Event Website
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10d_Mp9pC3C3sgvTtB7KTA4-gnU_wslBa8bqSgczcKJ8/edit?usp=sharing
Start Date
15-12-2020 2:10 PM
Description
The well-loved characters from Disney animation make up our childhood, from magical princesses to the popular Mickey Mouse, but the use of these characters was not always for entertainment. Walt Disney Studios, commissioned by the US government, produced animated short films centered around its characters, especially Donald Duck. The shorts, integrating messages that promote nationalism and the increase of military funding, served to convince the American citizens to “do their part” during World War II.
This research allows for the exploration of patterns in the history of how media can influence viewers by appealing to a large audience by understanding the events leading up to the propaganda commission and why Disney animation was used to persuade the American viewers. Furthermore, the lasting prevalence of Hollywood’s contribution to military propaganda is investigated by understanding the purpose of Disney’s wartime shorts and their appeal. I would like to research how Disney used Donald Duck for wartime propaganda to explore how well-known characters in media have been utilized to preserve the long-lasting relationship between Hollywood and the government.
Click below to download individual papers.
We Make the Magic: Disney’s Role in American Wartime Propaganda
The well-loved characters from Disney animation make up our childhood, from magical princesses to the popular Mickey Mouse, but the use of these characters was not always for entertainment. Walt Disney Studios, commissioned by the US government, produced animated short films centered around its characters, especially Donald Duck. The shorts, integrating messages that promote nationalism and the increase of military funding, served to convince the American citizens to “do their part” during World War II.
This research allows for the exploration of patterns in the history of how media can influence viewers by appealing to a large audience by understanding the events leading up to the propaganda commission and why Disney animation was used to persuade the American viewers. Furthermore, the lasting prevalence of Hollywood’s contribution to military propaganda is investigated by understanding the purpose of Disney’s wartime shorts and their appeal. I would like to research how Disney used Donald Duck for wartime propaganda to explore how well-known characters in media have been utilized to preserve the long-lasting relationship between Hollywood and the government.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/honors-research-and-exhibition/2020fall/section-03/1
Comments
Mentor: Kelly Younger