WWII Propaganda Posters: A Look at Life on the American Home Front

WWII Propaganda Posters: A Look at Life on the American Home Front

From 1942 until the end of the second World War in 1945, the U.S. government, other federal agencies, and companies used propaganda and advertisements to gain public support for the war and U.S. troops, boost morale, convey political messages, and encourage civilians to join the war effort. The war, many would later claim, was won not on the battlefield, but on the windows of stores and factories. During this era, the Home Front became the most vital of all the WWII campaigns. These propaganda posters offer an important glimpse into the attitudes and views of the time, as well as American society, culture, and the means of communication used during the mid-1940s..

Image illustrated by Bernard Perlin, 1943; OWI Poster No. 26.

A Declaration of War

On December 7, 1941, the United States was plunged into World War II (which had begun in Europe in 1939) after Japanese bombers attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The government would later call upon the feelings of anger, outrage, and patriotism incited by the events of Pearl Harbor to produce images that inspired civilians to keep supporting the war through war work and enlistment. United States propaganda images were mostly positive, focusing on patriotism and doing one's duty, while other countries focused on hatred for the enemy.

Image illustrated by Bernard Perlin, 1942: OWI Poster No. 15.

The Use of Propaganda

In 1942, the Office of War information (OWI) Bureau of Graphics was created to control, review, and approve the design and distribution of wartime posters that were to be directed at members of the American pubic. American artists designed these images, usually without payment. Government agencies often held contests for artists to submit their designs, which widened the net for the amount of images the OWI could use when producing posters. A collection of 8,000 artists, known as the "Artists for Victory" designed posters for the OWI. By the mid 1940s, about 1.6 million posters from 30,500 designs had been produced in the United States. Most typically featured hand-drawn illustrations, such as cartoons or comic strips, while others featured photographs.

One popular theme used by the U.S. government in propaganda campaigns was the idea that military and civilian gossip would lead to destruction of U.S. troops. Posters such as this one encouraged civilians and military personnel to keep military operations and other important information to themselves, as spreading this news would put the U.S. military, and possibly the entire outcome of the war itself, at risk.

Image illustrated by Eric Ericson, 1942; OWI Poster No. 1.

Enemy Ears Are Listening

On September 27, 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, becoming what was most commonly known as the Axis powers. These Axis powers were in opposition to the Allies, which was made up of Great Britain, the Soviet Union, the United States, China, and many of their colonies. After the United States declared war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S., who retaliated in kind.

Propaganda posters often showed images of the enemy to get a strong message across. Here, Americans are warned that Benito Mussolini (Italy), Hideki Tōjō (Japan), and Adolf Hitler (Germany) are always waiting to hear confidential information about the U.S.'s strategies and missions.

Image illustrated by Iligan, 1942; OWI No. 5.

Propaganda Tactics

For nearly the first two years of the war, the OWI and other advertising agencies made sure that images of dead servicemen were not shown in posters. This would suggest that the war was unsuccessful, which would reflect poorly on America's war efforts. Though these types of images were sometimes published, as shown above, they were very uncommon. This kind of darker theme was used to incite emotional responses in civilians. Someone who saw this poster would likely think twice about talking to others about important war information. These types of posters became most popular in 1944 due to public demand for more realistic representations of the war.

Image illustrated by Anton Otto Fischer, 1943; OWI Poster No. 36.

Bits of Careless Talk Are Pieced Together by the Enemy

It was important that posters caught the viewer's eye and immediately got the point across that the government or other agencies were trying to make. Sometimes posters had little to no text and relied on the image to do the talking. Symbols, such as American flags, V signs, and swastikas (as pictured here), were used to convey certain messages.

In this poster, the viewer would understand that the artist referred to Nazis as the enemy, and that even the littlest bit of wartime gossip could give the enemy an advantage.

Image illustrated by Stevan Dohanos, 1943.

The Rise of Anti-Nazism

At the beginning of the war, propaganda posters also focused on showing that the war was a good vs. evil fight. Posters in particular began representing Nazi Germany as America's greatest enemy; otherwise, the American public might have pressured the government to direct military efforts towards defeating Japan, the only one of the Axis powers to deliver a direct attack on America. The U.S. government needed the unified support of the people at home, and thus began producing images showing the Nazis as the ultimate enemy.

