its heart, but it is the iconography that is shocking here. Hideki Tojo, Adolf Hitler, and Benito Mussolini are all depicted, with Tojo and Mussolini both appearing as grotesque, racist figures.

The average American citizen likely wasn't aware of naval movements. However, this poster urges those at home to keep quiet about what they do know. After all, it could lead to thousands of servicemen dying in the line of duty.

There is quite a bit of psychology that goes behind an effective propaganda poster. This American poster stokes anti-Italian sentiment by quoting Mussolini himself. The quotation is short and to the point, and asks what you think of the notion of peace being bad for humanity.

American wartime production shifted everything over to the war effort. In the case of people back home, they were encouraged to grow their own fruits and vegetables. This would augment whatever rations they received, alongside making sure the farms running in America could send more overseas.

This one touches on something that remains a sore point in American discourse. People of all races and creeds were encouraged to pitch in for the war effort. This extends to this propaganda poster depicting a black and white man working together. The country at the time was still practicing active segregation in public spaces, making this ring a bit hollow.

The American public needed quite a bit of convincing to voluntarily surrender men and materials to the Second World War. One area where this was done was convincing Americans that people overseas were making noble sacrifices. Seems hard to believe in the current era, but Americans wanted to stay isolated from the international community at large.

Conservation was the order of the day in the United States throughout the entire war effort. Propaganda posters like this one emphasize the need to save metal rather than use it for your own projects or needs. This was just daily life for the average American, but it is unthinkable today.

In the 1940s, few countries had the same sort of industrial capacity as the United States. This did mean that everyone had to be on board with the war effort. Americans aren't accustomed to sacrificing everything for a larger common goal. This propaganda poster depicts the war effort at home in Pennsylvania, with every member of the household engaged.

The shock attack at Pearl Harbor was a wake-up call for the vast majority of the American public. World War 2 at the time was seen as more or less a European war, not at all at home for Americans. This propaganda poster is instantly striking, showing the flag in tatters while smoke rages behind it.

The United States is a melting pot of ethnicities and backgrounds. The early 20th century saw a good chunk of the American population bearing German ancestry to the point of having German language newspapers. This poster is cruel, yet effective, showing German-Americans what Nazi Germany thought of them.