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Poster depicting a soldier and a list of battles

Object | Accession Number: 1988.42.38

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    Poster depicting a soldier and a list of battles
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    Overview

    Brief Narrative
    This poster was the 62nd poster distributed by the United States Office of War Information during World War II. It was created to inspire hope and enlistments among the US public by listing the names of important battles showing the advance of Allied troops from the disaster of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 to the battle of Tunisia which ended on May 13, 1943 when all the Axis forces in North Africa surrendered. Posters like this were created by the OWI and distributed to retail businesses which would hang them on the walls. The OWI’s goal was to place posters in the street-level windows of every store, office, and restaurant in every city and town across the United States. They created several series of posters which they printed and distributed to stores through collaboration with organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America.
    Artwork Title
    We Have Just Begun to Fight!
    Date
    publication/distribution:  1943
    Geography
    publication: Washington (D.C.)
    Credit Line
    United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of David and Zelda Silberman
    Markings
    front, top, red ink : We have just begun / to fight!
    front, right, grey ink : PEARL HARBOR / BATAAN / CORAL SEA / MIDWAY / GUADALCANAL / NEW GUINEA / BISMARCK SEA / CASABLANCA / ALGIERS / TUNISIA
    front, bottom left corner, black ink : OWI poster No. 62. Additional copies may be obtained upon request from the Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information, Washington, D.C.
    front, bottom right corner, black ink : ✩ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943 – O – 527284
    Contributor
    Printer: United States Government Printing Office
    Distributor: United States Office of War Information
    Biography
    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.

    Physical Details

    Language
    English
    Classification
    Posters
    Category
    War propaganda
    Physical Description
    Lithographic, paper mailing poster folded into 4 sections. When unfolded, the front has a black and white graphic image depicting a soldier in right profile leaning forward, his left arm extended above his head, and his right hand holding a rifle with bayonet attached to his side. His head is turned looking backwards with raised eyebrows, large eyes, and his mouth open as if to shout. Written above in red is WE HAVE JUST BEGUN TO FIGHT! There is a block of gray text to the right listing names of battles. There is small black informational text along the bottom edge.
    Dimensions
    overall: Height: 22.500 inches (57.15 cm) | Width: 16.000 inches (40.64 cm)
    Materials
    overall : paper, ink

    Rights & Restrictions

    Conditions on Access
    No restrictions on access
    Conditions on Use
    No restrictions on use

    Keywords & Subjects

    Administrative Notes

    Provenance
    The poster was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1988 by 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.
    Record last modified:
    2022-07-28 18:11:43
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn520992

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