Here, President Roosevelt makes a distinction between the Nazis and the American people - while the Nazis burn books, well-informed Americans will use learning and knowledge to fight the ideas of Hitler.

Image illustrated by S. Broder, 1942; OWI No. 7.

This Is the Enemy: Fear as a Tactic

Anti-Nazi propaganda worked to instill fear into the public. Posters such as this projected that civilians had a truly evil enemy that needed to be defeated. Americans who feared the Nazis might be more willing to fight in and support a war against them.

Though religious themes were uncommon in propaganda during this period, they would occasionally be used when attempting to unite the American people or highlight the brutality of the enemy.

1943; OWI Poster No. 76.

This is Nazi Brutality

Another example of a U.S. government poster being used to incite public fear of the Nazis. This poster refers to the destruction of Lidice, Czechoslovakia, and the slaughter of its people in 1942. Americans greatly feared a German invasion similar to ones that had already occurred throughout Europe; this meant the American public would do anything in order to defeat the enemy.

Image illustrated by Ben Shahn, 1942; Poster No. 11.

The Role of the President: Presenting a United Front

It was just as important to show that Americans were united both at home and at war, and that the country's leaders were confident in the war's efforts. A people who had just escaped the devastation of the Great Depression needed reassurance that America, its economy, and its morale would not fall apart as it had in the 1930s. Propaganda campaigns such as this sought to provide those reassurances.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was President of the United States from 1933-1945, (he died while in office.) His lengthy term as the President had never been accomplished before, nor has it been accomplished since (he served 4 terms vs. 2 terms – the law changed prescribing term limits for the office of president to 2 terms). President Roosevelt was instrumental in keeping support for the war effort going on the Home Front. He used the radio,. still a fairly new invention in America, to communicate with thousands of civilians; nearly every American family had a radio in the home during this era. FDR's address to the nation after Pearl Harbor and America's declaration of war were broadcast over the radio.

Roosevelt's "fireside chats" were used throughout his time as president to gain public support for his policies. During WWII, these chats were used to deliver speeches praising war efforts and encouraging citizens to continue supporting the war. Roosevelt was able to gain the trust of the American people, which was vital for continuing the war. Posters were used to show his messages in support of the war and what was happening on the Home Front, and people could imagine that the President was speaking directly to them about their war efforts.

1942; Poster No. 13

...The State of This Nation Is Good

Posters often used Roosevelt's speeches to display to the public to rally support, inspire patriotism, and boost morale. This particular poster shows a portion of Roosevelt's speech to Congress on January 7, 1941, also known as the Four Freedoms speech. Though given before Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war, Roosevelt wanted to use his Four Freedoms speech to encourage the United States to aid other nations already at war, such as Great Britain. These Freedoms - the freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear - were used to promote American life and exceptional ideals and behaviors. This portion of the Four Freedoms speech is used to encourage and inspire unity among the American people.

1943; OWI Poster No. 40

The Atlantic Charter: International Alliances

Another tactic used in propaganda posters was to show unity among the United States and other nations. President Roosevelt is credited for forming alliances with many different nations during WWII. This poster is a reprint of a treaty made between President Roosevelt and Britain's Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, on August 14, 1941. This agreement, known as the Atlantic Charter, was a plan that highlighted what a peaceful postwar world would, or should, look like. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms are incorporated into the document.

The Atlantic Charter is considered one of the beginning steps toward the forming of the United Nations, which would become officially established near the end of the war. Civilians needed to be assured that America was not alone in this fight against the enemy.

1943; OWI Poster No. 50

United Abroad, United at Home

President Roosevelt first coined the term "United Nations" to refer to the main 4 countries allied during the war: the United States, Great Britain, Soviet Russia, and China. On January 1, 1942, these four nations signed the United Nations Declaration, which included the Atlantic Charter. The next day, 22 other governments joined the declaration, becoming known as the United Nations.

These countries, besides the main 4 already listed, included: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, South Africa, and Yugoslavia. During the war, these nations were also known as the Allies. The official UN recognized today was not formed until 1945, just before the war ended.

These types of posters were used to show the American public that other nations were helping to fight the war, and Americans should do all they could to remain unified with the government and each other.

Image illustrated by Leslie Ragan, 1943; OWI Poster No. 79.

