Rhetorical Analysis - For the Motherland!

This Russian poster, which says "Under Lenin's banner - forward, for the motherland, for our victory," is a striking example of communist propaganda. The main purpose of the argument is to motivate, inspire and encourage those going to fight in World War 2; however, its main argument is to fight in the war for communism, the USSR and, most importantly, Lenin, who has given the people everything they have.

Audience:

Of course, this poster is aimed at those Russians going to fight, but because we know that this is communist propaganda, the poster is also aimed at everyone who has or could have something to do with the war.

Ethos/Pathos/Logos/STAR:

The credibility of this poster depends on how you look at it. To someone outside of Russia, this looks completely bogus, but to an actual citizen of the country, during the same time period, this was probably completely credible. Under communism, since everything you have and all the information you receive comes from the state, the people to trust them, especially under Stalin who would most likely send them to a gulag if they didn’t.

The theme is very emotional to Russian people and, during this time, would be effective at stirring up both sentimental and patriotic feelings alike.

Logically, this makes sense. With everyone working together, the motherland is stronger and we can achieve victory. This poster has also replaced an “under God” slogan with “under Lenin” so, technically, those fighting are still possibly protected by a higher power.

Effectiveness:

Again, this depends on who you are. To Americans this seems ridiculous. To Russians, however, this would be very effective at the time. The communist propaganda machine was one of the most effective in the world, and was great at deluding the masses into thinking like the state. This poster conjures up incredibly patriotic emotions and would convince a people to die for a cause.