The Ordinary Turned Extraordinary: Heroic Symbols in War
"Flags of Our Fathers," a film directed by Clint Eastwood released just last week, depicts the bloodbath that took place at Iwo Jima in February of 1945. During that battle, an American symbol was born with just the snap of a camera. The iconic photograph of five Marines and one Navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi remains an image that still incites patriotism among Americans today.
We turn to David Hsiung of Juniata's history department for further insight into the historical symbols of yesterday and the contemporary icons of today:
Question
How does the use of images as propaganda during Vietnam differ from their use in World War II?
Answer
The photos and video circulating the media during Vietnam portrayed more shocking than heroic images. A striking example shows a South Vietnamese police sergeant, fighting on the American side, executing an enemy in civilian clothing by shooting him directly in the head. This image was broadcast on NBC in 1969 and served to increase frustration over the lack of progress in Vietnam, unlike the photo of the flag raisers, which intensified patriotism.
Q
What is a contemporary example of the government turning ordinary people into heroes?
A
The American government tried to portray Jessica Lynch as a hero. Her eventual "rescue" from an Iraqi hospital by U.S. Special Forces was publicized as a patriotic victory for the United States. Then other sources came out with information differing from the U, S. government's original statement saying that the rescue was dramatized.
Q
Has the control of wartime information shifted from the government to the media since World War II?
A
There has been a slight shift, but the government has been trying to maintain control over what information the public gets to know. In the Gulf War, they kept tight control over who reporters could interview; often a staff officer had to be present when the press interviewed a soldier. Currently, the government must focus on image management and internet circulation, as in the case of Abu Ghraib.
Q
What turns an ordinary photograph into an icon?
A
An icon is the 'perfect storm' of image and context. The emotional weight comes from the context, as seen in the picture of Mount Suribachi. Images from 9/11 have the same combination of elements, firefighters emerging from smoke and ash with girders and steel beams forming an apocalyptic background. The government used these types of photos to encourage Americans to give President Bush the "go ahead" in the war on terror.
- Sara Hernandez '09, Student Writer
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