Government posters can be valuable sources for understanding and interpreting past events in history. This resource examines various Ministry of Information posters produced by the government during the Second World War. To understand the messages they intended to communicate, it is vital to examine their language, inferences and visual techniques. This type of critical questioning can be used when examining posters from any period considered to be propaganda or intended to influence public opinion and behaviour. We can see how the language of these government posters is used to affect peoples’ thinking. They include devices such slogans, humour, emotive language or even pose questions. The language aims to gain attention, influence or inform. It can be adapted for different audiences and purposes. It is also worth noting that these sources can provide other ‘unwitting’ evidence about life during the Second World.
During the Second World War, all men and women were encouraged to support the war effort. Like the armed services, the people at home had to do their bit. The government used posters, leaflets, film, and radio broadcasts to get its message over to the public without any social media, internet, or television.
In this activity you are going to look at posters from the Second World War which you may not have seen before. All the posters included are produced by artists who worked for the government Ministry of Information formed in 1939.
Some posters encouraged people to grow their own food and save waste. This was because it was difficult to import food from other countries during wartime. Kitchen waste could be fed to animals. People were also encouraged to salvage materials as such as wastepaper, metal or bones which could be used to make aeroplanes and ammunition.
Other sources show how the government pointed out the dangers of ‘careless talk’. The Ministry of Information wanted the public to become much more careful about security because information or secrets might be used by enemy spies.
In wartime, travel within Britain was also restricted. Posters with the question ‘Is your journey really necessary?’ were used to remind people to save fuel and allow trains to transport soldiers and war supplies instead. Others encouraged women to work in factories to make weapons or planes. Posters invited women to join the Land Army to work on farms.
Posters were also used to encourage morale or wartime spirit. They made it clear that everybody was in this war together and everybody had an important part to play. This also helped the public to feel involved. This really mattered if Britain wanted the workers in the factories to make as many planes, bombs, and tanks as they could or farmers to grow as much as possible.
The population faced many dangers such as the bombing of cities, ports, and factories. They also had accidents caused by the blackout regulations. These meant that all windows had to be covered at night to ensure that no light escaped that could help enemy bombers to find their targets. Streets were unlit and car headlights partially covered. Health, during the war was an important concern. The public needed to keep fit and healthy to work and keep up production in the factories and on the land. Again, the Ministry of Information produced many posters on these subjects.
Posters were displayed in shops, official buildings, and village halls. Government films were shown in cinemas to persuade people to behave in certain ways and reinforce campaign messages and encourage the war effort on the home front expressed through its posters.