The author says that his book is “a more detailed look at a special time of crisis for both the studio and America. This study, then, is a record of the Disney Studio during World War II, an attempt to explain why and how the films of this period were made.” Shale discusses the “process of animation, the historical development of the animated film, and the major contributions and achievements of the Disney studio in this field.” He also talks about government films and “how Disney acquired his first military contracts and how the studio departments adjusted to the shift from entertainment values to teaching values.” The author also focuses on a few films made by Disney including Victory Through Air Power, The Gremlins, and The Three Caballeros. In the end, he investigates the character of Donald Duck who he claims “was known worldwide, and his fighting spirit made him more than appropriate as a symbol of America’s role in global affairs.”
    This source provides a significant amount of information regarding the history of how the Disney Company became involved with World War II propaganda films. It is essential to look at these facts carefully to provide a context for my thesis. Also, this book is important because it provides specific examples of propaganda cartoons made by the Disney Company. By examining these films closely, one can see how audiences may have been affected.  

Shale, Richard. Donald Duck Joins Up: the Walt Disney Studio During World War II. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research Press, 1982.

During World War II, the American government, especially the military, turned to Hollywood to aide in the creation of animated instructional films.  The entire industry had little precedents and guidelines. Walt Disney, as one of the industry giants in animation, had an immense task and was instrumental in the indoctrination of GIs. This book chronicles the works from Walt Disney's studio and the profound effects it had on viewers. The particular section is the author's brief discussion of propaganda and Disney's works, The New Spirit (1943) and its sequel The Spirit of '43 (1943).

Shale states that while it is difficult to define the term propaganda, activity is key to any definition. If propaganda leads to only heightened emotions, but no action to follow, it is considered a failure. According to Shale, propaganda arouses emotions that in turn elicits vital action. But outright blatant propaganda leads to rejection. As Disney put it, "outright propaganda is resented...molding [public] opinion is something else again." Animation is key to this molding process because it is not as "real" of a medium as newsreels or drama.

A real example of this molding process was Disney's first big wartime propaganda hit, The New Spirit. The Treasury Department reported it had been seen by 32,647,000 people and according to the Gallup Poll, an astonishing 37% of viewers felt it had affected their willingness to pay their taxes. Even the great Frank Capra whose Why We Fight series indoctrinated the GIs congratulated Walt Disney and conceded that animation is the only method that could achieve certain effects that conventional film could not. Animation was the ideal medium for imparting uniform concise instruction, but in the powerful bridging manner as not to appear as outright propaganda. As opinions are molded, soldiers become less sensitive to what they perceive as wrong or not ideal and internalize those opinions as their own.

The author says that his book is “a more detailed look at a special time of crisis for both the studio and America. This study, then, is a record of the Disney Studio during World War II, an attempt to explain why and how the films of this period were made.” Shale discusses the “process of animation, the historical development of the animated film, and the major contributions and achievements of the Disney studio in this field.” He also talks about government films and “how Disney acquired his first military contracts and how the studio departments adjusted to the shift from entertainment values to teaching values.” The author also focuses on a few films made by Disney including Victory Through Air Power, The Gremlins, and The Three Caballeros. In the end, he investigates the character of Donald Duck who he claims “was known worldwide, and his fighting spirit made him more than appropriate as a symbol of America’s role in global affairs.”
    This source provides a significant amount of information regarding the history of how the Disney Company became involved with World War II propaganda films. It is essential to look at these facts carefully to provide a context for my thesis. Also, this book is important because it provides specific examples of propaganda cartoons made by the Disney Company. By examining these films closely, one can see how audiences may have been affected.  

Shale, Richard. Donald Duck Joins Up: the Walt Disney Studio During World War II. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Research Press, 1982.

During World War II, the American government, especially the military, turned to Hollywood to aide in the creation of animated instructional films.  The entire industry had little precedents and guidelines. Walt Disney, as one of the industry giants in animation, had an immense task and was instrumental in the indoctrination of GIs. This book chronicles the works from Walt Disney's studio and the profound effects it had on viewers. The particular section is the author's brief discussion of propaganda and Disney's works, The New Spirit (1943) and its sequel The Spirit of '43 (1943).

Shale states that while it is difficult to define the term propaganda, activity is key to any definition. If propaganda leads to only heightened emotions, but no action to follow, it is considered a failure. According to Shale, propaganda arouses emotions that in turn elicits vital action. But outright blatant propaganda leads to rejection. As Disney put it, "outright propaganda is resented...molding [public] opinion is something else again." Animation is key to this molding process because it is not as "real" of a medium as newsreels or drama.

A real example of this molding process was Disney's first big wartime propaganda hit, The New Spirit. The Treasury Department reported it had been seen by 32,647,000 people and according to the Gallup Poll, an astonishing 37% of viewers felt it had affected their willingness to pay their taxes. Even the great Frank Capra whose Why We Fight series indoctrinated the GIs congratulated Walt Disney and conceded that animation is the only method that could achieve certain effects that conventional film could not. Animation was the ideal medium for imparting uniform concise instruction, but in the powerful bridging manner as not to appear as outright propaganda. As opinions are molded, soldiers become less sensitive to what they perceive as wrong or not ideal and internalize those opinions as their own.

The author says that his book is “a more detailed look at a special time of crisis for both the studio and America. This study, then, is a record of the Disney Studio during World War II, an attempt to explain why and how the films of this period were made.” Shale discusses the “process of animation, the historical development of the animated film, and the major contributions and achievements of the Disney studio in this field.” He also talks about government films and “how Disney acquired his first military contracts and how the studio departments adjusted to the shift from entertainment values to teaching values.” The author also focuses on a few films made by Disney including Victory Through Air Power, The Gremlins, and The Three Caballeros. In the end, he investigates the character of Donald Duck who he claims “was known worldwide, and his fighting spirit made him more than appropriate as a symbol of America’s role in global affairs.”
    This source provides a significant amount of information regarding the history of how the Disney Company became involved with World War II propaganda films. It is essential to look at these facts carefully to provide a context for my thesis. Also, this book is important because it provides specific examples of propaganda cartoons made by the Disney Company. By examining these films closely, one can see how audiences may have been affected.