"Doing All You Can, Brother?": War Bonds

War bonds were strongly promoted in propaganda posters during WWII. Known as Defense Bonds before the Pearl Harbor attack, War Bonds were used as a means for the public to financially support the war. War bonds were loans given to the government, which helped finance the war.

Civilians were highly encouraged to buy war bonds, which was portrayed in advertisements as an act of patriotism. Posters also often used images of soldiers, shown wounded, fighting, working, or leaving to go to war, to produce guilt from the viewers, who would be moved to increase their efforts on the Home Front. The public was reminded that they should do their part to support the war at home, a task equal to that of a soldier fighting the war overseas.

Image illustrated by Robert Sloan, 1943

The Norman Rockwell Paintings

Some of the most famous WWII posters are those created by Norman Rockwell, an American author, painter, and illustrator during this time. In 1943, Rockwell painted the Four Freedoms series, inspired by President Roosevelt's Four Freedoms speech.

Image illustrated by Norman Rockwell, 1943; OWI Poster No. 43

Save Freedom of Speech, Buy War Bonds

War bonds were highly important to the war effort. Many war bond rallies were held, radio and paper advertisements encouraged their purchase, and Hollywood stars sold bonds to raise money for the war effort. Children were even encouraged to buy stamps, which when collected up could be used to purchase a bond. Around $135 billion bonds were sold, with $36 billion purchased by individual civilians and nearly $1 billion contributed by children.

Image illustrated by Norman Rockwell, 1943; OWI Poster No. 44

Ours...To Fight For, Freedom From Fear

Rockwell's "Four Freedoms" were published in The Sunday Evening Post, which received millions of requests for reprints. By the end of the war, 4 million reprints of his paintings were produced in the forms of posters and stamps.

In 1943, the Four Freedoms series was used in a nation-wide War Bond Drive, in which the paintings were exhibited all over the country. Those who bought bonds received reprints of the paintings. This exhibition and the war bonds sold raised $132 million.

Image illustrated by Norman Rockwell, 1943; OWI Poster No. 46.

An Icon of American Culture

By the end of the 20th century, 25 million people had purchased reprints of Rockwell's paintings. The Four Freedoms series continues to be popular today and is recognized as an icon of American culture during WWII. Rockwell's paintings depict an idealized American Home Front, and inspired feelings of unity and a reason to continue to fight and support the war among civilians.

Image illustrated by Norman Rockwell, 1943; OWI Poster No. 45

A Focus on War Work

Another theme used by the U.S. government to gain support for the war was the encouragement of war work, or contributing to the war by working or laboring in some way. Civilians of all genders, ages, and races were expected to do their part to support the war. This included working a factory job, rationing food and other home goods, and buying war bonds, as indicated above. Industrial and agricultural production became a major focus in war work campaigns.

Image illustrated by Francis Criss, 1943; OWI Poster No. 41

Agricultural Work Needed

With young men enlisting to join the war, and hired hands leaving for better paying city jobs, farms suffered during the war. With little help, farmers struggled to plant, grow, and harvest crops. In 1942, around 2 million men left farm work; by 1945, this number reached 6 million. In 1942, many crops were left un-harvested and withered due to a shortage of workers. This was unacceptable when there was a increased need for food supplies for the nation, its soldiers, and other nations devastated by the war in Europe.

In response to this crisis, the United States Agricultural Department created the U.S. Crop Corps, which enlisted women and young teens (aged 11-17) from the city to live and work on a farm for a period of time. Farm work was portrayed as being highly patriotic, a task almost equal with being a soldier. These women and teens arrived with virtually no knowledge of how to work on farm and performed extremely hard labor. Around 1.5 million women and 2.5 million teens joined the Crop Corps by the end of the war. They played a vital role in helping American farmers and increasing the growth of crops.

Image illustrated by Douglas Crockwell, 1943; OWI Poster No. 59

I Need Your Skill in a War Job: The Call for Industrial Workers

Soon after the war began in the United States, a major campaign for industrial, or factory, jobs was begun. Multitudes of men enlisting as soldiers meant there was a large shortage of industrial workers. There was also an increase in demand for wartime items, such as planes, warships, and weapons. By the end of the war, nearly half of all industrial production in the world would take place in the U.S., which caused a boom in postwar American economy and helped establish America as the great superpower it is today.

