In this seminar paper of a seminar on "American Photography", I focused on war photography and examined the extent to which the photos that came out of the wars reflected the resentment of the population towards the respective conflict. The wars chosen were the Second World War and the Vietnam War. The basic assumption was that photographs from a war that the population largely supports and can "understand", i.e. the Second World War, are much more heroic and positive than those from a controversial (Vietnam) war that is not supported by the masses. You can find out whether I was right on these pages.
In dieser Hauptseminararbeit eines Seminars zu "American Photography" habe ich mich Kriegsfotografie gewidmet und untersucht, inwiefern die Fotos, die aus den Kriegen kamen, die jeweiligen Ressentiments der Bevölkerung zum jeweiligen Konflikt widergespiegelt haben. Die gewählten Kriege waren der 2. Weltkrieg und der Vietnamkrieg. Die Grundannahme war, dass Fotografien, die aus einem Krieg stammen, den die Bevölkerung zum großen Teil unterstützt und "nachvollziehen" kann, also dem 2. Weltkrieg, wesentlich heroischer und positiver sind als jene, die aus einem kontroversen, nicht von der breiten Masse unterstützten Krieg (Vietnam) . Ob ich recht hatte, könnt ihr auf diesen Seiten herausfinden.
Table of Contents
1 War and the United States – Introduction and Setting of Topic
2 Preliminary Considerations: Public Opinion on War
2.1 World War II
2.2 Vietnam
3 Comparison of War Photographs
3.1 Photojournalism and Combat Photography
3.2 The Photographers and their Intentions
3.3 Verifying the Findings: Comparison of Pulitzer Prize - Winning Photographs
4 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This work examines how the public's perception of war influences the way conflicts are documented through photography. By comparing the visual representations of World War II and the Vietnam War, the study explores whether the intentions of combat photographers were shaped by the prevailing societal mood, national unity, and government involvement in each respective conflict.
- The relationship between wartime public opinion and photographic narratives.
- Contrast between the patriotic, victory-oriented imagery of World War II and the critical, often traumatic depictions of the Vietnam War.
- The role of photojournalists as professional observers versus their roles in supporting or challenging war efforts.
- A comparative analysis of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs to verify the influence of societal context on visual messaging.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Photojournalism and Combat Photography
Michael Griffin, an author of a book on war photography, states that photojournalism developed “after the rise of picture magazines in the 1920s and 1930s” (Griffin 122). Others claim, that photojournalism began during the American Civil War and the Crimean War, since there, the “first pictures of war” were “published in newspapers” (Tate.org). Often, not the intentions of the photographers who took the photos at a specific point in time are of interest, but “what they indicate about current views of history” (Griffin 122). Consequently, photojournalism became an important factor for the popular press. Although it was not allowed, many soldiers, who went to World War I, took cameras with them and made photographs of the battlefields (Griffin 123). During World War II, that changed. There, “many millions of photographs from the war” (Griffin 124) were taken and “photojournalism came out of age” (Griffin 124). Initially, during, for example, the Civil War, images were used simply to enhance a text. But when magazines, like Life in the 1930s, became more popular and printing was improved, it was also possible to print a photograph on a whole page, whereby “allowing the image to tell the story” (Tate.org). Consequently, photojournalism became important for the popular press. In the years after World War II, those photojournalists were often sent to countries or areas in which war was waged to cover and report what was happening. This was a very delicate and dangerous task since photojournalists were exposed to the same danger as the soldiers who surrounded them. Robert Capa, a famous U.S. American photographer stated, „If your photographs aren't good enough, you're not close enough." (Hamill 27) - even if that meant to face death as he did. Capa was later killed by a land mine in Indochina, still holding his camera in his hand (Hamill 27). By the time the Vietnam War broke loose, the “professional practice of photojournalism was well established” (Griffin 125). Many of the photographers sent to the conflict, by a newspaper or magazine, kept their “standards of objectivity” (Hamill 24 – 35), without any influence of ideology. The “need to remain honest and impartial” (Tate.org) is also, what differentiates a photojournalist from a documentary photographer (Tate.org).
Summary of Chapters
1 War and the United States – Introduction and Setting of Topic: This chapter introduces the thesis that photographic depictions of war are significantly influenced by public opinion and the specific national context of the conflict.
2 Preliminary Considerations: Public Opinion on War: The chapter analyzes the contrasting sentiments toward World War II, which enjoyed broad domestic support, and the Vietnam War, which faced deep societal division and skepticism.
3 Comparison of War Photographs: This section investigates how the motivations of photographers varied based on their mission, comparing the often propagandistic or supportive imagery of the WWII era with the critical, truth-seeking photography of the Vietnam conflict.
4 Conclusion: The concluding chapter confirms that the visual differences between the two wars reflect the broader moral and political atmospheres of the time, validating the thesis that photographers were not merely observers, but often reactive participants in the public discourse.
Keywords
War photography, Photojournalism, World War II, Vietnam War, Public opinion, Combat photography, Pulitzer Prize, Propaganda, Conflict documentation, Visual history, Patriotism, Anti-war movement, Media influence, Censorship, Social division.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this study?
This work explores how the public mood and the social environment surrounding two major conflicts—World War II and the Vietnam War—shaped the way combat photographers captured and presented the reality of war to the public.
What are the central themes discussed?
The study centers on the intersection of photojournalism, patriotism, government influence, and the shifting social definitions of morality and duty in times of military engagement.
What is the primary thesis of the paper?
The author argues that photographs from World War II tend to depict the war as glorious and necessary due to high public consensus, whereas Vietnam War photographs reflect the brutal, immoral, and questioning nature of a nation deeply divided by a failed military venture.
Which scientific methods are utilized for this analysis?
The research employs a comparative historical and content-based analysis, examining existing literature, historical polling data, and specific photographic examples, including Pulitzer Prize-winning works.
What content is addressed in the main chapters?
The main sections delve into the historical background of both conflicts, the technical development of photojournalism, the specific intentions of famous photographers like Edward Steichen, and the critical analysis of iconic images as historical artifacts.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include war photography, public opinion, conflict documentation, and visual history, highlighting the interplay between the camera, societal morale, and governmental narratives.
How did public support for the war influence the work of Robert Capa or Edward Steichen?
During the cohesive mood of World War II, state-employed photographers like Steichen focused on themes of national unity, patriotism, and victory to sustain the war effort, whereas later photographers often acted independently to expose the raw truth of modern combat.
Why are Pulitzer Prize-winning photos specifically compared?
Comparing Pulitzer Prize-winning photos allows the author to examine highly influential, “vetted” images that represent the standard-setting visual narratives of each generation, making them ideal subjects for identifying thematic contrasts between the two wars.
What role did media like Life magazine play in this context?
Magazines such as Life were pivotal in shaping the American public's perception, acting as platforms for patriotic narratives during WWII, while in the Vietnam era, a widespread television presence helped document truths that eventually fueled anti-war sentiment.
Does the author reach a definitive conclusion regarding their thesis?
Yes, the author confirms that the intentions and outputs of war photographers were inextricably linked to the societal conditions and domestic moods of their respective timelines.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2020, American Combat Photography. Connecting the public opinion on World War II and the Vietnam War through photographs, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1487887
