The media was the major source of information for Americans during the Second World War. In addition, the media created the image of Adolf Hitler as it was perceived by the average American during that time. News about the war was generally received from such sources as radio, newspapers, magazines, and newsreels (Short 1). These media were also responsible for selling Hitler to the American public. In a way, they acted as propaganda for stirring up American support for the war effort in Europe. The news presentations of Hitler, particularly after the start of World War II, usually showed him as a threat to world peace. The clear message was that Hitler needed to be stopped in order for democracy and freedom to be preserved. K.R M. Short, editor of the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, has noted that newsreels, for example, served the purpose of "informing the people about the progress of the war, while continually stressing the importance of home front commitment and morale in achieving victory" (16-17). Although Short refers specifically to newsreels in the movie theater, it can be seen that the same elements were stressed in the coverage of the other news media as well. This paper will discuss the United States image of Hitler from the 1920s through 1945, as it was presented in the media. It will be seen that the image of Hitler changed somewhat during the major periods in his political career. Three major periods in that career will be considered in this paper: Hitler's rise to power, the war years, and his decline.
Before becoming involved in German politics, Adolf Hitler was a struggling artist and architect in Vienna. After the First World War, Hitler settled in Munich, where he joined the recently-formed National Socialist Party. By 1921, Hitler had seized control of the party, and had turned it into "a rigidly authoritarian political organisation" (Taylor 65). This was the first sign of Hitl...