AMERICAN PROPAGANDA THROUGH CARTOONS IN

COMMUNIST PERIOD

Ph.D candidate: Lazar (Lateș) Augusta-Manuela

Cond. de doctorat: Prof. Univ. Dr. Cornel Sigmirean
Școala de Litere, Științe Umaniste și Aplicate,
Unversitatea „Petru Maior” din Târgu-Mureș

American cinematography had always been one of the most

important manipulation and propaganda form, since the first movies
filmed on the United States of America territory. It is one of the most
influent methodes of soft power, being used by the american state very
much. American propaganda knows differrent plans, enveloping the
population not just through movies but through cartoons. Especially since
the start of the Second World War, this branch of the cinematography
comes to life with a series of very succesfull cartoon movies.
A very good example is the one of short cartoon Keep your Mouth
Shout, in which the canadiens were incuraged not to spread the
informations about the war, infos received from the relatives and friends,
because this could be eavesdropped by the nazi agents. Equally striking is
the short film Peace on Earth, which illustrates the life of the last living
creature on Earth (like rabbits, squirrels, owls) attending grandfather
squirrel story (Christmas Eve). Grandfather squirrel says that long time
ago when he was a kid, there were people who had weapons, and they
killed each another. In this image it can be observed the contrast between
the quiet animals and almost apocalyptic story of grandfather and death is
defined as a direct result of violence.
Animation were not targeted exclusively for children, but also for
adults were being used for the abstraction of violence. Propaganda
animation had evolved during the Second World War and especially in
the Cold War, with anticomminism messajes against the glorious
capitalism.
These aspects of the film's animation worth studied in terms of
the realities of the times, the effects of psychological and propaganda
which it promotes.