During the rise of the Third Reich, propaganda was vital to fostering nationalism and adherence to Nazi ideals. From the very beginning, Hitler had a vision of a propaganda ministry that would control all forms of media. Hitler approached Joseph Goebbels, a loyal National Socialist and brilliant propagandist, to head a new propaganda ministry.  

Within months of Hitler achieving Chancellorship in 1933, the Ministry of Propaganda, under Goebbels’s leadership, commandeered all forms of media, and under new laws, only Aryans could create media of any kind. One of the most important mediums for propaganda was the visual poster.

Meanwhile, in the United States, propaganda efforts did not take hold until 1942. President Roosevelt kickstarted government involvement in propaganda with Executive Order 9182, which decreed that the Office of War Information should:

“Formulate and carry out, through the use of press, radio, motion picture, and other facilities, information programs designed to facilitate the development of an informed and intelligent understanding, at home and abroad, of the status and progress of the war effort and of the war policies, activities, and aims of the Government.” ​​​​​​​

Like the Reich Ministry of Propaganda, the OWI used multiple media to convey their message, including posters, pamphlets, newsreels, and movies.  However, compared to Germany’s total control of the propaganda machine, America’s propaganda creation was more decentralized. While the OWI was behind such posters as Uncle Sam, local governments and even private companies created propaganda posters.

​​​​​​​ Despite differences in organization, these two countries both used the same techniques in their propaganda posters: the importance of masculinity, the threat of racism, fear of what is lurking beneath the surface, and careless talk.