Art and War
Artistry has been used to influence people in virtually every culture throughout history. The knowledge gained from using artistic media at times such as wars, to get people involved in life-or-death situations, led to a dramatic increase in its use in peacetime, as well. Today, art for persuasive purposes comes in many forms, such as posters, films, ads, commercials, clothing, architecture, or the written word itself.
http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/vexhibit/warpost/english/exhibit.htm
Propaganda posters from WWI with helpful background about their use are found here.
http://www.bytwerk.com/gpa/postcard.htm
This site has examples of Nazi postcard propaganda from WWII.
http://www.iisg.nl/exhibitions/chairman/chnintro.php
These Chinese propaganda posters followed WWII as the Chinese government tried to rebuild the country .
During World War II, the government undertook unprecedented campaigns to engage Americans in the war effort. Private business followed suit, often attempting to link their products with appeals to patriotism. Propaganda and advertisement sometimes became inextricably entwined in the process. —Alabama Department of Archives and History