World War II Ephemera ANOTHER MANS TRASH TELLS

World War II Ephemera ANOTHER MAN’S TRASH TELLS US THE STORY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR Kimberly Gooch, Grace Renninger, Shanice De. Morin, Ariella Senzamici, Christina Morgan

War Propaganda Epherma These “extra” stamps, as seen on the title page, were used during the war to put on letters being sent to the men who were fighting. According to the package, it helped “rush your letter to your man”. This may not have been true, as there is a letter from the President inside the cover and the money may have been going to War Bonds, but either way it helped promote stamp buying and sending letters to the men who were fighting overseas.

Anti Nazi Propaganda In this poster from a USA magazine cutout in 1942 we see an anti. Nazi/Hitler propaganda starting to pop up, which help the American public learn about what was going on overseas and to help put a stop to it. The subtle images of the swastika and Hitler have a negative connotation, and therefor is used as propaganda against it. The American public was able to use this poster to show their support for the American Troops overseas, and their views against Nazism and Hitler.

Propaganda on the Home Front In this rare advertisement from the U. S Department of Agriculture, we see the U. S using propaganda to encourage the public to prevent forest fires in order to win the war. It claims that forest fires help conceal the enemy and becomes and easy target. This pamphlet, encourages the public to prevent forest fires so the Nazis and Japanese will not be able to attack. There are tips and notes in order to prevent fires, and explanations as to why Americans should keep them at bay. This shows how the public was scared for an attack on the home front and how they were doing everything they can to prevent one, even by preventing forest fires.

Postcard Ephemera �Used for communication in Europe and US since late 1800 s �Publishing companies were established specifically for making postcards, with millions being sold and used (Publisher’s name on back left side can be used to track dates) �“Real Photo” postcards and writing on back depict social history of WWII era �Used as propaganda during war times and for political purposes

Hitler Postcard

Propaganda postcard of Czech Republic featuring Hitler and Nazis Sent to New York, USA in 1938.

Classic US Military Postcards

“Real Photo” Postcard featuring German Military

Letter Ephemera � Once recipient has read it, it no longer serves a purpose and can be thrown away unless it holds sentimental value � Up to interpretation. What does “only meant to be used once” mean? Are some letters ephemera and some not? � Do not serve a traditional non-fiction purpose but can give us a glimpse of the past

Written by 2 nd Lt. 76 th Hospital Train Unit, March 25, 1945 “Haven’t yet seen one gal in all my travels who compares at all with you. Our chief nurse says that you’re one of the truly beautiful girls that she has seen in her life. I was very pleased and proud to hear this. Everybody knows about your mink coat and five new suits. Spend thrift that you are. But I can’t help but love you even tho I’d like to wring your neck. ”

Enclosed in Letter: “Trier Germany. These men only captured 2 -3 hours ago, 8, 000. ” “Saw 8, 000 Germans just captured. All in one field. We were at the front! The anti aircraft guns were going off and the war was being fought. ”

“To show you the shortage of various things over here it seems whenever I smoke a cigar some Frenchman offers me a dollar for it. I feel like a millionaire smoking cigars that are worth a dollar even though I only pay 5 cents for them. There are very strict regulations over here to prevent one from selling such rationed goods and these regulations are very necessary for the soldiers would sell everything they got if they weren’t in affect. Inflation is a terrible thing and America should be glad that the O. P. A has done so much in curbing it. ”

V-mail, short for Victory Mail, is a hybrid mail process used during the Second World War in America as the primary and secure method to correspond with soldiers stationed abroad. To reduce the logistics of transferring an original letter across the military postal system, a V -mail letter would be censored, copied to film, and printed back to paper upon arrival at its destination.

Censorship

RATIONING EPHEMERA

HOW TO USE RATION S • OPA issues fliers, posters, etc. explaining how/when to use ration stamps. • We can see what different stamps were used for. • Household fats got a return of 4 points a pound • Shows there was some confusion on how rationing stamps could be used.

