US poster depicting a smiling soldier holding a silver canteen cup
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 28.000 inches (71.12 cm) | Width: 22.000 inches (55.88 cm)
Creator(s)
- United States Office of War Information (Distributor)
- United States Government Printing Office (Printer)
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 poster featuring a helmeted soldier with a big grin on his face holding a canteen cup to his mouth encouraging the public to conserve food to help feed the soldiers. This poster was part of a series distributed by the Office of War Information. The need to manage the war on the Home Front led to the establishment of the OWI in June 1942. This office controlled the design and distribution of war information to the American public in posters, photographs, radio shows, and films. They commissioned work from leading artists of the period to create posters. The man in this photo is Thomas J. Murray who was the portrayal for GI Joe and served as the face for war rationing on many posters from 1943-1945.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Poster with a printed color photograph depicting the head and shoulders of a smiling, Caucasian male soldier in ¾ left profile on a white background holding a large, silver canteen cup to his mouth. He is wearing a round green helmet with an unbuckled brown chinstrap hanging down on either side of his face, and a brown jacket with an open collar. The poster slogan is printed across the top of the image and on a red field below.
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945--Food supply--United States.
- World War, 1939-1945--Posters.
- War posters, American.
Genre
- Posters
- Object