Propaganda poster stamp warning of subversive elements during WWII

Object | Accession Number: 2018.233.21

Overview

Brief Narrative: Anti-Fifth Column poster stamp featuring a boot, clad in red, white, and blue, stomping on a subversive snake, distributed in the United States between 1940 and 1945. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. Snakes or serpents are often associated with negative aspects such as temptation, chaos, and lies, all of which would be tactics employed by a fifth column agent. Fifth column refers to a group of people residing in a country, who actively support a wartime enemy. These people engage in subversive activities to aid the enemy, hinder their country’s defensive capability, or sew discord among the population. Germany’s rapid conquest of Western Europe in 1940 led many Americans to believe that saboteurs had aided the German military. Many feared that German, Italian, and Japanese-Americans could be carrying out similar activities in the US to support the Axis powers. Fifth column fears were so prevalent that Congress passed the Alien Registration Act, which made it a crime to advocate for the overthrow of the government and required registration of unnaturalized citizens. German and Italian-Americans were initially viewed with suspicion. After America entered the war, both groups declared their loyalty by supporting the war effort and any remaining doubts faded. However, Japanese-Americans, who showed the same support and loyalty, did not receive the same absolution. Suspicions against Japanese-Americans were reinforced by long-standing racist stereotypes and restrictive laws that limited Asian pathways to citizenship. In 1942, under Executive Order 9066, approximately 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and held in internment camps, where they were held until 1945.
Title: Crush the 5th Column
Date: publication/distribution: 1940-1945
Geography: publication: New York (N.Y.)
Credit Line: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Forrest James Robinson, Jr.
Markings: front, top, printed, white : EVERY / AMERICAN’S / DUTY
front, center, printed, navy blue ink, white : CRUSH
front, bottom, printed, navy blue ink, white : the 5th COLUMN
front, bottom, printed, navy blue ink : PROPAGANDA BY EVER READY LABEL CORP. NEW YORK.N.Y.
back, printed, black ink : STEP / ON IT / AMERICANS / *** / THESE LABELS DO A / “STICK-TIGHT” JOB… / Priced to crush / the 5th Column. / 1000 for $1.00 / Special Prices / in Quantities. / *** / EVER READY LABEL / Corporation / 141 E. 25th St. New York, N.Y.
Contributor: Publisher: Ever Ready Label Corporation

Physical Details

Language: English
Classification: Posters
Category: War Propaganda
Object Type: Poster stamps (lcsh)
Genre/Form: Stamps.
Physical Description: Rectangular poster stamp on white paper with a graphic design, perforated edges on the right and left sides, and an adhesive backing. The stamp features a central image of a leg wearing a red and white striped spat and black shoes stepping on a white snake with a crosshatched red pattern on its back. The background is comprised of thin diagonal red lines and white stars radiating out from a white sunburst that surrounds the snake. There is a navy blue text box with white text along the top, a diagonal white block of text outlined in navy blue that runs diagonally across the center, navy blue and white block text below the snake, and a thin white text box with navy blue text at the bottom. On the back are thirteen lines of black text with a row of three stars below the top three and above the bottom three lines of text.
Dimensions: overall: Height: 2.000 inches (5.08 cm) | Width: 1.375 inches (3.493 cm)
Materials: overall : paper, ink, adhesive

Rights & Restrictions

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

Keywords & Subjects

Topical Term: Poster Stamps. Snakes--Symbolism. World War, 1939-1945--Collaborationists. World War, 1939-1945--Subversive activities.
Geographic Name: United States.

