"Eliminating the last sparrow."
Via Vintage-Ads.livejournal.com
Just as the Great Leap Forward was beginning to yield its first casualties — and on through the years when hundreds and then thousands and then millions died of starvation and disease — China continued to print propaganda posters like the above (more after the jump) to boost morale and do whatever it is leaders think propaganda posters do. (Kill sparrows! Eliminate pests! Oh, what’s that, sparrows eat pests, and without sparrows the pests will kill all our crops? Oops, too late, we’ve already printed posters… kill sparrows!) Let this be a lesson to the propagandists of today: you can send messages to the masses through your control of media and totally ignore irony, but future generations will probably mock you for it.
"The commune is like a gigantic dragon, production is visibly awe-inspiring."
"More pigs, more fertilizer, higher grain production."
"When the dining hall is well-run, the production spirit will increase."
"The people's communes are good."
"Study the Soviet Union, to advance to the world level of science."
"Ride the wind and cleave the waves to realise a Leap Forward in all fields."
"Everyone come and fight sparrows."
"The commune's canteen is powerful, the dishes are deliciously made. You eat like you wish, production ambitions are rising."
This next one, however, was pretty prescient:
"Greatly develop the sectors of culture, communication and transport."
(H/T Buzzfeed via Alicia)
