Turning to glorified past has always been one of the most effective moves of military propaganda. After propaganda transformed into an industry, exploitation of ancestors’ shadows became truly merciless. No nation that participated in WWI has avoided these changes, and heroes, leaders and well-known politicians even accelerated their working pace after WWII began. You will find a small example compilation of such art below.
Here are two WWI posters. The one on the left shows Abraham Lincoln who hints colored Americans that they didn’t come out of slavery just to stay at home rather than go for a ride in Europe. Meanwhile legendary Horatio Nelson seeks to sell some National War Bonds to Englishmen , however his face looks like he doesn’t fancy this job much
Propaganda founded on Ancient Rome history had to bore the hell out of Italians already at pre-war times, wherever you look there were pictures framed with fasces and lector axes showing Mussolini literally hugging Caesar. Alas, in the absence of noticeable success at the WWII frontlines they had to ride a horse that was dead for ages. Poster from the times of the Italian Social Republic on the left is dedicated to the famous Decima Flottiglia MAS led by prince Borghese; on the right statue of Augustus Octavius convinces fellow countrymen that “such people” shall not prevail against them
Across Europe somebody wasn’t against remembering predecessors as well, especially when things went south, and these two propaganda posters that invite anyone to join SS are an example. Poster on the left tells Danish it would be quite nice to repeat the journey of their forefathers who took over Narva in 1219. On the right alongside with them a young Norwegian is invited to suit up and proceed boarding a drakkar longship
Numerous heroes of the past would be surprised to know their name inspires someone to fight something called Bolshevism. Well, what more can I say if Dutch couldn’t find more appropriate heroes than Paul Kruger, president of South-African Republic, or Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. After all they used to fight Englishmen and Spaniards…
German propaganda was always ultimately straightforward: citizens were encouraged to believe that Hitler is the successor of Frederick the Great, Bismarck and Hindenburg
Two of the most notable French characters by the beginning of WWII – Napoleon and Joan of Arc are serving in the Vichy regime. Poster on the left tells that French carry an enormous burden thanks to former allies who had a hand in killing their favorite national heroes.
Poster on the right reminds that France is Europe’s forward bastion. Threat from the East was never on the table back then
Soviet WWII propaganda did not stand aside the glorious past as well. As long as propaganda from the first stages of war depicted mostly dashing Red Cavalry, warriors of Alexander Nevsky and Alexander Suvorov’s grenadiers reinforced their ranks by 1943. It was a part of an ambitious campaign which for the record introduced shoulder marks and military leadership awards