Administrative Notes

Legal Status: Permanent Collection
Provenance: The poster stamp was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2018 by Forrest J. Robinson, Jr.
Related Materials: Additional Accession Number: 2015.238
Additional Accession Number: 2018.164
Additional Accession Number: 2018.287
Additional Accession Number: 2018.467
Additional Accession Number: 2018.568
Additional Accession Number: 2019.24
Additional Accession Number: 2019.110
Additional Accession Number: 2019.249
Additional Accession Number: 2019.507
Additional Accession Number: 2019.550
Additional Accession Number: 2020.26
Additional Accession Number: 2021.217
Additional Accession Number: 2022.109
Additional Accession Number: 2022.162
Additional Accession Number: 2022.220
Additional Accession Number: 2023.17

Record last modified:: 2024-03-19 09:05:43
This page:: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn612189

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The collection consists of 33 American WWII era poster stamps, which include images commemorating Poland and France, Peace for America, the National Recovery Administration, the Council against Intolerance in America, V for Victory, and other subjects.

Date: 1940-1947

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Poster stamp promoting the V for Victory campaign

Object

“V for Victory” campaign poster stamp distributed in the United States by the British American Ambulance Corps during World War II (1939-1945). Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. The British American Ambulance Corps was an organization that sent ambulances and medical supplies to Britain before and during WWII. In early 1941, the “V for Victory” campaign was conceived by Victor de Laveleye, who broadcast for the BBC in German-occupied Belgium. He proposed the idea to his audience because “V” is the first letter of the French and English words for “victory” (victoire and victory), as well as the Flemish and Dutch word for “freedom” (vrijeid). He then called on his listeners to write the V everywhere as an act of resistance against the occupiers. The idea caught on and spread to the Netherlands, northern France, and England. Later, it was observed that the Morse code for “V,” three dots and a dash (. . . —) were coincidentally the first three notes of Beethoven's 5th Symphony. British radio broadcaster, Douglas E. Ritchie (broadcasting under the name, Colonel V. Britton) further encouraged the V as an act of resistance and used Beethoven’s symphony as the theme song for his program. The campaign caught on in the still neutral United States, and in the late summer of 1941, ephemera began appearing with “V for Victory” and the Morse code “V” printed on them. After America entered the war in December 1941, the campaign was officially made a part of the government’s efforts.

Poster stamp with an image of Columbia

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Poster stamp with an image of Columbia

Object

Poster stamp promoting the Greater New York Fund

Object

World War II-era American poster stamp requesting support for the Greater New York Fund (GNYF). Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. The GNYF was a New York based grant-giving agency that began operation in 1938. They solicited contributions from business and employee groups, and distributed funds to over four hundred New York City health and welfare agencies, including voluntary hospitals, services for children and the aged, and health care services. After the United States entered World War II in December 1941, New York City transformed from a commercial and creative metropolis into an essential port and manufacturing hub for the war effort. The Brooklyn Naval Yard doubled in size, employing 70,000 people, including many women, and became the largest shipbuilding facility in the U.S. Workers mobilized to assist in wartime production, and families grew victory gardens to help with the challenges of rationing. New York ports shipped troops, ships, planes, guns, food, and other essential supplies across the Atlantic. The increased military value of the city also necessitated increased security. Times Square, Broadway, and other iconic locations shuttered their lights at night to protect the city from attack. Harbor defenses were bolstered, and the docks became high security zones. Sixty-three million tons of supplies and over three million men shipped out from New York Harbor over the course of the war.

Nationalistic WWII American poster stamp

Object

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WWII Anti-Japanese propaganda poster stamp

Object

Anti-Japanese propaganda poster stamp distributed in 1942, featuring a derogatory image of an animalistic Japanese soldier attacking a white woman. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. The poster was designed by Harley Melzian, an American artist who worked with Artists for Victory. Artists for Victory was a New York-based organization of artists who used their talents to aid the war effort by staging exhibitions and poster competitions, as well as sponsoring portrait drawings, demonstrations of arts and crafts, and art instruction in military hospitals. After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, racist depictions of Japan and its people were distributed throughout the country. Images often portrayed individuals of Japanese descent with exaggeratedly slanted eyes and yellow skin. They were represented as dangerous, treacherous, and subhuman. This image shows a Japanese soldier with all of these features, as well as a wide, ape-like mouth, and with a knife in hand attacking a white (American) woman. The aim of the poster is to alienate the Japanese as “others” and show them and their culture as a threat to America. The propaganda also enflamed racist attitudes towards Japanese-Americans. Japanese-American soldiers had to fight in segregated army units, and in 1942, approximately 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forcibly relocated to internment camps. They were only allowed to return to their homes in 1945, after the war ended. In many cases, their property, businesses, and other possessions had been sold or taken over by the non-Japanese-American population.

