I don’t know why I like propaganda posters. Maybe it’s because I study arts. Maybe it’s because I grew up with them. I think the real reason is because they’re just TOO DAMN FUNNY.
I will present my top 22 favourite propaganda posters in this post.
Country: North Korean
Time Period: Korean War
The Message: Keep clean! It’s important! (something along those lines)
What people see: I have no idea, but from what I can deduce from this picture… a giant creepy nurse will stick a syringe needle into your scrotum and herds of sheep and cow will randomly attack you.
Country: Former USSR
Time Period: 1920 ish
Message: The USSR is looking towards a fabulous bright future of production!
What people see: The USSR is simply faaaaaaaaaaabulous!
Country: Germany
Time period: 1920s
Message: Vote for Hitler.
What people see: This is totally the best way to promote your political candidate, seeing as it worked. I know what I’m doing for the student elections next year… Vote for the disembodied head with the funny mustache floating in a black void.
Country: USA
Time Period: Either WW1 or 2…can’t remember, sorry.
Message: Keep making artillery!
What people see: Wait… I know theres a relevant penis pun in there somewhere…
Country: USA
Time period: WW1
Message: Plant victory gardens to support our troops!
What people sees: Plant victory gardens, then fuck the vegetables to make human-veggie babies!
Country: China
Time period: sometime during the 1970s.
Message: China and Taiwan are sisters and sisters should get along.
What people sees: …. boobies, boobies, boobiessssssssssss…
Country: Canada
Time period: WW2
Message: We will fight alongside the United Kingdom!
What people see: Oh wow Canada. Seriously? Sorry, but you can’t make a beaver look badass no matter how hard you tried. Sorry.
Country: China
Time Period: Not sure
Message: Under sexy chairman Mao’s awesome leadership, all women will soon have access to luxury items like silk and makeup.
What people see: Under sexy chairman Mao’s awesome leadership, all prostitutes will soon have access to knock off luxury items like polyester and face paint.
Country: China
Time Period: Unsure
Message: A united China of all cultures and expressions!
What people see: In the future, all children will have the same face.
Country: Canada. Obviously
Time Period: WW1
Message: CANADA WILL WIN THE WAR.
What people see: What’s a Canada? Did the UK change their name or something? And why is that guy looks like he has explosive diarrhea?
Country: Italy
Time period: ww2
Message: the 3 requirements of being a Italian SS soldier. Honour, loyalty, and courage.
What people see: … I’m going by the assumption that the Italians didn’t know that the said hand gesture’s original meaning was “fuck you, you loser.”
Country: China
Time period: probably not recent
Message: Chairman Mao loves children!
What people sees: Chairman Mao loves children.
Country: Former USSR
Time period: 1950′s ish
Message: All the children of the world will die and somehow it is the USA’s fault.
What people sees: “Stop downloading children illegally off the internet!”
…
AND WHAT THE HECK IS WITH THAT NAKED DOLL?
Country: Canada
Time period: ww1
Message: Buy Victory Bonds, the soldier dressed in traditional Scottish clothing did his part in the war and so should you.
What people see: Buy Victory Bonds, or else the guy in a skirt will come and rape you.
Country: China
Time Period: 1980′s
Message: China is aiming for space! The next generation will be able to travel on rockets to the moon!
What people see: uhm… okay… five kids crammed on a tranquilizer dart, going over a rainbow, in space but still in a cloud, and theres that lady on the moon in that folktale and her … well it was supposed to be a rabbit… and uh…. Fuck this — just — what?
Do LSD if you want to see this scenes like this!
Country: China
Time Period: Assuming it’s around the 1980s.
Message: Carry the sexy Chairman Mao’s philosophy everywhere you go!
What people see: Always carry a giant photo of an balding old man and hang it immediately upon entering your new dwelling. There he may rest on the wall for as long as you live, leering at your family…
Country: Former USSR
Time Period: When cars became available there. So…I guess at around… last year?
Message: The USSR is so awesome it’s making cars. If you work for the motherland you will be able to buy one!
What people see: Buy a car — It’s a new way to rape children.
Country: Norway (surprise!)
Time period: I’m guessing it’s made by the Nazi control in WW2, with the whole Aryan thing.
Message: All Aryan people face a bright future as the master race, while the communists rot.
What people see: In the future, USSR will experience no change, but Norway will finally have money to buy enough sand for a beach. It will then declare itself a nudist country, outlaw clothes, and everyone will take enough drugs to believe the sun has the Danish flag on it.
WUT.
(I’m serious about buying sand for a beach part. Iceland did it, so it’s only a matter of time before Norway does it. We’re onto you, Norway.)
Country: Germany
Time: unknown
Message: Protect your potatoes from the evil potato destroying insects!
What people sees: … yeah.
Country: Nazi occupied Netherlands
Time: WW2
Message: If the Americans liberate you, this is what they’re bringing — filth.
What people sees: America will bring a giant robot made of toy parts? Fuck man, America is AWESOME! BRING ON THE AMERICANS!
Country: Germany
Time period: Unsure
Message: … I have no fucking idea.
What people sees: This fat fuck of an eagle will first eat that little white dove, then fly out to eat your children. While singing nursery rhymes.
… What.
EDIT: One more. I found this just today.
Holy mother of god.
It’s STEROIDS PLASTIC MAN.
Oh. One example from World War One.
Germany:
German glamourization of a soldier. I don’t know if this is hot or terrifying. Is that pubic hair?
Okay, this poster is not very funny. So why is it the best? Well…
Translated, the poster says: “Come north with us!” — Norwegian Ski Ranger Battalion.
They had a battalion. On skis. In the snow. With skis.
Be still, my heart.
