Uploaded September 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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The sequel to the 1996 mega-blockbuster "Independence Day" hit theaters this summer but there was something a little strange about many of the trailers. What looks like a clever marketing campaign centered on joining the fictional "Earth Space Defense" was actually a cross-branded recruitment tool for the US Army. It’s part of a multi-million dollar joint advertising venture between 20th Century Fox and the United States Military.

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SOURCES:
• U.S. Army Using Independence Day as a Propaganda Tool
esquire.com/news-politics/news/a44860/independence-day-resurgence-army-recruitment
• List on US military interventions since World War II
williamblum.org/essays/read/overthrowing-other-peoples-governments-the-master-list
• Infographic of US interventions in Latin America
knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2014/02/11/half-a-century-of-u-s-interventions-in-latin-america-in-one-map
• How Many Countries is the U.S. Currently Bombing?
youtube.com/watch?v=NNIKQM6E4pk
• U.S. Escalates a Shadow War In Somalia
nytimes.com/2016/10/16/world/africa/obama-somalia-secret-war.html
• McCann Worldgroup’s Lisa Nocella on NPR
npr.org/2016/05/12/477835964/u-s-army-takes-unique-approach-with-new-recruitment-video
• US Army spends 200 million per year on advertising
adage.com/article/agency-news/mccann-u-s-army-account/208630
• Only 15% of military recruits get the promised college degree
alternet.org/print/story/62945/top_military_recruitment_lies
• Soldiers Forced to Repay Enlistment Bonuses After Going to War
latimes.com/nation/la-na-national-guard-bonus-20161020-snap-story.html
• National Coalition for the Homeless - Veterans Facts
nationalhomeless.org/publications/facts/veterans.html
• Sexual Assault in the Military - Fact Sheet
protectourdefenders.com/factsheet
• Suicide rate of U.S. veterans rose one third since 2001
reuters.com/article/us-usa-veterans-suicides-idUSKCN10E2RN
• Military refused to assist on original Independence Day
motherjones.com/politics/2004/09/operation-hollywood
• US Navy collaboration on Battleship movie
washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/18/navy-stars-in-action-film-battleship
• X-Men cross-promotion with US Army
salon.com/2011/05/26/pentagon_propaganda_xmen
• History of Military collaborations with Hollywood
washingtonpost.com/opinions/25-years-later-remembering-how-top-gun-changed-americas-feelings-about-war/2011/08/15/gIQAU6qJgJ_story.html
• Hollywood and the Pentagon: A relationship of mutual exploitation
america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/29/hollywood-and-thepentagonarelationshipofmutualexploitation.html

RECOMMENDED READING:
• An Ordinary Person's Guide To Empire by Arundhati Roy
• War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges
• Killing Hope by William Blum
• Rogue States: The Rule of Force in World Affairs by Noam Chomsky
• Propaganda and the Public Mind by Noam Chomsky
• Necessary Illusions by Noam Chomsky

ABOUT THIS PROJECT
The Pop Culture Detective Agency is a brand new video series that looks at media through a critical lens with an emphasis on depictions of men and masculinity in movies, television, comic books and video games. patreon.com/popdetective

Full text transcript available here:
http://popculturedetective.agency/2016/military-recruitment-and-science-fiction-movies

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CREDITS
Writer/Producer: Jonathan McIntosh
Motion Graphics: Jonathan McIntosh
Logo Design: Justin McIntosh
Music: Jonathan Mann
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