Propagandizing Civilian Life

       Here is one of the propaganda leaflets that I found and it is, for me, the most interesting and one of the most loaded images. Though it is in Korean, this leaflet (#8286) was released by the U.N. on May 19th, 1952 under the title "Hungry Mother and Child." The caption reads: "Your beloved baby is crying for milk. Mother also weeps when the baby cries."

       This is the type of propaganda that I consider the most effective. First of all, it produces feelings of sympathy for the victims thereby inspiring the viewer to take action. This is also one of the most despicable forms of propaganda as it exploits the suffering of others in order to gain support for one's cause. And yet this technique remains one of the most practiced approaches, just consider all of the ASPCA and World Vision commercials. But as these organizations prove, this method of propaganda (which is not to say that these organizations are propagandist or despicable, simply that they utilize the same tactics of puling at the heart strings as this piece of propaganda does) wears off as the viewer becomes more and more desensitized to the imagery it presents. It seems lethargy is a stronger force than empathy.

Thus there is a second tactic present in this piece of propaganda. On the other side of the leaflet there is this poem. It reads: Baby, baby, stop crying. If your Dad who was dragged out [to the battlefield] happens to hear you crying even in his dream, it will crush his heart into pieces. Baby, baby, stop crying. It may cause the ugly police man come in with his rifle and take our millet away. Baby, baby, stop crying. The devilish Chinky Commie may climb over our fence and violate your Mom. Baby, baby, stop crying. No milk flows out from the empty intestine. Your crying only dries up your throat and wets my eyes."

        With the accompaniment of this poem, the propaganda is complete, it has it all. These vain pleas on behalf of the mother only add to the disparity of her situation. There are references to militaristic kidnappings, the people's police, starvation, and the all too likelihood of rape.

        For me, this propaganda is successful. I read this and empathize with the mother, I worry for her child and for her safety, and I wish to help them. However, this propaganda was not intended for me or for any Americans of the time. So what is the U.N. after? Support from the inside most likely, resistance from the people. This leaflet is tactical. It calls fathers to arms against the invading forces before they are "dragged" away by the enemy. It asks the women of threatened cities to band together against the "Chinky Commie" lest they become victimized or even raped.

        I though it important to see propaganda that was not intended for American viewing. There are a great many differences between the propaganda intended for American eyes and that intended for the people that are actually living through these events.