With around 16 million men and women leaving for war, 24 million stepped in to take what were called defense jobs on the Home Front, which paid more during the war years than they previously had. Around 8 million of these workers were women.

Image illustrated by James Montgomery Flagg, 1943; OWI Poster No. 25

Find Your War Job: A Change for Women

WWII was an important era in mobilizing what had been a mostly overlooked part of society - women. With husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons leaving for war, women stepped into the industrial workplace. For the first time in American history, they became welders, electricians, and riveters. Between 1940-1945, females in the workplace increased by 10-15%, and by 1945, 1 out of 4 married women worked outside of the home.

The U.S. government launched major "Rosie the Riveter" campaigns, enticing women to enter the workplace as this was considered patriotic and acceptable for American women. Women (housewives in particular) became the faces of the Home Front, and there was an increasing number of posters being produced with women on them. As in this poster, the women working in industrial jobs were depicted as being beautiful and feminine even though they were doing tough manual labor; a hair was never out of place and she was never shown sweating or dirty. This advertising/propaganda strategy enticed women to join what was a much needed area in the war effort.

After the war, many women were forced from their jobs and back into the home to be wives and mothers. While most of the women who joined the workforce had the understanding that their positions were not permanent, many began to enjoy the sense of freedom and empowerment that came with working full-time. It was women entering the workplace during this era that sparked a revolution for American women and led to women campaigning for more jobs and gender equality after the war was over.

Image illustrated by George Roepp, 1943; OWI Poster No. 55

Nursing and the War

American women were also encouraged to participate in the war effort by becoming nurses. After entering the war, there was a great need for nurses as the United States severely lacked military nurses before the war. The government appealed to women to volunteer to become a nurse: as an incentive, they were given the rank of a commissioned officer (equal to a second lieutenant in the Army) and received $70 a month. Their education would be completely paid for by the government.

Six months after Pearl Harbor, 12,000 nurses joined the Army Nurse Corps. The Army and Navy nurse corps would reach up to 69,000. WWII was a turning point in healthcare, and many nurses were able to use new medical innovations. WWII also saw the creation of the flight nurse, who tended the wounded as they were being transported by aircraft.

Nurses helped provide sanitary conditions, helped with surgeries, and provided comfort to wounded and dying men. Combat nurses who traveled overseas often risked death or capture. More than 1,600 nurses received medals of honor for their services. These women helped change the status of the nursing profession in the United States during the war, and by 1944 the Army Nurse Corps was offering full retirement and equal pay for nurses. When nurses returned home, however, many did not go back to their nursing positions due to the lack of pay and authority compared to what they had received during the war.

1943: OWI Poster No. 49

Become a Nurse Your Country Needs You

The OWI and poster artists used the feeling of patriotism that rose after the attacking of Pearl Harbor in nursing propaganda campaigns. Due to the high demand for nurses, nursing was portrayed in a positive and patriotic light. As with working women campaigns, nurses tended to look beautiful and glamorous, suggesting that they would remain feminine while serving their country.

1943; OWI Poster No. 22.

Women in the Military

There was also a call for women to join the military, not just as nurses, but as soldiers. Nearly 400,000 women joined a military branch in WWII. The Army was the first service to allow women to enlist through the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in 1942; the other branches followed soon after. Women were required to be high school graduates between 21 and 45, and had to meet certain requirements to enlist. These women were to work in clerical type positions in order to free the able men working in those positions to fight. Though they performed some of the same tasks as these men and had some of the same requirements for enlistment, WAACS were paid less than their male counterparts. In 1943, a new bill co-drafted by WAAC Director Colonel Oveta Hobby moved to make WAAC an official part of the Army, not just an auxiliary branch. This bill was approved, WAAC became WAC, and women, for the first time in American history, were allowed the same pay, rank, and benefits of male soldiers. WACs also pushed for full military rank for nurses, which was approved in 1944. These women paved the way for future female integration in all branches of the U.S. military. Just like with women in the industrial setting, the liberation female military personnel felt in their new roles was key in pushing for the breaking of gender norms in America.

