Attack On Pearl Harbor example essay topic

... to successful fear appeal, which if not all four are included, they are likely to fail (web). First isa threat, second is a specific course of action about how the audience should react, third is the audience believes that course will be effective, and fourth is the audience believes they can perform the suggested course of action. All three styles of propaganda were used during World War II can still be seen today in political campaigns and advertisements. The largest use of propaganda during the World War II era could bethe attack on Pearl Harbor. There are many people who say the attack on Pearl Harbor was a propaganda tool of the President Roosevelt to spark a widespread anti-Japanese and anti-Axis sentiment.

Skeptics of the attack being a surprise say it is undeniable that President Roosevelt knew about the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened, and he kept it secret from other high-ranking officials to have a solid reason to enter the war with the Allied powers. President Roosevelt wanted, almost more than anything, for the United States to enter World War II. In fact, at the Atlantic Conference, Churchill noted the 'astonishing depth of Roosevelt's intense desire for war,' Churchill cabled his cabinet, ' (Roosevelt) obviously was very determined that they should come in.. ' (web) To get the US into World War II, Roosevelt cut spending on an early warning radar detection system. This radar system would have given Pearl Harbor enough warning to defend themselves against the Japanese. Also, he baited the Japanese into attacking by leaving the large number of battleships and destroyers at Pearl Harbor. On November 27, Roosevelt sent false information to the Hawaiian base commanders about the location of the Japanese carrier fleet and forced the fleet to stay stationed at Pearl Harbor, despite the advice of Admiral Richardson, the Commander of Pearl Harbor, that there was inadequate protection from air raids and torpedoes.

All Japanese naval and diplomatic codes had been broken prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor (web) On September 24, 1941 the US got a hold of the 'bomb plot' message in a J-19 code from Japan Naval Intelligence to Japan's consul general in Honolulu. The message was requesting a grid of exact locations of ships pinpointed for the benefit of bombardiers and torpedo pilots (web). This should have been a dead giveaway to President Roosevelt that an attack was imminent at Pearl Harbor and to strengthen their defenses. Roosevelt did nothing. Another reports, that was ignored was a Navy report that predicted that if Japan made war on the US, they would strike Pearl Harbor without warning at dawn with aircraft from a minimum of 6 carriers (web). Also, Kil soo Haan, an agent for the Sino-Korean People's League, told EricSevereid of CBS that the Korean underground in Korea and Japan had positive proof that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor before Christmas.

Among other things, one Korean had actually seen the plans (web). Those three warnings from credible sources should have been enough to put the military at Pearl Harbor on alert. But Roosevelt continued to do nothing. And one week before the attack, the US found in a message on November 30, 1941, that 'Japan under the necessity of herself-preservation and self-defense, has reached a position to declare war on the United States of America. ' (web) '... everything that the Japanese were planning to do was known to the United States...

' Army Board, 1944. Allowing the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor and thus thrusting the United States into war was the most ingenious plan of propaganda. Roosevelt knew that an attack on America would rouse the public and get the support he needed to declare war. It could be called the single biggest piece of propaganda in history, sending a nation instantly into global war. In addition, it sparked thousands of smaller-scale techniques such as leaflets and posters to flood the American people.

Posters were another very effective propaganda tool and many we redone by the famous children's author Dr. Seuss. Theodor Seuss Geisel, a. k. a. Dr. Seuss, lived from 1904 to 1991 and is commonly only thought of as a children's book writer, but he was also a political cartoonist. He was the chief editorial cartoonist for the New York newspaper PM (1940-1948) and during his three years working there (1941-1943), he drew over 400 cartoons (web). There were many political cartoons, but these of particular interest superbly demonstrate anti-Japanese feeling in the United States and had very obvious propaganda techniques. In a cartoon printed on March 12, 1942, Dr. Seuss uses the fear tactic by attempting to make it seem that American people were in direct danger from the Axis powers.

The title of the cartoon is "Measuring up a couple of new prospects" (web). The picture shows the "Ye old axis ball and chain shoppe" with Japanese and German looking people working there. The Japanese man is looking at two men in the distance labeled "You and Me" and he is telling the German man "wrist 7 1/2, ankle 9 1/2, neck 15". The German is writing in a book labeled "Order Book". This cartoon is implying that "you and I" are going to be slaves of the Axis if it is not stopped, but gives no recommendations about how to fix it.

According to the four key elements to a successful fear appeal, this cartoon fails, only demonstrating two of them. The next cartoon, printed on September 4, 1942, uses the name calling technique. It depicts a Japanese looking man saying "Cheer up boys! Your Congress is going to declare an all out war... after those November elections" to a prison that says "35,000 United States Prisoner's of War" (web). This is using name calling by linking the negative symbols of US prisoners of war and the Japanese to the slow response of Congress in making more affirmative action against Japan. The cartoonist is trying to motivate the American public to give more support to an all out war against Japan and to demand Congress takes action sooner.

This cartoon is effective because it plays on the emotions of the public and stirs them to want to take more immediate action. "Wipe that sneer off his face!" was at the top of a cartoon printed on October 13, 1942 (web). It showed a picture of the stereotypical Japanese person with a grin. Some of the features included were "thick glasses, slanted and squinted eyes, upward turned nose, mustache, large bucked teeth, and bald except for some hair on the sides of his head".

Below the picture, it said "Buy war savings bonds and stamps". This uses the generalities technique and is the most effective of the three cartoons. The picture and the word on top of the picture play to the emotions of the American people that they didn't want the Japanese to be happy about anything. Then, at the bottom, it does something none of the other cartoons did; it gave a solution to their problem. This poster both sparked people's emotions and told them something they could do about it. There were many posters done by other artists that were also effective ways of propaganda.

Not all posters however were aimed at raising fear and tensions with the Japanese and other Axis powers. One called "Howto tell a Jap from a Chinese Man" was an attempt to help Chinese Americans escape the prejudices Americans were giving them because of their close physical resemblance to the Japanese (web). Printed in the December 1941 issue of Life magazine, the article had two pictures, one of the "Typical Jap" and one of the "Typical Chinese Man". The Japanese man was described as having "parchment yellow complexion, more frequent fold, higher nose bridge, never has rosy cheeks, lighter facial bones, and a longer, narrower face".

This generalization was used in many cartoons later as a rough base for what the typical Japanese villain looked like. "Propaganda n: the spreading of ideas or information to further or damage a cause". (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) Propaganda of the World War II period reflected the American people's anti-Japanese sentiment. During the time however, not all Japanese Americans were considered threats. In 1943 and 1944 the government created a combat unit of Japanese Americans for the European theater. "It became the 442d Regimental Combat Team and gained fame as the most highly decorated of World War II.

Their military record bespoke their patriotism" (web classroom / lessons /Japanese relocation. html). But despite these accomplishments, propaganda still existed and tried more than ever to influence Americans. "Excited by these propagandas, it is likely that many of us Americans may loose our heads, throw reason out the window, and follow courses of action we may regret later" (web).

Bibliography

Boyer, Clark, Kept, Salisbury, Sitkoff and Wo loch. The Enduring Vision Second Edition " Declaration of War Against Japan", World War II, Microsoft Encarta EncyclopediaDelwiche, Aaron web Independent Institute web Paul web Dictionary National Archives and Records Administration, web classroom / lessons /Japanese relocation. html Pearl Harbor, Microsoft Encarta EncyclopediaRense, Jeff web Thurston, Thomas web "Wartime Propaganda", Propaganda, Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.