This image, the front page of a newspaper from Dallas, displays

the difference in the opinion of Nazis and the opinion of Americans at

the time. The headline of the newspaper reads, Hysterical Nazis
Wreck Thousands of Jewish Shops, Burn Synagogues in Wild Orgy of
Looting and Terror, showing an obvious negative bias on the part of
the newspaper, and on the part of America as a whole. An image of a
Jewish shop, which has been wrecked, is splayed across the page, and
on the right of the image, another title reads, Policemen Refuse to
Halt Organized Riots in Germany.

This image, in itself, shows the exact state of America during the
Holocaust and the time surrounding and during World War 2. America

seemed to be well known for its attitude of disgust toward the

Germans at their behavior. Looking at the headline of this newspaper,
that disgust is clearly displayed. The diction of the headline stands out
to any reader, and that reader will likely automatically associate those
words with Germany and the Nazis. The Nazis are described as
hysterical, a word often used to describe one who lacks control or
order. By describing the Nazis in this way, they are making them less of
a threat, and more of a small entity that is not to be taken seriously.
The word wreck in regards to what the Nazis were doing to Jewish
shops (and homes) somewhat contributes to the childish
characterization of the Nazis. Wreck is, more often than not, used in
cases of a child ruining something, or any kind of accident. This
somewhat gives the reader an image of a bumbling fool wrecking the
Jewish Shops, rather than depicting an imposing figure who means to
do what they do and uses their actions to hurt people. Wild Orgy is
exceptionally interesting choice of words for what the Nazis were doing
in this situation. Wild is often used in the case of something that is
untamed and uncontrolled, and orgy is often characterized as a wild
party. The Nazis actions in this situation are no longer to be seen as
organized and frightening ruining of Jewish establishments and lives,
but as an untamed and uncontrolled party. It seems that, at the time,
the American goal was to make the Nazis seem like uncontrolled

animals. This minimized the Nazis as a threat and likely made them
seem more silly than terrifying for America as an enemy.

The image of what is likely one of the shops in question is the

central piece of the newspaper. The image, upon first viewing, is
chilling. This image forces readers to think about the fact that these
small Jewish-owned shops are being preyed on by the government they
are under. Many could say that the image is disturbing and that news
sources should not force readers to think about these unsettling acts,
but this image, in its forcing readers to come to terms with the awful
things happening in the world, does its exact job. This image is very
much a piece of rhetoric that builds the pathos of the article itself, and
Americas argument against Germany. This picture likely caused many
to support the war and to oppose Germany. Americas goal, in
depiction of Germans and Nazis, sufficiently built an argument
supporting the stupidity and cruelty of Germans while building the
reputation of America and the army as heroic.

America, while working against enemy forces, has always had

problems. As a country, America was recovering from the Great
Depression and remaining stagnant in a time of racial turbulence. Race
did not stop being an issue during World War 2. There was an
increased presence of African Americans in northern parts of the

country, which was a growing worry of many Caucasian-Americans.

The Great Depression occurred in the decade before World War 2, but
the effects lasted throughout, and after, the time of the war. Many will
say that America needed to interfere in the situation with Germany,
but America was in a time of crisis and needed not to keep a focus in
war, but in rebuilding the economy. To the left of the headline, though,
is an article about a proposed State Reconstruction Finance
Corporation. This could be considered as a metaphor for the state of
the country. The article about a plan to help handle the Depression is
smaller and less important than those detailing Nazi acts of violence,
and other articles about Nazi Germany. The lack of focus on Americas
great issues could also be considered as a purposeful ploy, in that the
news sources distract Americans from their current issues and show
them that there are people living in similar, if not much worse due to
torture, conditions.

The situation in Germany was one often reported on by American

sources. These sources depicted the Nazis and the government as wild
and out of control, giving them a childish characterization rather than
the frightening one the Nazis seemed to be working toward. In this
American news source, the pathos was built heartily by a single image,
making the situation more real and giving America more of the support
it needed. The focus on Germany, though, and not on Americas grand

issues, could be credited to the idea of distraction. As the highlyesteemed historian and social critic, Christopher Lasch, once said, the
reporting of news has to be understood as propaganda for
commodities, and events by images.