Propaganda can be a powerful weapon, capable of arousing passions, unifying communities, stirring up fear, or changing minds in ways no bullet or bomb can do. During World War II, Allied and Axis forces used propaganda posters to spread their messages around the world.
Stacker searched Getty Archives to find 30 iconic posters from World War II that highlight their power and enduring style. They hail from the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Vichy France. Some of the posters fueled patriotism, faith in the nation, and a belief in the righteousness of the war effort to protect national values and virtues.
Many aimed to boost morale and deliver a message of shared sacrifice. Duty meant scraping together money to invest in a United States war bond or digging a victory garden to feed the family. Every citizen had a job to do.
War could be glorified, with posters showing might and muscle as well as confidence and courage. Soldiers were handsome and fearless, guns were sturdy, and legions of airplanes overhead were formidable. But many were dark reminders of battlefield losses, sinister images of a lurking enemy, or the perils of careless talk or a slit of light breaching a blackout. Some reached out to particular audiences such as women, encouraging them to step out and test out new roles. Those invitations to change would mark the dawn of modern feminism. More than a few had messages that are familiar and popular today, whether they are calls to conserve fuel, travel lightly, or grow food locally on rooftops and in empty lots.
Propaganda posters from all sides were an extraordinary art form that used basic colors and simple words to reach the broadest audience.
The icons survive. Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter are still employed today. The works remain stirring and powerful, even as we may hope the brutality and cruelty of such a war remain a thing of the past.
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David Pollack/Corbis // Getty Images
‘Buy More War Bonds and Stamps’
In this poster, circa 1942, a powerful fist punches through the image of a swastika, urging Americans to “buy more war bonds and stamps.” The United States issued war bonds and stamps to help finance the war effort.
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Hulton Archive // Getty Images
‘We’re Building Things Up!’
This 1932 election poster for Germany’s Nazi Party declares, “We’re building things up!” On it, a muscular man poses against a set of stone blocks etched with the words “work,” “freedom,” and “bread.” He looks down upon two older, weaker rivals offering unemployment, corruption, lies, and more.
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Wikimedia Commons
‘I Want You’
One of the most lasting and iconic symbols of U.S. patriotism is Uncle Sam, clad in red, white, and blue with piercing eyes and a pointing finger in this recruitment poster. James Montgomery Flagg, a magazine illustrator, used himself as the model. First produced in World War I, the poster was adapted for use in World War II.
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SSPL/National Archives // Getty Images
‘Keep Calm and Carry On’
The slogan “Keep Calm and Carry On” was printed on posters by the British government to be distributed in the event of a German invasion. As that did not happen, the poster was never officially used in public, and following the war, copies were believed to have been destroyed in the National Salvage Campaign recycling effort. Decades later, a handful of the posters were found. Today, the saying is the basis of popular memes, from humorous to political.
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Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images // Getty Images
‘Come into the Factories’
The “Come into the Factories” poster encouraged women in Britain to fill critical jobs such as manufacturing as the men went off to fight. Efforts to draw women into the war effort were often aimed at those who had never worked outside the home.
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Galerie Bilderwelt //Getty Images
‘Adolf Hitler ist der Sieg!’
This German poster of the Nazi leader posed behind a chair declares, “Adolf Hitler is victory.” The portrait was created by German artist Rudolf Gerhard Zill.
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DeAgostini // Getty Images
Japanese air force poster
Japanese war propaganda posters sought to glorify the nation’s military might. This poster of the Imperial Air Force shows countless airplanes flying over a globe decorated with Japan’s historic sun symbols.