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Propaganda In Paul Bäumer's All Quiet On The Western

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Propaganda was a ploy commonly used throughout history that deceived many with images deliberately created for people to carry out certain acts or believe in false ideas. Such is the poster depicting the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II under a massive, silver coin. The first world war had been taking a toll on the British economy. Britain was not prepared for the financial demands that war posed and as a result, an increased number of people were paying income tax and the British government decided upon taking the civilians’ money as well. On the other hand, in Germany, both civilians and soldiers were facing starvation due to German supply lines being cut off. The effect of this starvation is expressed by Paul Bäumer in All Quiet on the Western …show more content…

It targets British civilians and deception is used in this poster with the distorted size of a shilling compared to that of a person, giving the target audience the sense that their money is a potent weapon. Creating the sense that their money is a weapon also convinces more civilians to put in money for the war effort. Moreover, the portrayal of the Kaiser also plays a significant role in relaying an effective message to the British people. He is shown with a discontented expression, contrasting the valiant war hero on the face of the coin; while Wilhelm II is shown as helpless and defeated under the weight of the coin, whereas the soldier is victorious and proud. The image of the hero makes the British people prideful and it says that Britain is a mighty country deserving of its citizens’ money. Furthermore, the text written on the poster sets up the exaggeration that by donating their money, the British civilians are directly causing the downfall of Wilhelm II. The text “crush the Germans” is written in a larger font than the first part of the sentence to explicitly state how by donating money the British are affecting the Germans significantly. These key components displayed on the poster are made to focus on convincing the British to aid in the war effort and defeat

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