IMWWII Propaganda IL
The Power of Propaganda in World War II

The Psychology of Propaganda

What makes propaganda so powerful? Often, it is the psychological impact of its message, conveyed through an image, text, or a combination of both. Some of the feelings that propaganda can evoke are fear, guilt, anger, pride, prejudice, and nationalism.


Left: American poster seeking volunteers for the Citizens Service Corps, a civilian defense group. (The headline reads: "What did you do today... for Freedom?")
Center: American propaganda often portrayed Japanese Admiral Yamamoto, who had planned the 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
Right: Soviet poster showing the Allied Forces—America, England, and the Soviet Union—setting Europe free from the chains of German domination. (Translation: "Europe will be free!")

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Symbols and Slogans
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Symbols or slogans were used as a kind of code. In Nazi Germany, the swastika symbolized the racist ideology of Hitler’s government, as did the salute “Sieg Heil!”

Above: A German clock with a swastika and the Nazi slogan "Sieg Heil!" (Hail, victory!)

Take Notes

Fill in the table below based on your evaluation of the three examples of propaganda above.

  • In the first column, write down the feeling you think it tried to evoke: fear, guilt, anger, pride, prejudice, or nationalism.
  • In the second column, provide evidence from the poster that was meant to evoke that feeling and thus helped to “sell” its message.
  • In the third column, rate how effective you think the propaganda would have been by giving it a letter grade. Briefly explain your rationale. (A=very effective, B=effective, C=somewhat effective, D=not effective)