I've been meaning to ask this . . .

I took a similar class as OP on films, it was very interesting and does make you view films from a different perspective and in a more critical light. That said:

Mrs. Miniver, 1942 (NY premiere date 04 June 1942) has been viewed as a classic piece of propaganda (and it is an excellent film in its own right also). The highest praise probably in this aspect came from Germany's Propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels himself when he said the film; "shows the destiny of a family during the current war, and its refined powerful propagandistic tendency has up to now only been dreamed of. There is not a single angry word spoken against Germany."

Sgt. York, 1941. Originally the real Sgt. York refused to let Hollywood make the film of his life. He was an isolationist and did not want it to be used to fan the flames of war. It was only after numerous in person meetings with him that the studio was able to convince him that Nazi Germany was a real threat to the US and it was his patriotic duty to allow the film to be made.

In retrospect, and the historical record proves that, the Committee was correct. There was a concerted effort in Hollywood to manipulate the US public opinion away from isolationism towards interventionism. That did occur. Now, the real debate is should the opinion makers and Roosevelt Administration manipulated the United States into intervention? My personal opinion is split, we did need to intervene. If we had failed to I shudder to think what the world would be today. I do not agree with how we were lied to and maneuvered into fighting a war we did not want. When you're asking people to sacrifice the lives of their fathers, brothers and sons, there is no room for deceit.
As for Senator Nye's intellect, I haven't studied up enough on him to comment, but comparing him to Sarah Palin is a bit harsh.

 

Nor did they want to send troops to fight another European War.

 

Damn, OP already thought of the Nye/Palin connection/bit.
His was better, will admit.

 

To Be Or Not To Be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Be_or_Not_to_Be_(1942_film)

 

"The Shift in Propaganda: WWII to Vietnam" was my entry essay into grad film school (got accepted), but I decided on English instead.

 

Thank you, and I totally agree with you, but, believe it or not, I've had the Bumblebee since before the bee panic started. Bumblebee in German is "Hummel", and, as you probably know, the Hummel was a big ol' SP Gun in the German arsenal.

 

My entry for favorite WWII propaganda movie would be the Tex Avery cartoons and especially "What's Buzzin' Buzzards"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036527/

although that one was one of the nastier and more subversive ones (and the funniest one I saw) Avery had a knack of caricaturing Der Fuhrer and his gang and the Japanese. Very racist stuff today. In fact Blitz Wolf was banned for many years.

 

Hi Andre,

Buzzin Buzzards was about meat rationing during WWII. Are you sure that is the one you meant? There are dozens of WB, MGM and Disney propaganda cartoons out there that are way more explicate. Here's one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjLfyooJQEc

 

My favorites are Wake Island, They Were Expendable, Sahara, Casablanca, Hail the Conquering Hero, the Our Gang and the 3 Stooges shorts.

 

So this is pretty much for LRusso216. You asked what films I examined. Here's a partial list (the whole list is lost in time as it happened over 30 years ago, and now I'm old and decrepit, lol):
WW2: 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, Casablanca, A Guy Named Joe, A Yank in the RAF, 1943: Action in the North Atlantic (still one of the BEST WW2 movies imho -- but then my favorite uncle was a chief steward in the US Merchant Marine).
Vietnam: Go Tell the Spartans, The Green Berets, Tribes, The Boys in Company C, and I'd have LOVED to have used "The Siege of Firebase Gloria and Full Metal Jacket (the company commander in The Boys in Company C comes back as a battalion/regimental CO in Full Metal Jacket -- he's the one who questions Joker about the peace symbol he wears and the "Born to Kill" slogan on his helmet).