The Expression of Propaganda in WWI

Manhood and patriotism became major themes throughout the stages of World War I. To appeal the emotion of the public propaganda was often used. Propaganda was illustrated through many different ideas but a common form was through posters. The posters reached out to the public because they expressed ideas of manhood and patriotism. From patriotism of the men and woman, a strong sense of nationalism began to formulate around their respective homelands. Citizens and war combatants had their civic duties to their mother country and performing these duties displayed the ultimate form of patriotism. Fighting in the war articulated the manhood a young man could possess. While avoiding the war, was a sign of cowardice. Fighting in the war became accepted by man, and they became responsible to act on the call of war. The novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, expresses all the factors of war include nationalism, patriotism, manhood, cowardice, and the significance of women, similar to the posters. Each country had their unique forms of attracting young men to the war effort, which could be the most creative but cleverest task of the war.

Posters, music, and poetry were all very popular uses of propaganda. This poster is an example of the use of manhood, patriotism, and even cowardice. In this image, Great Britain is using the king and the country to recruit soldiers. “Doing Duty from here-are you doing yours?” This slogan is around a picture of the king and the country. It is an attempt to encourage men to enroll in the army. If you enrolled in the army, this act expressed your ‘manhood’ and patriotism for your country, but if you do not enroll you were called a ‘white feather’ and this shows your cowardice and your unpatriotic acts. The use of the king in this poster acts as if he is disappointed if you do not enlist. Throughout World War 1 propaganda is used to instill manhood and patriotism in the people who do enlist, and cowardice in those who chose not to.



The second poster is an example of propaganda. It is used to recruit new soldiers for the war claiming that more soldiers means peace quicker. This type of propaganda was used greatly during the period of World War One. The six flags on the top represent the six nations that have an alliance with each other. This specific image is from a London Recruiting Depot. Also the crown on top represents the Royalty of England and that you should not and may not disappoint them. Similar to the previous image, if you enroll you show your manhood and patriotism towards your country. But if you chose not to enroll you are considered a coward and are treated with little respect. The saying on the poster, “Each Recruit means Quicker Peace Join To-Day,” means that with more manhood and patriotism the war will be won and finished quicker.

Throughout World War 1, women were used as nurses, factory workers, and some even as soldiers. In this image, the women are working in a factory. When their husbands left, the women took over the household. They did everything to help their children and took over the man’s responsibility. The women even took control of the men’s jobs. For example, most women started working in factories. Although many women stayed at home, some females wanted to get involved in the war. Women were commonly used as nurses for the soldiers and sometimes brought food for the men. Although in battle women were not encouraged to fight, in some cases they pretended to be men to become soldiers. One woman, Flora Sandes, enlisted as a Serbian soldier and actually became a very prominent soldier. She finished her military career as a captain and as one of the highest ranked soldier. Women were greatly underappreciated in World War One, but they did play a very important role.


Each image relates to the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, in many different ways. The first image represents manhood and patriotism. Both of these qualities were significantly appreciated in the novel. The main character, Paul, and his fellow students were greatly encouraged to enlist in the army by their schoolmaster, Mr. Kantorek. He always said that being in the military shows your patriotism and manhood. Mr. Kantorek tries to recruit his students, which eventually works. Women are also in this novel; they are described as sensitive people, and are mostly viewed from the mother’s point of view. All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel that shows the impact war has on women and men. During this period, men were expected to serve their country and be both manly and patriotic. But if they did not enlist they were considered cowards and useless. Women were used as nurses and aids to the soldier. These images all relate to the book, All Quiet on the Western Front, in the position of women and men during World War One.

