WP#1 Purpose Statement

The overall purpose this writing project is to analyze arguments made by the photographer in the picture British tank men study U.S. tanks between battle in Egypt... A gunner giving a talk on the 75mm gun. (From this point forward to be referred to as British tank men.) In order to achieve this purpose, I will first explain and analyze the historical context of the photograph, operating on the assumption it was taken sometime in 1942. This is the most logical date, given the history of the M3 Lee and the fighting in North Africa.

In order to understand the argument of the photograph, I will be analyzing the appeals pathos and logos made in British tank men. To do this, I will examine at several elements within the photograph, all the while keeping the original audience in mind. Through this examination, my goal is to show the audience the extreme feelings of nationalism and determination the original audience would have felt.

The first technical element that will be examined is the significance of the vectors of attention. The photographer was making a specific argument when he decided the British crew should be looking at the American, and the American should be looking at the shell. For the purposes of the analysis, I will also be considering the tank as a person rather than an inanimate object, since way the tank is situated and its position in the picture are also significant. Through relating the historical context, my goal in analyzing vectors of attention is to show the audience how symbolic the vectors would be to WWII civilians.

The second technical element I will examine is the coloration. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, saturation, hue, and brightness. While there are certain limitations in this analysis due to period technology, the photographer was certainly making an argument when he made the background pure white and exaggerated the shadows on the tank and men.

In addition to examining the original argument of British tank men, I will examine the emotions and feelings in invokes in the 21st century viewer. Because of the historical context and the general failure of the M4 (and thus, American tanks in general), photographs such as these invoke very different emotions to us than the original viewers. Instead of the original audience’s pride, we feel a deep sorrow for the needless deaths caused by inferior technology. I will examine these unintended arguments that are in many cases opposite of what the photographer intended.

Since this paper will be posted on a blog, the general audience could be anyone in the English-speaking world. However, my primary audience is my professor and classmates. Because this paper is for an assignment at a university, it will employ a professional, non-conversational tone. However, since it is possible for almost anyone to view the paper, it will also be written is such a way that is accessible to anyone who has not read Compose, Design, Advocate. Key terms used in the paper will be briefly defined very few assumptions will be made about the audience’s knowledge and background.

The success of this writing project will be determined by the reaction of the viewer after reading it. If the reader reads the paper and understands the arguments made to both the original viewers and the modern viewer and how the technical elements of the photograph support those arguments, then success has been achieved. If the reader does not leave with such an understanding, the paper may be considered a failure.

My largest concern about this project is being too detailed in the historical context. As a student of history, it is very easy for me to get “carried away” and provide too much or unrelated information. This is a concern especially because of the rather limiting word count maximum.

Writing Project #1 will be a challenge for me. Since I have never analyzed photography before, it is something I am not very comfortable with. However, if I explain to my audience how the historical context, vectors of attention, and technical elements work together in British tank men to create cohesive arguments, this project may be considered a success.

Pre-Writing Assignment #3

As is most likely obvious from my previous posts, I enjoy studying World War II. Unfortunately, most of my knowledge is of the fighting on the European mainland, which occurred two years after this photograph was taken. Thus, I got a few details wrong; such as the most likely time this picture was taken. This new information changes some aspects of the argument this photograph is making.

It is unfortunately necessary to make much of this post a history lesson. War is a continuum of troop and civilian morale. In order to understand the intended argument of a photograph, we must first understand what soldiers and civilians of the time were feeling.

The tank pictured is an M3 Lee (otherwise known as the M3 Grant). A better picture of the tank itself is included in this post.

Unfortunately, the exact date is not given for the photograph. In fact, the website states it was taken between 1940 and 1946. Given the historical context of the M3 (which was quickly phased out for the M4 Sherman) and teaching British soldiers how to use it, we can assume it was taken early in the war—probably 1942.

