What did the poster destroy this mad brute mean?

The "Mad Brute" poster, created during World War I, depicted a menacing gorilla-like figure representing the German military. It aimed to evoke fear and rally American support for the war effort by portraying Germany as a savage threat to civilization. The phrase "Destroy this mad brute" called for the defeat of Germany, framing the conflict as a moral imperative to protect democracy and freedom. This imagery effectively tapped into racial and cultural stereotypes prevalent at the time to galvanize public sentiment.