The Brownies Book
In "America For All " the article talks about the benefits of enlisting in the United States Army during War time. The article in the Brownies Book is about two young men looking to better their lives and the way to do that is by joining the army. Surprisingly, to me the article talks about how a white and black person are friends in the twenties who share everything as a wandering pair. This was still a time of racism and prejuidice in our country and what's amazing is that they are best friends and they are both convinced that the army does not care about the color of your skin while sitting in on a recruiters visit. "Uncle Sam don't keer whether you is white ner black ner blue or brown." (195) The boys are awed by the way the recruiter talks and dresses and are very impressed with him. This convinces them that the "army is a swell place". This article today relates to people exspecially that are not as educated like the two young men. Recruiters are propagandists trying to sell you the idea that the army can offer you many great opportunities which is the truth. But you never hear the darker side of the truth. The darker side being that you are putting yourself in great danger and may die in the battlefield. Every good propagandist will do anything to sell somebody of an idea and this article shows me that military recruiters are the same way. They are going to take advantage of people who are less educated when possible and persuade them and anybody else to see their positive view point about joining the military.
posted by bozwald at 10:19 AM
3 Comments:
I would have to disagree that the two young men are very educated at there age. I feel like these propagandist are targeting the young because they are not yet molded and easily miinipulated by what they see but do not know of. Also, I feel that the article uses the two different races at this time of extreme racism because they need all the help they can get to fight and want to make the army seem welcoming to all cultures.
i agree with maureen I feel that they were targeted because they were young and that they were not very well educated. I think they do use the pair because it can be realted to several target audiences not just one. I also have to disagree with you about them not knowing the truth about the army I think anyone who is thinking about signing up for the army knows the darker side that there will be killing and things to that effect over all though i thought this post was not bad though
A very good post and two interesting comments.
Remember that this article was not produced by the CPI during the war. It was written after the war by the NAACP. The goal was not to convince young people to join the army but rather to promote patriotic service as an argument for civil rights. The more black soldiers serving the harder it would be to justify segregation. Military service was a means to an end, not the goal of this particular appeal.
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