EveryCitizenaSoldier:WorldWarIIPostersontheAmericanHomeFront

(abridgedfromHistoryNow14,GilderLehrmanInstituteofAmericanHistory)
byWilliamL.BirdJr.andHarryRubenstein
WorldWarIIpostershelpedtomobilizeanation.Inexpensive,accessible,andeverpresent,theposter
wasanidealagentformakingvictorythepersonalmissionofeverycitizen.Governmentagencies,
businesses,andprivateorganizationsissuedanarrayofposterimages,linkingthemilitaryfrontwiththe
homefrontandcallinguponeveryAmericantoboostproductionatworkandathome.Derivingtheir
appearancefromthefineandcommercialartsandexpressingtheneedsandgoalsofthepeoplewho
createdthem,postersconveyedmorethansimpleslogans.
Wartimeposters,whichaddressedeverycitizenasacombatantinawarofproduction,unitedthe
powerofartwiththepowerofadvertising.Theirmessagewasthatthefactoryandthehomewerealso
battlefields.Postercampaignsaimednotonlytoincreaseproductivityinfactories,buttoenlarge
peoplesviewsoftheirresponsibilitiesinatimeofTotalWar.Governmentofficialsincorporatedthe
postermediumintotheirplanstoconverttheAmericaneconomytoalloutwarproductionduringthe
defenseemergencyof1941.Plantmanagers,companyartists,papermanufacturers,andothersquickly
followedsuit,creatingandpostingincentiveimagesthateventuallydwarfedtheeffortsofthe
governmentinvarietyandnumber.
Thosewhoadvocatedtheuseofpostersbelievedtheydirectlyreflectedthespiritofacommunity.As
onegovernmentofficialputit,Wewanttoseepostersonfences,onthewallsofbuildings,onvillage
greens,onboardsinfrontoftheCityHallandthePostOffice,inhotellobbies,inthewindowsofvacant
storesnotlimitedtothepresentneatconventionalframeswhichmakethemlooklikeadvertising,but
shoutingatpeoplefromunexpectedplaceswithalltheurgencywhichthiswardemands.Ideally,
anotherconfirmed,itshouldbepossibletopost[allover]Americaeverynight.Peopleshouldwakeup
tofindavisualmessageeverywhere...
Tocontrolthecontentandimageryofwarmessages,thegovernmentcreatedtheOfficeofWar
Information(OWI)inJune1942.Amongitsresponsibilities,theOWIsoughttoreviewandapprovethe
designanddistributionofgovernmentpostersNationaldistributionutilizedorganizationsandtrades
suchaspostoffices,railroadstations,schools,restaurants,andretailstoregroups.Atthelocallevel,
OWIarrangeddistributionthroughvolunteerdefensecouncils,whosemembersselectedappropriate
postingplaces,establishedpostingroutes,orderedpostersfromsupplycatalogs,andtookthePoster
Pledge.ThePosterPledgeurgedvolunteerstoavoidwaste,treatpostersasrealwar
ammunition,neverletaposterlieidle,andmakeeveryonecounttothefullestextent.
OvertimetheOWIdevelopedsixwarinformationthemesformajorproducersofmassmedia
entertainment:

2013TheGilderLehrmanInstituteofAmericanHistory
www.gilderlehrman.org

TheNatureoftheEnemygeneralordetaileddescriptionsofthisenemy,suchas,hehatesreligion,
persecuteslabor,killsJewsandotherminorities,smasheshomelife,debaseswomen,etc.
TheNatureofourAlliestheUnitedNationstheme,ourclosetieswithBritain,Russia,andChina,
MexicansandAmericansfightingsidebysideonBataanandonthebattlefronts.
TheNeedtoWorkthecountlesswaysinwhichAmericansmustworkifwearetowinthewar,in
factories,onships,inmines,infields,etc.
TheNeedtoFighttheneedforfearlesswagingofwaronland,sea,andskies,withbullets,bombs,
barehands,ifwearetowin.
TheNeedtoSacrificetheneedforAmericanstogiveupallluxuriesanddevoteallsparetimetohelp
winthewar.
TheAmericanswhatwearefightingfor:thefourfreedoms,theprinciplesoftheAtlanticCharter,
democracy,andanendtodiscriminationagainstracesandreligions.
Seriesafterseriesofpostersdirectedemployeestogettowork,anythinglesswastantamountto
treason.Employersdidnotnecessarilyexpecttheirworkforcetotakeallposterslogansliterally.Rather,
businessesplacedthesedisplaysatthesceneofproductiontocreateanatmosphereofunityand
urgency.Posterscalleduponworkerstoconserve,keeptheirbreaksshort,andfollowtheirsupervisors
instructions.Themainthrustwastoconvinceworkers,manyofwhomparticipatedintheviolentlabor
conflictsofthe1930s,thattheywerenolongerjustemployeesofGMorUSSteel,butrathertheywere
UncleSamsproductionsoldiersontheindustrialfrontlineofthewar.
Thepostersdidnotcarrythemessagethathardworkwouldresultinpersonalorcompanygain.The
motivationwaspurelypatrioticduty.Manypostersalsoplayeddirectlyontheguiltofthosewhowere
notinthemilitarybyremindingworkersthat,iftheywerenotriskingtheirlivesonthebattlefield,the
leasttheycoulddowaskeeptheirbathroombreaksshort.
Posterscastigatedworkersforpunchinginlate,takinglongbreaks,damagingthecompanysequipment,
andevendrinkingafterwork.Artiststurnedwhathadbeenconsideredcommoninfractionsagainsta
companyintoactsofbetrayal,murder,anddisloyaltyagainstthenation...

2013TheGilderLehrmanInstituteofAmericanHistory
www.gilderlehrman.org