There were two approaches taken when portraying military women in propaganda posters. On the one hand, the U.S. military was in desperate need of these women to free male soldiers to fight, and posters encouraged women to enlist. The "glamour girl" image used to entice women in industrial jobs and nursing was applied in female military enlistment posters to show that joining the military would not make them less feminine. However, WACs and other military women were pushing gender role boundaries, which was highly unpopular during the 1940s. A huge public disdain for women in the military arose, and they were frowned on by society, and they were often portrayed as promiscuous or unnatural. This slander campaign became so great that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt denounced these reports as a Nazi attempt to stop the war effort. The stigma stuck, however, and female veterans faced a huge backlash at home after the war; while male soldiers were praised, female soldiers were looked down on. Nevertheless, these women considered their efforts in the war as worthwhile, and they helped pave the way for all future American women.

1943; U.S. Marine Corps, Women's Reserve, REQ'N, 4421, 25 M

Race, Propaganda, and the War

Not all Americans experienced the war, or propaganda, in the same way. A Double V campaign was promoted for African-Americans: victory over enemies abroad, victory over discrimination at home. In 1943, racial tensions rose as black workers left Southern farms to enter city factories. Race riots broke out in Detroit and Harlem. Blacks were also discouraged by FDR's Four Freedoms speech when they were not allowed the freedom whites experienced. Many felt left out from helping with the war effort, as campaigns were largely targeted at whites. Black newspapers created the Double V Campaign to build African-American morale, and special posters were posted in black neighborhoods. These newspapers called for the government to recognize the racial injustice happening in America, but they were ignored for the most part, as government officials did not wish to tear apart the country over racial issues when it was trying to unify the country during war. Posters began displaying messages, such as this one, and images that highlighted the need for unity among all races. For their part in war work, African-Americans were expected to ignore racial injustices and come together with whites. The Double V Campaign was important in getting African-Americans and the government to start thinking about altering the way blacks were treated in America.

1943; OWI Poster No. 33

African-Americans in the Military

One area that saw some change for African-Americans was in the military. When WWII began, 2.5 million African-Americans registered for the draft; only 1 million served. In 1941, due to a threatened March on Washington from civil rights leaders from the time, FDR decreed that there would be no discrimination of those working in defense industries. Yet, segregation in the military continued. The air force and marines had no African-Americans, and the navy only accepted blacks as cooks and waiters. The Army only had 5 black officers, and black soldiers mostly drove vehicles instead of fighting on the front lines. No African-Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor during the war, though seven would be awarded later.

In 1941, pressure from civil-rights groups led the government to create all-black combat groups. In an experiment to see if black soldiers could perform as well as white soldiers, a program was began at Tuskegee University in 1941. By 1943, the Tuskegee Airmen became the first all black military and air force group to fight for the U.S. The Tuskegee Airmen were some of the best pilots in the U.S. Air Force during WWII, and they received many awards.

African-American women also volunteered and enlisted in the war as nurses and in WAAC/WAC. These women were segregated from white women, and black nurses could only tend to black soldiers. African-American women at home also worked in factories (though were not hired as frequently as white women) and performed other war work duties, yet they remained segregated in spite of their efforts.

1943; OWI Poster No. 75

United We Win: The Impact on America's Future

Despite their sacrifices and bravery during the war, black soldiers still faced discrimination when they returned home. Though they had proven they could fight just as well as white soldiers, full integration in the military did not occur for African-Americans until 1948. Black veterans felt their efforts during WWII awarded them previously withheld freedoms. Through military involvement, they had access to education, training for new jobs, and saw the freedom given to blacks in other countries, like England and France. It was the African-American veterans who mobilized other black Americans to fight for their rights, giving birth to what would become known as the 1960s Civil Rights movement.

Image photographed by Howard Liberman, 1943; OWI Poster No. 38

Do With Less So They'll Have Enough: How Rationing Won the War

One of the most recognizable and iconic themes portrayed in propaganda posters during WWII were those that urged civilians to do their part to help the war effort by conservation and rationing. These shortages influenced everything, from clothing styles to toys to dinner meals. In these types of posters, families or individuals are often shown engaging in some type of rationing activity, such as canning food or planting a Victory Garden. Posters showed what citizens could do to conserve rationed items. Most importantly, rationing, recycling, and conservation were shown as patriotic acts that were necessary in order for American soldiers to win the war.

