US propaganda poster showing careless talk is more dangerous than a rattlesnake

Identifier
irn520978
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 1988.42.26
Dates
1 Jan 1944 - 31 Dec 1944
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • English
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 28.000 inches (71.12 cm) | Width: 20.000 inches (50.8 cm)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

The United States Office of War Information (OWI) was created on June 13, 1942, to centralize and control the content and production of government information and propaganda about the war. It coordinated the release of war news for domestic use, and using posters along with radio broadcasts, worked to promote patriotism, warn about foreign spies, and recruit women into war work. The office also established an overseas branch, which launched a large-scale information and propaganda campaign abroad. The government appealed to the public through popular culture and more than a quarter of a billion dollars' worth of advertising was donated during the first three years of the National Defense Savings Program. Victory in Europe was declared on May 8, 1945, and in Japan on September 2, 1945. The OWI ceased operation in September.

Archival History

The poster was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1988 by David and Zelda Silberman.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of David and Zelda Silberman

Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Scope and Content

US careless talk poster with an image of a coiled rattlesnake with blood dripping fangs warning people that sharing war related information was even more dangerous than this snake. The careless talk series of US propaganda posters was an Army Services project, distributed by the Office of War Information, which was created in June 1942 to manage the war on the Home Front. The OWI controlled the design and distribution of war information to the American public in all formats. The goal was to place posters in street level windows of every business in every town across the United States. Posters were exchanged every two weeks, and artwork was commissioned from leading artists. The careless talk series originated in 1940 in Great Britan. It highlighted the many ways that careless talk could leak sensitive information that our enemies would use to kill soldiers, sink ships, and undermine the war effort.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Offset color lithograph poster with an illustration of a coiled, brown and orange diamond patterned rattlesnake with the head raised, ready to strike with a wide open mouth with bared fangs dripping blood that puddles near its coils. The illustrator's name, Al Dorne, is printed within the image. The poster was made to fold into eighths for mailing and has printed postal information on the back.

People

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.