North Korean propaganda: "Reuniting the Fatherland"

“Let’s drive the US imperialists out and reunite the fatherland!”

The website where I found this image of North Korean propaganda, http://calitreview.com/875, had many images where the U.S. was shown as the aggressor of the war in Korea. The propaganda is obviously aimed at the people of North Korea as a way to get them into a ‘fighting spirit’ to drive out the U.S. This particular propaganda poster is meant to show that the North Korean army is strong and can win the war. The Korean in the poster is larger than life and is shown as strong and fierce, while the Americans look small and weak in comparison. The US men are falling on the North Korea poster, so falling back in the face of the fierce North Korean army. This message of falling back will shine through to the people of North Korea to help make them believe in the strength of the North Korean military. The added touch of the torn American flag also drives the point home that North Korea wants the US out of the whole country of Korea. This is made even clearer with the phrase that they want to drive the empirical US out in order to “reunite the fatherland.” This means that North Korea’s aim is to make the North Koreans believe that their country can become whole again, but that this can only happen once the last traces of the US have disappeared.

The phrase on the poster also creates a sense of pride and nationalism for not only North Korea, but for Korea as a whole because their country is their fatherland. I think the poster creates an inspirational message for North Koreans because they can hope for a reunion with any family members on the wrong side of the divide in Korea. However, the reuniting of the fatherland can only happen after North Korea drives out the US. The propaganda poster needs to create a sense of nationalism in their people because this will give them a reason to believe in the war, and continue fighting.

Another interesting part about the poster is the fact that it only mentions the US as imperialists, and leaves out the other foreign powers at play in the war. This makes sense for propaganda because they want North Koreans to blame the other side for the Korean War. The poster makes North Korea appear as if they are blameless for the war, even though it takes both sides to start a war in the 1^st place.

~ Melissa White