Okay, this might not seem like it has anything to do with what we're doing in class right now, but I heard a bit about it on the radio this morning and decided to do a little further research.
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the GI Joe action figure! The toy was first launched in 1964 by Hasbro (not Barbie, contrary to popular belief) with the intent of honoring World War II veterans. At the time, Hasbro's staff was well-stocked with veterans. These veterans became the inspiration for (as well as the producers of) entire GI Joe sets, which eventually included not only military uniforms and small plastic guns, but also toy tanks, jeeps, and even a female GI. GI Joe was also the first ever action figure toy.
At the time, most young boys had a father or brother who had fought in World War II, so the GI action figure invoked their awe and admiration. GI Joe was immensely popular also because he exhibited strong American nationalism, which appealed to many people across generations. But as times changed, GI Joe changed too, constantly adapting in order to accurately represent an average military GI. Today, you can buy a GI Joe fully equipped with a headset and bulletproof vest.
GI Joe also serves as evidence of the post-war boom. After World War II, the Americans had so much industrial and economic strength that they could afford to mass-produce millions of plastic military toys. It also displayed the lingering warlike mentality of the United States. Even though the war was long over, the Americans continued to remember their own heroism. And as tensions increased with the Soviet Union, Americans young and old began to turn to this new idol of American virtue.
Here's the link to a news article I found if anyone wants to check it out:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gi-joe-the-worlds-first-action-figure-turns-50/
This is a really interesting post Anneliese, because it really gives us a connection with the post-war generation; GI Joe is something we know about/relate to, so it's easy to see how the action figure embodied both post-war American nationalism, as well as the industrial boom after the war. That's really interesting that Hasboro's staff was full of veterans, I wonder if most veterans of the war picked up industrial jobs?
ReplyDeleteThat's actually a really interesting point... Since most working women quit their jobs after the war ended, there would be high demand for industrial workers. So it would definitely make sense for all the industrial jobs to be filled by returning veterans.
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