Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
Communist Destruction vs Government Construction, Kachin, 1954 US poster: A Kachin-language poster in two columns of four ink

Communist Destruction vs Government Construction, Kachin (poster distributed in Rangoon)

A Kachin-language poster in two columns of four ink drawings each. The left column shows communist destruction: a wrecked bridge, armed men with star armbands taking food, villagers fleeing a burning village. The right column shows government work: a rebuilt bridge, a reception camp, relief food handed out, new houses. The tell is card-stacking: harm is assigned to one side and benefit to the other, with no source for any scene.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Card stackingFear appeal
Date
July 27, 1954
Period
Cold War
Made by
U.S. Information Agency, Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East series
Region
North America
Country
United States
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Eisenhower Administration
Leader
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Audience
Foreign public
Purpose
Persuade or win support
Themes
War and the military, Home front
Event
Cold War
Source
Unidentified Source blurred: contractors, cutouts, buried disclosure
Source
U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 306, Propaganda Posters Distributed in Asia, Latin America, Middle East, retrieved October 4, 2026
Rights
Public domain (U.S. government work; NARA RG 306)
U.S. Information Agency / Department of State, July 27, 1954. National Archives, Record Group 306 (NAID 6948997, 306-PPB-125).

Text on the object

Original (Kachin) · read from the image, not independently checked

MYIT MANG HKRUM AI GAW AWNG DANG NINGHPANG RAI

KUN-MYU-NIT NI A JAHTEN SHARUN LAM.
MUNGHPAWM MYEN MUNG ATSUYA A MUNG GRAM LAJANG AI LAM.

[Left column captions]
KUN-MYU-NIT NI A JAHTEN SHARUN LAM A MAJAW, MYEN MUNG SHARA SHAGU NA MAHKRAI NI N'DAI ZAWN HTEN RUN LAI WA SAI.
KUN-MYU-NIT NI GAW, SHANHTE GASAT DANG LA AI MUNG NA JAWNG NI HPE, JAHTEN KAU AI, HPYEN RUNG SHATAI KAU AI HTE MA KAJI NI A HPAJI SHARIN AI LAM HPE JAHTEN KAU LAI WA MASAI.
MARE NI HPE WAN NAT AI LAM GAW, KUN-MYU-NIT NI A JAHTEN SHARUN AI LAM LANGAI MI RAI NGA MALU AI.
WUNPAWNG HPYEN HPUNG NI HPE ASUM JAW AI KUN-MYU-NIT NI GAW, N'GUN N'RAWNG AI MARE KAHTAWNG MASHA NI HPE ROI RIP LET LU SHA NI GASHUN LA NGA MA AI.

[Right column captions]
PYIDAWTHA MAW MAWN AI LAM HTE MAREN MUNGHPAWM ATSUYA GAW, MUNG NGWI PYAW GALU KABA WA NA MATU MAHKRAI N'NAN NI HPE GALAW LAJANG NGA AI.
PYIDAWTHA YAW SHADA AI LAM HTE MAREN, MUNGHPAWM ATSUYA GAW MUNGHPAWM MUEN MUNG SHARA SHAGU, MUNG MASHA NI GALU KABA WA NA MATU MYIT MADA LET JAWNG N'NAN NI HPAW WA NGA AI.
N'HKRU AI DABUNG NI A MAJAW JAMJAU AMYU MYU HKRUM NGA AI KAHTAWNG MARE MASHA NI HPE, MUNG ATSUYA GAW DUM N'TA N'NAN BAI GAP RAWNG WA LU NA MATU GARUM NGA AI.
MUNG MASHA NI NGWI NGWI PYAW PYAW NGA LU NA MATU MYIT MADA LET, ATSUYA GAW MARE N'NAN, KAHTAWNG N'NAN NI DE NGA AI.

English translation (machine translation by Claude, not verified by a fluent reader)

No verified translation. Headline and column headings are NARA-titled as the contrast between communist destructive activities (left column) and government constructive programs (right column); the eight captions describe, in the same order as the drawings, bridge destruction and reconstruction, armed men and a camp, seizure of food and relief distribution, a burning village and new housing.

Small-print captions were read from a reduced image and may contain letter errors. Signboards inside the drawings are not transcribed.

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