At the time, the M3 was the most advanced tank the Allies had developed. The British tanks were inferior to those of the Germans. (militaryfactory.com) This would have been a major source of national pride to Americans. The United States was the newcomer to the war, and its military technology had already eclipsed that of the British. This picture is a testament to that American ingenuity. It demonstrates that, while the Americans may be late, they are still superior to the British and have something to offer in this war.

As mentioned in an earlier post, this picture also attempts to strengthen the American resolve in the war effort. The armies of the United States had already seen action against the Vichy French and had been met with incredible success. The defeats mentioned in previous posts would come in 1943. This picture, with the confident countenance of the American teacher, shows the American public and troops that the Americans could indeed win the war.

As stated before, many of the “decisions” such as lighting and contrast are simply products of period technology. However, it seems difficult for the background to be completely white on accident. Given the historical context, the photographer could have been making the argument that, no matter where the two sides clashed, the M3 and the Allies would be victorious.

Because of the relative danger of operation Shermans, American WW2 tanks are known today as deathtraps. (Hawks) We see death and dying whenever we see an American tank from the period. This view is unchanged by the exact date of a photograph or the make of a tank. Even though we see death, the viewers of the time saw hope. This can be plainly seen when we examine the historical context of the photograph.

Works Cited:

Staff Writer, miliartyfactory.com, "Medium Tank, M3 (Lee / Grant)", (c) 2003-2010

"A Brief History of WWII: North Africa", Worldwariihistory.info, adapted from "A Brief History of the U.S. Army in World War II" by the U.S. Army Center for Military History.

Hawks, Chuck, chuckhawks.com, "The Best Army Tanks of World War II"

Pre-Writing Assignment #2

The title for the photograph explicitly tells us the relationship between the seven men. They are soldiers, equal, fighting for one cause. Even though the American is teaching the British soldiers, and thus seems to be the leader, this cannot be assumed. All seven of these men had been through the hell of modern warfare. They had seen the almost invincible Panzer tanks barreling toward them. They had seen their friends die in the deathtraps that were early Allied tanks. They had seen their shells ineffectively bounce off the Panzer’s thick armor. Only when we understand this historical context can even partially begin to understand the relationship these men share. The British are intently listening to the American because they know the information they learn in this crash course could one day save their lives. The American lovingly looks at the shell because he knows it can one day destroy a Panzer before it destroys him.

In analyzing the landscape, keeping to a strict definition will not be extremely beneficial. The landscape of the photograph consists of a flat, sunny desert and a tank. The tank is closer to a person in the photograph (see the analysis above) than an object. Analyzing the broader context of the landscape (i.e. the North African desert), however, is extremely beneficial.

Erwin Rommel, the German commander in Africa, hated the continent. It was hard on machines, men, and supplies. The Allies hated Africa as well for many of the same reasons, but had the added problem that the Germans were very skilled at desert warfare. This information adds a new level of meaning to the picture. Not only are the men in the picture soldiers, they are also desperate. Every man in the picture despises the hot days and cold nights, the sand, the sun, the endless dunes, the Germans, and even sometimes their own commanders. They simply wanted out, and they saw the new generation of tanks as the way to do it. The lighting of the picture also highlights this with the extremely bright sun distorting the image.

This picture does not really have any geography or structural types, especially if we count the tank as a person, as I am doing for this analysis. However, the historical context and the meaning it would have to the original audience is worth mentioning.

When the United States entered the war, the Americans suffered a series of humiliating losses. Outdated equipment, poor leadership, and inexperience plagued the American armies. These new tanks represented a change. This picture would cause a highly patriotic reaction in its original audience. This is especially true because it shows an American teaching British soldiers how to operate machinery. At the time, the British believed the Americans had no right to teach them how to fight a war which Britain had been fighting for over a year.

This photograph has many layers of emotion and feeling. The men show us desperate, determined soldiers. The photographer is intending to stir up patriotic feelings in his audience. Much of the meaning is lost today, but if we put ourselves in the context of the 1940s, we can begin to understand the argument of the photograph.

