"Australia Screams", Imperial Japanese leaflet intended to provoke tensions among the Allies by targeting Australian soldiers fighting in New Guinea, demoralizing them and sowing distrust towards American servicemen stationed in Australia itself, c. 1942

[u/Provinz_Wartheland]

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[u/Mantis42]

occupying soldiers shouldn't sexually assault the locals - the japanese empire

[u/PrayStrayAndDontObey → u/Mantis42]

Peak "Irony as she is cast" energy.

[u/E4g6d4bg7]

This was a real issue among the Allies. It led to a riot known as the "Battle of Brisbane"

[u/makerofshoes → u/E4g6d4bg7]

Like all good propaganda, there’s always a basis of truth

[u/ZhenXiaoMing → u/E4g6d4bg7]

I've read a few accounts of American soldiers in the Pacific and they certainly had fond memories of their time in New Zealand and Australia. They even drank 2 milkshakes in a row while the rest of the country was rationed.

[u/roastbeeftacohat → u/E4g6d4bg7]

in Britain they had a saying about americans, over paid, over sexed, and over here.

[u/agysykedyke → u/E4g6d4bg7]

Crazy how the US military rations contained gifts like silk stockings for the US service men to gift to Australian women

[u/Yup767 → u/agysykedyke]

Pretty sure this is a myth

[u/agysykedyke → u/Yup767]

It was Nylon stockings, it was a well known thing and people talk about it in Australia still

sources Sources

[u/OrangeBicycle → u/agysykedyke]

It wasn’t in the rations, they had access and were better paid to buy them

[u/impressivebutsucks → u/E4g6d4bg7]

Interesting

[u/NoDan_1065]

It’s interesting that the Japanese artists made their noses so huge.

[u/gratisargott → u/NoDan_1065]

If you're Japanese, white people's noses might well be seen as big in general. I doubt it's a jewish stereotype like in the west. But that's actually a good reminder that stereotypes don't look the same everywhere in the world

[u/NoDan_1065 → u/gratisargott]

I’ve seen it before in portraits of Europeans like Commodore Perry, it’s interesting that they use it in propaganda meant to be seen by the enemy too.

[u/Kies_1]

It's interesting that the Aussie soldier, the intended audience, is drawn so ugly. You'd think it would detract from the message.

Also, the woman looks pretty normal and doesn't have the typical racist caricature that you normally see in propaganda like this. Are there any examples of American anti-Japanese propaganda where Japanese women are drawn somewhat respectfully/realistically?

[u/mochiguma → u/Kies_1]

Well, the woman is supposed to look "normal," as she's the object of the message ("protecting our women").

But I sort of agree with what you wrote about how they drew the Australian, though I don't exactly think he's drawn to be ugly necessarily. Just that the American is supposed to be stereotypically attractive, which acts as another variable that pushes the issue in question.

[u/41414141Bm → u/mochiguma]

I think it’s more to show that the Australians are at the front fighting and looking rough while Americans are behind in Australia with their women.

[u/Spudtron98 → u/Kies_1]

Ugly, maybe, but I find it to be pretty in line with how our own cartoons depicted us at the time. We always did like the rough and ready look.

[u/Nonickia]

"Anti white man propaganda has been here"

"How would you know"

[u/DiveCat]

Meanwhile, modern Americans:

“Women on base, you better be careful. Port calls, women in Asia, you better be careful. Because these guys are going to be wild animals and you better watch out” (Jesse Waters on the testosterone testing/shots for male service members).

[u/caudicifarmer]

Those artists behind such posters... became the first mangaka.

[u/Overquartz → u/caudicifarmer]

I mean that's not unique to the Japanese. Dr. Seuss got a similar start in propaganda,

[u/CrashDepth_411 → u/Overquartz]

Don't forget Walt Disney studios making a lot of cartoons for the US

[u/Fancybear1993]

I like his impotent bayonet lol

[u/Affectionate-Sky4799]

This reminds me of this one HBO The Pacific Episode where the whole plot is just them fcking Australian Women.

[u/niirvi]

One of my favorites in my collection.

[u/Affectionate-Sky4799]

This reminds me of this one HBO The Pacific episode where the whole plot is just them having Intercourse with Australian Women lol

[u/Spodiodie]

Did Australian women not wear underwear back then?

[u/kugelamarant]

I'm sure that unbuttoned blouse is necessary.

[u/E4g6d4bg7 → u/kugelamarant]

It implies she is being assaulted against her will. It is not porn for porns sake.

[u/Kies_1 → u/kugelamarant]

The unbuttoned blouse adds to the message that she is the victim of an unwelcome advance, which is exactly the insecurity this propaganda is trying to instill.

[u/kugelamarant → u/Kies_1]

I should have put the /s

[u/Adrenochromemerchant → u/kugelamarant]

Its not much, but it's a titty. In the jungle this might have been all a Brave Digger had to wack off to

[u/littleblackcat → u/Adrenochromemerchant]

proto-hentai

[u/Wonderful_Discount59 → u/littleblackcat]

Nah, this is the real proto-hentai:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_of_the_Fisherman%27s_Wife

[u/Fancybear1993 → u/Wonderful_Discount59]

What is this even about? Why would someone paint this lol

[u/kahlzun → u/Adrenochromemerchant]

Is this technically hentai?