Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Civil Defense WWII Poster, 1941 |
Object Name |
Poster |
Scope & Content |
Civil Defense WWII Poster, 1941. Poster in a white background with the Civil Defense insignia in the middle: a blue circle with a white triangle with the painted words "CD" in the middle. Above the Civil Defense insignia, painted in red, bold with huge lettering, the text says "AMERICA / CALLING". Below the Civil Defense insignia, painted in blue, bold with big lettering, the text reads "Take your place in / CIVILIAN DEFENSE / CONSULT YOUR NEAREST DEFENSE COUNCIL" The "C" in the word "CIVILIAN" and "D" in the word "DEFENSE" are in red. The phrase "CONSULT YOUR NEAREST DEFENSE COUNCIL" is smaller than the rest of the text "Take your place in / CIVILIAN DEFENSE" above it. Below all of the text above, printed in blue, bold and tiny lettering, the text says "DIVISION OF INFORMATION, OFFICE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT / U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1941--O-423671" Dimensions; 27.75 x 22 |
Date |
1941 |
Creator |
Unknown |
Catalog Number |
1982.187.003A |
Collection |
Archival Collection |
Notes |
"To control the content and imagery of war messages, the government created the U.S. Office of War Information (OWI) in June 1942. Among its wide-ranging responsibilities, OWI sought to review and approve the design and content of government posters. Eventually, two contending groups within OWI clashed over poster design. Those who saw posters as "war art" favored stylized images and symbolism, while recruits from the world of advertising wanted posters to be more like ads. When admen gained the upper hand at OWI, the look of government posters changed decidedly. OWI officials felt that the most urgent problem on the home front was the careless leaking of sensitive information that could be picked up by spies and saboteurs. OWI officials brought a variety of approaches to poster design. Graphics chief Francis Brennan, former art director of Fortune Magazine, believed that posters should be "war art", combining the sophisticated style of contemporary art with the promotion of war aims. OWI drew some of its specialists from the world of advertising and commercial art, who tended to think in terms of "ad campaigns". The results were sometimes oddly superficial -- posters that translated messages of sacrifice and struggle into the familiar advertising world of smiling faces and carefree households. Advertising specialists in OWI finally gained the upper hand in 1943. From that time, government posters looked more like magazine illustrations, and the idea of "war art" was abandoned. OWI's admen now ran "information campaigns", using posters in concert with magazines, radio, and other kinds of paid advertising space." [http://americanhistory.si.edu/victory/victory5.htm-12/4/2016] |
Category |
Posters |
Search Terms |
Civil Defense Civilian Defense Poster Posters World War II World War Two |
Subjects |
Civil defense Posters Soldiers World War II |
Credit line |
SMCHA Collection |