In January of 1942, President Roosevelt signed the Emergency Price Control Act, which allowed the Office of Price Administration (OPA) to begin designing a system for rationing, which began in the spring of 1942. Nothing was exempt from rationing, and American families on the Home Front would feel the strain of trying to make do with what little they had. However, rationing gave the American public a sense of pride, as it was seen as a vital way to contribute to the war effort.

1943; OWI Poster No. 37

They've Got More Important Places to Go: Gas and Rubber Shortages

In 1942, rubber was one of the first items to be rationed as the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies cut off rubber supplies to America. To help with the rubber shortage, the government placed a ration on gasoline, as Americans who drove less would be less likely to wear out rubber tires. Civilians were encouraged to carpool, take public transportation, or walk in order to preserve these items for military use. A Victory Speed Limit of 35mph was set to keep tires from wearing out faster. By January 1, 1942, no new cars were being made in America, and by February 22, no new cars could be purchased. Instead automobile factories were used to produced military vehicles and parts.

Image illustrated by Walter Richards, 1943

I'll Carry Mine Too!

Conservation was the largest theme in poster propaganda; about 1 in 7 posters during the war was on conservation and saving food items, gas, and other materials. In this poster, this woman is walking home with her groceries and purchases. Her actions are shown as being patriotic, and her conservation of gas and rubber are seen as heroic. Her war efforts are just as important as the soldiers who are fighting against the enemy.

Image illustrated by Valentino Sarra, 1943; OWI Poster No. 28

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

Posters often displayed the different ways that American citizens could preserve the items needed by soldiers. Civilians had no excuses when it came to rationing, and everyone was expected to participate in the war effort. The public understood that sacrifices were necessary in order to win the war, and those on the Home Front were united in making sure that happened.

Shortages of aluminum, iron, steel, nickel, and other materials not only meant citizens needed to do without, but they also were called upon to donate certain items to the war effort. Scrap drives became popular during the war, in which people would bring scrap items, such as rubber boots and mats, scrap metal, tin cans, and paper, to be recycled into something soldiers could use. Women would donate old pots and pans and children would give old metal toys to melted down and used for aircraft, weapons, or ammunition.

Scrap drives were one area in which children could really contribute to the war effort; the Boy Scouts and schools organized to collect tin cans, bottle tops, and paper. While scrap drives produced only a small amount of usable material, they more importantly gave those on the Home Front, particularly children, a feeling of playing an important role in the war. They also brought families and communities together, inspiring unity amongst neighbors.

1942; Poster No. 12

The Beginning of Food Rationing

One of the most significant areas of rationing during WWII was food. After declaring war in 1941, the U.S. government began immediate efforts to introduce a plan for rationing food items. Citizens were encouraged, as this poster shows, to donate cooking fat and other usable food wastes to the war effort.

By May 1942, Americans began receiving their first ration cards. One of the first food items to be rationed was sugar. Japanese capture of the Philippines (one of America's biggest suppliers of sugar) in 1942 caused sugar supplies to fall by 1/3, a major loss for America's sugar import.

In April of 1942, families registered for ration books at their local elementary schools. One book was given for each family member, which would be kept for their lifetime (or as long as the war lasted). In May, War Ration Book One was distributed to each person, which was good for a 56-week supply of sugar, which equaled about 12 oz. of sugar a week per person. Stamps were torn off in front and given to grocers in exchange for the item; however, having a stamp did not always guarantee a person would get that food item. Shortages continued throughout the war. Housewives learned to be creative by using corn syrup or flavored gelatin in place of sugar. Women's magazines and cookbooks often featured recipes without sugar and other rationed food items.

Image illustrated by Henry Koerner, 1943; OWI Poster No. 63

Use It Up - Wear It Out - Make It Do - Fashion and the Housewife on the Home Front

Women became the focus of many rationing posters. American housewives were expected to keep Victory homes, sewing their own clothes, canning and preserving their food, growing Victory gardens, following the rationing guidelines, recycling, and other types of work seen as crucial to the war. In this image, the woman is shown mending her husbands pants, while he bends over to fix his lawnmower. From this poster, women would have understood the importance of conserving fabric instead of throwing out old clothes to buy or sew new ones.

