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Inspiring A Nation
(March 2, 2010) | 
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| | February 28, 2010 (ANS) -- Within weeks of the United States
entering the First World War in 1917, President Woodrow
Wilson knew that national support of the American people
would be essential to winning the war. |
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The Society of Illustrators in New York City was tasked to find a way that
artists might assist in the war effort. Under the leadership of Charles Dana
Gibson, its members launched what became the Division of Pictorial Publicity. It
was part of the Committee on Public Information, created by President Wilson and
charged with designing posters that would encourage patriotism and sacrifice on
the home front. More than three hundred of America's foremost designers,
illustrators, painters, and cartoonists worked for the division. They had the
responsibility to illustrate for the people the demands of the Great War and to
place on every wall in America the call to patriotism and service by showing the
stories of courage, suffering, heroism, and, most importantly, confidence for |
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Americans All! Artisit: Howard Chandler Christy. Treasury Department,
Victory Loan, 1919... When World War l had been over for more than five months,
the American Army was still in Germany and France. The troops required support
until they could be brought back home. The “Victory Loan” provided that support,
raising $5,249,903,300. The “Christy Girl” recognizing the diversity of the
“Doughboys,” holds the laurel wreath of victory to welcome all servicemen home. |
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Pro Patria! Join Army for Period of War. Artisit:
H. Devitt Welsh. United States Army
Recruiting,1917... This United States Army
recruiting poster encouraged young men to enlist
by illustrating the great Army tradition of the
horse soldier. It also used the inspirational
line “Pro Patria,” borrowed from the Roman
lyrical poet Horace, the phrase meaning “for
your country.” |
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victory. |
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From the very start of the project, the Philadelphia Sketch Club, with some of
the most famous artists in America as members, was well positioned to be at the
center of the Division of Pictorial Publicity's war poster campaign. The Club
joined in that great artistic effort of inspiring a nation to victory with many
of the most successful posters. They |
For Victory, Buy More Bonds. Artist: J. Scott Williams.United
States Treasury Department, Fourth Liberty Loan, 1918... One of the most
dramatic and powerful images of World War I, this poster was created by artist
J. Scott Williams. Asked about the creative process for this poster, the artist
explained, “I wish to visualize, if possible, in a poster expression, the
dynamic energy of the American people and to help a bit to communicate to every
American the idea of victory.” |
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were designed by illustrators and artists
such as Howard Chandler Christy, Joseph Pennell, C.B. Falls, J.D. Sheridan, and
H. Devitt Welsh, the Assistant Secretary of the Division of Pictorial Publicity. From April 1917 to the war's end in November, 1918, illustrators and artists
submitted over seven hundred poster designs to various government agencies such
as the United States Food Administration, the Liberty Loan Program, and
Recruitment, as well as to private groups such as the Red Cross. Posters made
an important contribution to America's
successful war effort in World War I. Their
brilliant color and urgent demands projected a
sense of patriotism: "the stuff that holds a
nation together." Artists designed posters with
national symbols and icons such as the American
flag, the Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, and the
girl next door to inspire the American nation to
contribute to the call of liberty. |
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Every American citizen was asked to stand up and take his or her patriotic place
in the defense of our great country. To do less would be un-American. After the
war, Congress tallied up the bill and found that two- thirds of the cost of the
war was raised by poster bond drives. |
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About This Story... Many of the sources presented in this article are among
400,000 books, 1.7 million photos and 12.5 million manuscripts available for
study through the U.S. Army Military History Institute (MHI). The artifacts
shown are among nearly 50,000 items of the Army Heritage Museum (AHM)
collections. MHI and AHM are part of the: Army Heritage and Education Center,
950 Soldiers Drive, Carlisle, PA, 17013-5021.
(See the associated video,
Inspiring A Nation With Patriotic
Posters) | |
By James McNally, Army Heritage
Museum
Photos courtesy of the Army Heritage Museum
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Army News Service /
Army website
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