During World War 2,
The US and Soviet Russia temporarily joined forces to defeat a common enemy.
However, once their goal was achieved, contrasting ideologies divided these two
nations. Russia believed in equality and even distribution of capital, and saw
the US as greedy and deceitful. Both the US and Russia had already developed a
devastating new weapon, the atomic bomb. As a result, neither side was at an
advantage, as both the US and Russia had the power to annihilate one another.
This created a stalemate, as both sides constantly threatened to destroy one another, but neither side ever actually following through because that
would surely bring their own demise as well.
The power of the atomic
bomb had already been realized, as the US used it during World War 2 to force
the relentless Japanese into surrender, and the effects of this decision are
still seen even today. The stalemate and constant threat made tensions between
two conflicting nations, and ideologies, rise rapidly. However, neither side
could physically prove dominance through force, so it became an ideological
battle. Through the Space Race, vying for control over foreign territories, and
even brainwashing citizens, both sides struggled to win this war, supported
strongly by citizens of both nations.
Kairos is the awareness
of the circumstances that open moments of opportunity, and Russia seized these
opportunities. Because this was a unique war in that it was not a physical
battle for dominance but a battle of ideological supremacy, the Soviets needed
every citizen to recognize how their country’s economics and politics were far
superior to that of the US. Russia did this by using an arsenal of propaganda,
creating over exaggerated caricatures and emphasizing nationalism to make the
US appear weak, immoral, and even sadistic. One prominent way Russia did this
was through cartoons. Children are most easily persuaded, and many of those in
older generations were already convinced of Soviet supremacy. Russia knew this
and released a slew of cartoon shows mocking American culture and traditions.
Written by Dakota Brakob
Written by Dakota Brakob
This is a very nice post filled with lots of information! I like the fact that you included the history of the relationship between the US and the Soviet Union prior to all the commotion. It sheds light therefore on how erratic this sudden conflict was, considering that their relationship was mutual. In addition to Kairos, you may want to consider the use of logos in Russia's caricatures to establish their dominion. They portray the US as a lazy, bulldog Uncle Sam who does nothing but smoke. In reality, no citizen would want in a country where the government is weak or inactive. So by using the illustrations, the people are forced to support the opposing side of that government, which is the Soviet Union. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThis post was very informative and sheds light on the influence of political ideology on media. It's particularly interesting how children were specifically targeted by propaganda, and by reading this post I noticed the parallels between Russia and US in promoting their own ideologies by discrediting each other. It's also interesting how somewhat universal cartoons are since no matter which country you're from you can understand the symbolism. I think this is a testament to how effective kairos is in persuasive arguments.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are doing a great job on giving us historical contexts pertaining your topic! I like how you explained how Russia used cartoon propaganda to sway children's view of America. I understand children are very impressionable. So do you think it was right for Russia to manipulate children's views of Americans? Maybe it was exigent for them to do so during this time in order to protect them from American ideologies and vice versa.
ReplyDelete-Pelumi Olufuwa