Pre-Writing Assignment #1

This photo, taken in Africa shortly after the United States joined the Allies in World War II, shows an American tank crewman teaching his British counterparts about the new American tanks. While on the surface it seems to be a simple classroom picture, the various technical and emotional aspects of this photo show the enthusiasm of the soldiers, and the importance of the occasion.

The first thing most people will notice when they look at this picture are the vectors of attention. With the exception of the man farthest away from the camera (which we will discuss in a moment), none of the soldiers are looking at the camera. This only makes sense, since the American is teaching the six British tank crewman. What is unexpected, however, is the American’s vector of attention. We might expect it to be looking at his “students,” or at the tank. Instead, he is looking at the shell he is holding. The appeals to logos, pathos and ethos shine through. The photographer is attempting to give us a general ethos of an objective observer. The enthusiasm of the Britains toward the new tank and the enthusiasm of the American for the ammunition give an ethos of expectation. At this point in time, after all, the American tanks were thought to be the best in the world. It seems as though the American is saying, “Now we’ll get ‘em.” Meanwhile, the man farthest from the camera looks directly at the audience. It appears he does not share his comrades’ enthusiasm and is telling the audience, “Remember this; it will change the world.” This, of course, is an appeal to logos. There are more appeals in the vectors of attention, but time dictates that I move on.

Whether intentional or not, the focus of this picture, achieved mainly through lighting and coloration, in not actually foreground. The focus is instead the tank. This could be accidental, since the picture was taken in black and white (which the technology of the day dictated), and the picture was taken in the North African desert. Regardless of the intentionality of the focus, it seems to make the argument that the important thing in modern warfare is not the soldier, but the machinery. It actually took me a little while to notice the teacher at all. He blends into the tank behind him, highlighting the anonymity of modern warfare.

As I stated before, I believe much of the coloration, hue, and lighting of the picture are not meant to make an argument but are instead reflections of period technology and weather. The framing is intentionally simple to avoid the viewer getting distracted from the picture itself.

This picture, while simple in its design and execution, elicits feelings of hope, expectation, and given our historical perspective, a certain measure of despair. The logos, pathos, and ethos of the photo add to that effect. The lighting, coloration, etc, while maybe not intentional, certainly adds to the emotional reaction the viewer feels. World War II was the most dramatic war in history, and this picture gives us a little glimpse of that drama.

Weekly Blog Post 7

I am one of those people who enjoys picking up a digital camera and taking a picture or two. When I read threads on forums about photography, I am usually completely lost after the word “Canon.” In this brief essay, I will explain my interest in, knowledge of, and experience with photography.

I am interested in photography to the point that I wish I owned a digital camera. I enjoy being the “official photographer” for debate tournaments, family vacations, and road trips. Before the age of digital cameras, I always cherished a disposable camera my parents would give me for a class trip or a special occasion. I remember always saving the last shot or two in the film for the “perfect shot.” Most often, the “perfect shot” wound up being a blurry image taken from a car on the way home, but it was the intention that really mattered.

As I hinted at before, my knowledge with photography is at the same time adequate and limited. I do, however, have a decent understanding of the artistry behind it. I can appreciate how the pose, cropping, color, lighting, etc, affect the viewer’s perspective and the intended message of the photograph.

Despite my general knowledge of the messages and art of photography, I have almost no knowledge of the technical aspects of this particular art form. If someone were to ask me what kind of camera my family owns, I would answer something like, “Ummm…a digital one. I think it’s a Canon…” I have never seen or used Photoshop or equivalent program. I have no idea how to saturate color tones, change shutter speed, or even how to turn the flash on and off on some cameras.

In terms of experience, I once again have very little exposure to the art of photography. My brother is somewhat interested in photography, so he has asked me to pose for a few photoshoots. Other than that and a few other candid moments, my experience is mostly “point and shoot” photography for the purpose of remembering a moment. I have never been involved in photography as a fine art.

I both like photography and have little knowledge of it. While I have a basic appreciation and interest in it, that interest is not strong enough for me to become involved in photography beyond its everyday use: documenting for posterity.