US war poster with an image of bombs dropping on a factory

Chester Raymond Miller (1898-1968), known professionally as C.R. Miller and Chet Miller, was born in Howes Cave, New York. He was a self-trained artist, and worked as Art Director for Kelly-Read & Company. In this role, Miller designed posters for the Think American Institute (TAI) series of posters that was launched in 1939, and continued until the series was ended in approximately 1960-1961.

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.

The poster was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection. The acquisition of this collection was made possible by the Crown Family.

Funding Note: The acquisition of this artifact was made possible by the Crown Family.