Historic Treasure of the Week - November 15, 1992
By Alice Mahalek
Vigo County Historical Society
Historic Treasure of the Week - November 15, 1992
By Alice Mahalek
Vigo County Historical Society
War propaganda stores in museum
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley has many rooms containing a variety of treasures.
One of them is devoted primarily to military memorabilia. There you can find documents and paraphernalia attesting to the contributions that citizens of Vigo County have made in support of our country during times of crisis.
In the Military Room, hidden away in the recesses of a draftsman’s cabinet, is a group of posters soliciting support of various war efforts either by actual enlistment or through home front activities and sacrifice.
Among them is one which particularly moving and which undoubtedly is the worst attempt ever made to recruit a lagging patriot.
It features the five Sullivan brothers of Waterloo, Iowa, who, being very close, petitioned to serve together in the Navy. They managed to get assigned to the Juneau, a light cruiser that was torpedoed and sunk in November 1942. Eleven of the crew of 687 survived, but not George, Matt, Frank, Al or Joe.
Hollywood, ever alert for hot material, recognized the tragedy as a socko plot for a movie. However, when it was released, audiences found it so depressing that it was quickly withdrawn from distribution.
The shock of the annihilation of practically a whole generation of a family led to a subsequent Navy regulation prohibiting the assignment of multiple family members to the same ship.
Among other posters are those decrying loose lips--"No Room for Rumors," promoting war bonds--"You Buy ‘Em, We’ll Fly ‘Em;" and demanding retribution--"Avenge Dec. 7th."
Some call for sacrifice:--"Eat less wheat, meat, fats and sugar. Send more to Europe or they’ll starve."
Appeals are made to collect and donate raw materials, some of which the War Production Board that called for them hadn’t the foggiest notion of any use they might be put to. According to board member, John Kenneth Galbraith, this was merely a mechanism to seduce home folks into believing they were playing a vital role in the war effort.
Several are directed to awakening righteous wrath toward the chief architects of the horrors ravaging the earth. Pictured with big mouths uttering incendiary quotes are Adolf Hitler, "We shall have our storm troopers in America;" Benito Mussolini, "We consider peace a catastrophe for human civilization;" and Isoroku Yamamoto, "I am looking forward to dictating peace to the United States in the White House in Washington."
To the last, the artist grittily extended the challenge direct: "What do you say to that America!"
Actually, this perversion of the Japanese admiral’s remarks probably was the slickest propaganda ploy since the famous Ems dispatch. Yamamoto had spent long periods in the United States and was warning his jingoistic colleagues that Americans would never give up as long as the star-spangled banner still waved over the White House.
Once piece of art work shows a John Wayne type leading a bayonet charge above the inscription, "ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK."
This vibrant battle cry soon found its way into the dialogue of a movie called, "Edge of Darkness," starring Errol Flynn.
By an unfortunate happenstance, the picture was released and Flynn began shouting these words from the screen at the very time, in real life, as opposed to reel life, he was in court answering a rape charge brought by two teen-age girls. Needless to say, theaters were awash with hoots of derision.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.