Propaganda and its Implications
Creativity: A tool used during the Cold War
This poster was published a year after Stalin's death. It attempts to show that Soviet military expansion is an ongoing process, which isn't going to be deterred or intimated by the US policies. The reparations from Germany funded Soviet machinery; they were able to build the MiG-9 Fargo turbo fighter in 1946 and the Yak Feather aircraft in 1947. The "red stars" symbolise the pilot's kill score.
Examples of Soviet Propaganda through Posters
One of the ways that the Soviet Union and the United States contested their ideas was through the use of posters. The posters that circulated were not only considered original and creative for their style and art, but also insinuated the deeper and darker hostility between the two powers.
Centered around the Middle East are the US and its allies. The text reads, "Here again blood and oil is being poured", implying that the expansionist and capitalist policies of the West milk or drain all the resources of other countries.
There are two US missiles placed upon a road that reads "A road to peace".
There is a contrast of weather. Dark clouds cover the USA whie sunshine falls over the USSR. The thermometer is an indication of industry production levels, and the USSR seems to be exceling in it, while the US falls behind. The information box at the bottom anticipates a US economic crisis.
The Soviet Union was eager to promote a positive image because of the Vietnam War and the highly volatile relationship with the USA. The poster on the left is an example of how the Soviet Union wanted to keep the political aspirations and Marxist-Lenin ideologies alive. The poster was catered for a European and American audience, especially since they are no foreign words or slogans.
KPSS stands for “Kommunisticheskaya partiya Sovetskogo Soyuza” – the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This poster celebrates the Soviet Union's victoires in space – which changed the dynamic of the Cold War. On the left is Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. To his right is Gherman Titov, the first person to spend a whole day in space. They are pictured alongside two others who made it to space. They excited and shocked the US public, and pushed Kennedy to send a man to the moon.
Sources: English Russia, Designer Daily