This poster of “Line up, boys! Enlist To-Day,” expresses a certain manhood that is involved with enlisting with an army. This was made in Great Britain. Though, it was not for a specific type of particular, it was to show the general vibe of enlisting in Great Britain’s armed forces. This poster reveals a central theme of nationalism among the British in the war. The propaganda of this is to appeal to young men that have not enlisted in the war or to grab the attention of minors who will soon be able to fight for their country. The poster is simple, but it brings about a large point. To win the war, you need men on the battlefield, and the more men present will increase the chances of a victory. There is plenty of appeal and incentive to get a soldier to join the war effort in the creativity and nationalistic ideals of the poster. They men seem to be friends as they walk in unison. It reveals to its audience that the men can be well connected and are able to find joy in the war. The smiles illustrate that the war is not necessarily all bad and there can be fun as well as dignity involved. These men show a great deal of pride and nationalism in their country, and they poster makes it seem like ‘they need you’ to ‘spend their time with’. The boys are in traditional British clothing, and it gives a sense that anyone can get a sense of this nationalism if they enlist.

Throughout World War I, there was a constant need to replenish a unit of troops with new recruits, and the simplicity of this poster is trying to express that fact. The poster uses “to-day” merely because they need the new soldiers as soon as possible to continue the strength of the war effort. “Line up, boys! Enlist To-Day,” in a sense relates to what the boys from All Quiet on the Western Front have experienced before they were recruited. Certainly Germany would display posters similar to this around the majority of the country. After what Mr. Kantorek, the boys’ school teacher, had told them about enlisting, the boys surely took a second look at poster that were meant for them. They realized they needed to be a part of their countries nationalism, and they enlisted to serve their country. Kantorek’s patriotic speeches to the boys relates to the poster in that they both attempt and eventually succeed in appealing to the young men to join the war effort. In addition the boys walking in unison relates to the manhood that is expresses among Paul and his comrades during the war. They stick by each other in most cases, but more importantly they seem look out for each other in the poster as well Paul and the new recruits in the real war.

This poster of “Are You Answering the Call,” displays different forms of nationalism, manhood, and even cowardice. The easiest topic to see and comprehend is the concept of nationalism. The writing is almost self-explanatory grabbing the attention of the reader and making it clear what is needed. Great Britain is portrayed as the mother country and the most dominate among its territories and other countries. Though the poster is shown that it needs more support from the territories they control. These territories include Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. Great Britain is shown as the greatest of these places because of the massive amount of nationalism it obtains. The adult lion represents Great Britain in this way. They are shown as a hero. The younger and less strong lions represent the other territories because they are not fulfilling their full civic duties in helping the war effort. The poster is a recruiting mission to win over the support over the typical man to join the war effort. These show patriotism of each country. This poster demonstrates a need for certain responsibilities that each citizen owns in a sense to his or her country. “Are You Answering the Call,” portrays the fact that everyone is needed for a country to be successful in war. It is a recruiting mission in which everyone is asked and obligated to participate to the best of their ability. The men have to represent the manhood of the country by fighting in the war. Though, the men have to not demonstrate cowardice in the war. It is essential that they not let their emotions affect them in battle. In addition men need to enter the war. For no reason they should be staying at home if they are ‘able bodied’ and physically able to fight. The woman play a role in this as well in that they need to provide for the country as nurses, factory workers, secretaries, and even to take over some of the men’s jobs while they are away at war.

This recruiting mission poster of “Are You Answering the Call,” portrays in a way what the young men in All Quiet in the Western Front have experienced. They have all enlisted to understand and partake in the nationalism and patriotism of Germany at this time. They joined the army to “answer the call’ that their country needed at this time. Though despite the fact that Paul and some of the other men in the novel regret enlisting, they show no cowardice and are displaying their manhood to their full potential. The boys at first enlisted to benefit their country in order to win the war. They expressed their manhood in fighting at the front lines and for some surviving the dreaded horrors of World War I.

Throughout World War I, there was a call for new recruits. Posters, music, and even poetry were used as propaganda to encourage the people to enlist in the army. In these forms of propaganda, they often expressed nationalism, patriotism, manhood, cowardice, and even the strength of women in their civic responsibilities. War combatants and helpful women were considered patriots for their mother country. Nationalism, patriotism, manhood, cowardice, and womanhood expressed in the war, are also conveyed in the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front. This story shows the recruiting system of this period and also the respect for war combatants. Each type and piece of propaganda expressed the qualities needed for new combatants.

-Connor Waite & Clay Haarmann
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All Quiet on the Western Front