The War Production Board set regulations, known as Limitation Order-85 (L-85), on clothing styles in order to conserve material. About 15% of the fabric used in women's clothing was to be reduced. Magazines, such as Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Gardens, and Ladies Home Journal, provided women with instructions on how to save money, what type of and how much fabric to buy, how to wash and store certain fabrics to make them last longer, and how to mend clothing to get more use out of it. Instructions were also given on how to repurpose used clothing once it was no longer wearable. Women were urged to make their own clothing instead of buying it. Fashion magazines, like Vogue, and designers also participated in clothes rationing by showing that women would be fashionable, elegant and patriotic by following L-85 restrictions.

These restrictions played a part in shaping the fashion styles of American women during the war. Skirts and dresses became shorter and clothing in general became more fitted in order to save the use of extra fabric. To aid the war effort, there was a shift from wearing natural fibers, such as cotton, to synthetic ones. With nylon and silk being used to make parachutes, women were forced to use other means to replicate stockings, such as using leg makeup or drawing fake seam lines along the back of the leg. Stocking shortages, along with the large amount of women working in factories or doing other manual labor, contributed to the rising popularity of pants for women. These shifts in women's fashion that arose during WWII in response to rationing have shaped how women dress today.

1943; OWI Poster No. 39

Plant a Victory Garden

Another popular theme shown in WWII posters was the Victory Garden. The U.S. Department of Agriculture promoted the idea of citizens on the Home Front growing their own produce in family or community gardens. Growing your own fruits and vegetables reduced the strain on food production companies to fulfill public food demand. Fresh produce was not rationed, so civilians were able to keep and use what they grew. About 1/3 of vegetables produced in the U.S. during WWII came from victory gardens, and by 1943 nearly 20 million gardens were planted, over half of which were in cities. For those living in more suburban areas, growing fruits and vegetables was suggested to lower the price of produce needed to feed U.S. troops, money that could be put towards another area in the war. The USDA and agricultural businesses began producing booklets that taught how to plant, care for, and harvest a victory garden.

These posters often showed gardening as a family activity; even small children could participate in some way to give to the war effort. Victory gardens also helped boost morale by giving communities and families a way of working together to do something productive for the war effort.

1943; OWI Poster No. 34

Grow Your Own, Can Your Own

With the abundance of fruits and vegetables coming in from victory gardens, housewives were encouraged to bottle their produce to make it last longer. Also, a shortage of tin cans and farm workers, as well an increasing demand in the public food supply, meant a shortage of processed foods. Since canned foods were easier to ship overseas, they were reserved for soldiers and Allies in need. Pre-canned foods were rationed, but, as with sugar, canned items were not always available as they were dependent on good harvests. Therefore, bottling your own food became a major focus of the U.S. government and was seen as a patriotic and unifying act that was equivalent to being a soldier. By 1943, an estimated 4 billion jars were filled. Community canning centers were also set up, providing another means of unity among civilians. The USDA produced instructional booklets on how to preserve produce. The government hoped that rationing would encourage more Americans to produce their own fresh food, and home-canned items did not count towards ration points.

Image illustrated by Alfred Parker, 1943; OWI Poster No. 57

The Meat Problem

In 1943, meats and cheeses were added to the rationing books. Meats included beef, pork, lamb, veal, tinned meats, and fish - only poultry, eggs, and milk were not rationed. Ration books were filled with stamps; blue stamps were for processed foods and red stamps were for meat, cheese, and fats. Stamps were worth certain point values, but were good for only a certain period of time and the points could not be given back to the customer (like change). Buyers had to be careful which stamps they used, and when.

Meats were assigned points, which varied depending on supply and demand. Usually kidney, liver, brain., and tongue had low points because they were not given to the soldiers. Low points enticed civilians to eat more organ meat and leave other cuts for the military. In general, each person received about 2 lbs of red meat each week. Meatless Tuesdays were encouraged to preserve meat supplies, and housewives had to devise ways to incorporate less meat into their families' diets, often relying on cookbooks, magazines, and other forms of media for instruction. Fresh fish was not rationed as much as canned fish or red meat, which is why eating fish and working in a fishing job to supply more fish was encouraged in posters such as this one.

Large scale mandatory rationing and price controls were new to Americans, who grew unhappy with these government restrictions. Propaganda campaigns for rationing grew in popularity to rally the American public around the idea of rationing. Acts of conservation, recycling, and rationing were shown as being highly patriotic, and those who engaged in these efforts could be considered heroes.

