Stacy Bredhoff writes in Powers of Persuasion: Poster Art from World War II, that “words and posters waged a battle for the hearts and minds of the citizenry just as surely as other weapons fought the enemy.” The power of the propaganda poster to shape the will of American society during World War II was unrivaled in terms of its widespread influence on the home front war effort.

Propaganda posters allowed the United States government to influence the will of the people, convincing the average American to throw their wholehearted support behind the war effort. Posters issued by certain American agencies, were one of the most important tools used by the American government during World War II in its quest to direct, spread, and protect Allied war interests both at home and abroad. 

My research is critical for those seeking to gain a well rounded historical perspective for two main reasons. First, information, and who controls the source and output of that information, has been vital to the creation of history. Second, government and constitutional constraints placed on the spread of information, including propaganda, have massive implications on the lives and liberties of citizens from the time of WWII til today. Therefore, understanding the development of propaganda during wartime will provide my audience with a new understanding of how propaganda influenced different peoples and societies throughout WWII, and ultimately had a direct impact on the Allies’ victory as well as American society as a whole.

Dr. Silvana Siddali, professor of history and my senior seminar advisor, deserves many thanks for the important role she played in helping to develop "Propaganda Posters: The Allies Printed Path to Victory" from its inception to its completion. Her patience, advice, and immense historical knowledge were absolutely indispensable. I am so grateful for Dr. Siddali   and her guidance through countless workshops, outlines, drafts, and revisions. I am very proud of the work that Dr. Siddali helped me to achieve and I truly appreciate Dr. Siddali's positive influence on this project. I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Siddali in the future.