Pieces to a Puzzle

Photographs and illustrations, like diaries and letters, are important because they can enhance a historian’s understanding of the past. Unlike letters and diaries, pictures possess an objective quality. When taken correctly with relevant content, photographs are unbiased ¬ allowing viewers to draw their own conclusions. They can provide viewers with a greater understanding and wider perspective than words can convey. Photographs, such as those taken of soldiers in the First World War, serve as an invaluable visual documentation of life in the trenches. However, images can be doctored and used to mislead the public. This is especially evident in Canadian propaganda during the First World War. World War I was a total war where entire countries, as opposed to armies, were locked in combat. As a result, Canada was in desperate need of soldiers to fight in the war. Staged images or dramatic illustrations were used as propaganda in order to appeal to the emotions of the Canadian people. These images often featured heroic depictions of soldiers at the front, failing to mention the harrowing living conditions or substantial loss of life. Although photographs and illustrations are integral to providing a snapshot of life in the past, historians must be cautious when using them as sources as they can be used to manipulate the emotions of the viewer.