TOKENS & STAMPS • Blue tokens for processed foods, Red tokens for meat • Made of cardboard • "We try to strip away the intervening layers and discover the immediate witnesses. “ • Stamps gain more meaning when combined with the poster explanation on slide 1

GAS STAMP S • Stickers stuck onto the windows of cars – indicated how much gas they were allowed • Tells us the professions of people who owned which cars • Tickets given to gas attendents • Insight into lifestyle of people during World War 2 A – gas is nonessential; B – gas essential to war effort; C – Physicians, Ministers, service professions; T – truckers; X – members of congress

GAS STAMP S • Stickers stuck onto the windows of cars – indicated how much gas they were allowed • Tells us the professions of people who owned which cars • Tickets given to gas attendants • Insight into lifestyle of people during World War 2 A – gas is nonessential; B – gas essential to war effort; C – Physicians, Ministers, service professions; T – truckers; X – members of congress

Warnings and explicit instructions show much of a problem “cheating the system” was. Signatures were required for each delivery of oil.

DISNE Y • Cover of a rationing booklet, done by Walt Disney, 1943 • Children as an audience • Propaganda • Example of Disney work in war effort

• Fliers for “Victory Garden” contests. • Disney being marketing war effort to both adults & children • Record types of crops & their weight

Anne Frank Ephemera

The Diary of a Young Girl 1947 Anne Frank received this diary for her 13 th birthday. “The seemingly everyday, innocent thoughts of a teen girl were published. But they weren’t so everyday: they were thoughts of Anne Frank, a 13 -year-old in a unique position to make the world understand what it was like to have to hide your entire existence in exchange for a mere chance at surviving the Nazi regime. Her diary has since sold more than 30 million copies and has been translated into 67 languages. ”

Excerpts � On Deportations � “Our many Jewish friends and acquaintances are being taken away in droves. The Gestapo is treating them very roughly and transporting them in cattle cars to Westerbork, the big camp in Drenthe to which they're sending all the Jews. . If it's that bad in Holland, what must it be like in those faraway and uncivilized places where the Germans are sending them? We assume that most of them are being murdered. The English radio says they're being gassed. ” � - October 9, 1942 � On Nazi Punishment � “All college students are being asked to sign an official statement to the effect that they 'sympathize with the Germans and approve of the New Order. Eighty percent have decided to obey the dictates of their conscience, but the penalty will be severe. Any student refusing to sign will be sent to a German labor camp. ” � - May 18, 1943

Describing her Despair � "I've reached the point where I hardly care whether I live or die. The world will keep on turning without me, and I can't do anything to change events anyway. I'll just let matters take their course and concentrate on studying and hope that everything will be all right in the end. " - February 3, 1944 � ". . . but the minute I was alone I knew I was going to cry my eyes out. I slid to the floor in my nightgown and began by saying my prayers, very fervently. Then I drew my knees to my chest, lay my head on my arms and cried, all huddled up on the bare floor. A loud sob brought me back down to earth. . . " - April 5, 1944

Works Cited � Guidara, Andrea. “The Social History of � � � Postcards in Beverly. ” 30 March 2009. Web. 30 Nov 2014. Middleton, Mike. “Classic Military Postcards. ” Blogspot. 14 Dec. 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. “Original WWII Era German Military Themed Postcard. ” Postcard. Bunker Militaria. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. “The History of Postcards. ” Emotions Cards. 2003. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. "Diary Excerpts. " Anne Frank. Web. 3 Dec. 2014. <http: //annefrank. com/about-anne-frank/diary-excerpts/>. Otto Frank Talks about Anne's Diary. Perf. Otto Frank. Anne Frank House. Film "Popular Items for Wwii Ephemera. " Etsy. Web. 3 Dec. 2014. <https: //www. etsy. com/market/wwii_ephemera>