Image illustrated by Henry Koerner, 1943; OWI Poster No. 60

The Darker Side of Rationing on the Home Front

By mid-1944, rationing restrictions were lifted and there was less emphasis placed on victory gardens and home canning. By the end of 1944, however, food shortages began to rise again, causing the government to send a recall for victory gardens and canning. Civilian participation was not as great this time around as it had been in 1943.

Just as with gas and rubber, citizens were not to waste their food, as it was a precious commodity. In fact, some started selling rationed items on the black market, particularly red meat, coffee, and stockings. Housewives often bent the rules by trading, giving, or selling ration stamps, or creating fake ration books, all of which was illegal. From 1941-1946, the Office of Price Administration issued nearly 260,000 warnings or penalties for such illegal activities, and reported that 1 in 15 businesses were dealing in the black market. Most black market dealings, however, were between private individuals. Adulteration of items like meat, coffee, and gas caused the black market to flourish, and posters and other forms of advertisement were prompted to discourage selling and buying on the black market.

By the end of the war in 1945, rationing was removed from most items (except for sugar, which continued to be rationed until 1947). The end of the war and rationing brought a new sense of consumerism to the United States that would shape its cultural and economic future. These types of rationing posters show an important side of the American Home Front and American culture; they also show the difficulties many civilians were facing at home, and the sacrifices they made in order to keep the war going.

1943; OWI Poster No. 58

Healthcare and Nutrition on the Home Front

Soon after the U.S.'s entrance in the war, there was an urgency to prepare American civilians for changes in their diet that would come from rationing, as well as help Americans maintain proper nutrition due to food shortages. Physical fitness became a matter of national security, and what could be done to improve the nation's nutrition as a whole was vital to the U.S. government. The Committee of Food Habits (CFH), a group of social scientists formed in 1940 who studied food consumption, helped shape the government's wartime food campaign. They were to determine the best way to integrate this new way of eating into American cultural norms, information they could advise federal agencies on. It was the CFH who advised that the government should direct this type of advertising at women. Though men provided the means to buy food, it was women who were in charge of getting and preparing food for their families. Therefore, it made more sense to appeal to housewives concerning food and rationing.

Just as posters appealed to working-class women to join in a war job, they appealed to middle-class women to remain in the home as the Wartime Homemaker; while men would be fighting overseas, their wives would be fighting in the kitchen by following rationing restrictions, conserving food, and making sure their families received healthy and nutritious meals. It was important for housewives to learn which foods to eat and how to prepare them so they and their families would stay strong enough to continue the war effort. Particular focus was placed upon the eating of organ meats (or lack thereof). If people understood, however, why eating kidney, liver, tongue, etc. were good for them, they might be more likely to eat that type of food, which would be helpful to the war effort. Learning how to prepare these foods so they would be accepted by the rest of the family was important for their integration into the American wartime diet. The studies and suggestions by the CFH were instrumental in getting Americans to eat more foods they would not have eaten before the war.

1943: OWI Poster No. 30

Doctors are Scarce

Women needed to know how to keep their families healthy medically, as well. Civilians were encouraged to learn the basics of medical care and first aid, as many doctors and nurses had been shipped out to tend soldiers. This poster is another example of how Americans on the Home Front had to adapt to shortages brought on by the war.

By 1946, most of the poster campaigns produced during the war were no longer used. Talk of recycling, rationing, war bonds, and other methods used to support the war effort on the Home Front stopped. After WWII, the use of posters as advertising and propaganda tools fell out of fashion, due to the introduction of television to the American public. These posters are an important piece of American history, as they convey what American culture was like during the WWII era. Through simplistic images and words, these posters were able to convey important messages to the public and were instrumental in driving civilians on the Home Front to continue supporting the war and believing in themselves and the soldiers who were fighting. They helped mobilize women and African-Americans to seek equal rights in the workplace, military, and society. They instructed housewives and others on how to contribute the war effort through rationing and conservation. But, most importantly, these WWII propaganda posters played a vital part in uplifting, uniting, and strengthening the Americans who remained at home during the war, and inspired patriotism and national pride in a time when America possibly needed it most.

1943; OWI Poster No. 27

Exhibit prepared by Sara Thomas, during her internship in the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library, San Jacinto Museum of History, fall 2017.