Poster stamp celebrating the sesquicentennial of the Bill of Rights

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Poster stamp from the Council Against Intolerance (CAIA) celebrating the sesquicentennial of the Bill of Rights of the United States in 1941. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. The stamp features an image of George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, and first President of the United States. Washington’s image was considered a patriotic national symbol of the Revolutionary Era, and was commonly used on ephemera celebrating anniversaries and achievements from that time. On December 15, 1941, a nationwide celebration was held to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights, which codified the public’s rights and civil liberties in relation to the government. Happening just a week after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, the event helped to reinvigorate a disheartened nation. The celebration was broadcast throughout the country. It featured a play starring several prominent actors and actresses, a performance of the Star-Spangled Banner by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and a capstone speech by President Franklin Roosevelt. The event was organized by the CAIA, a New York-based group founded by James Waterman Wise in the 1938. The CAIA staged public gatherings, radio shows, and created teacher’s manuals and books that preached against intolerance and prejudice, arguing it was un-American, and would undermine national unity in a time of war.

Patriotic American flag poster stamp

Object

Poster stamp from the Council Against Intolerance (CAIA) featuring an image of a female figure, likely Columbia, distributed between 1943 and 1944. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. Columbia was a female personification of the United States, and her image was often placed on printed ephemera. She was modeled after Greek gods, often with fair skin and golden hair. She was also typically adorned in all white to symbolize purity; or with red, white, and blue, the colors of the U.S. flag. Images of Columbia were widely published throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, and she was often depicted as the embodiment of America. Her image was typically used in conjunction with issues of the day, including westward expansion, immigration, and war propaganda. Depictions of Columbia declined during the 20th century, and she was gradually replaced by Uncle Sam and Liberty. The CAIA was a New York-based group founded by James Waterman Wise in the 1938. The CAIA staged public gatherings, radio shows, and created teacher manuals and books that preached against intolerance and prejudice, arguing it was un-American, and would undermine national unity in a time of war.

Poster stamp encouraging support of American troops in WWII

Object

Propaganda poster stamp featuring an image of a soldier hugging a loved one before he leaves to go to war, distributed in 1943. The image illustrates the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families on the American home front during World War II (1939-1945). Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. Nikol Shattenstein, a Russian artist who immigrated to the United States in the 1920s, designed the image. It was featured at the Museum of Modern Art’s National War Poster Competition, held from August 15 to October 22, 1942. The competition featured artwork submitted by 2,000 artists, and 200 pieces of art were chosen to go on display at the museum. Shattenstein won the International Business Machines Anonymous Prize, one of nine $300 prizes awarded to the winners. The competition was sponsored by the museum, the Council for Democracy, and Artists for Victory. Artists for Victory also sponsored the creation of a series of poster stamps, one of which featured Shattenstein’s image. Artists for Victory was a New York-based organization of artists who used their talents to aid the war effort by staging exhibitions, poster competitions, and sponsoring portrait drawings, demonstrations of arts and crafts, and instruction in military hospitals.

WWII poster stamp with a Jeep promoting buying US war bonds

Object

Poster stamp featuring an image of a Wyllis MB Jeep, and encouraging the United States public to buy War Bonds and support American involvement in World War II (1939-1945). Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. In June 1940, the U.S. Army requested bids for a 1/4 ton "light reconnaissance vehicle.” The resulting vehicle, later known as the “jeep”, received approval in July 1941. The final product was a combination of designs from several automotive manufacturers: Bantam, Willys, and Ford. Jeeps proved to be versatile vehicles, and became symbols of American industrial power and ingenuity. They were shipped to Britain and the Soviet Union through the Lend-Lease program, and used by American soldiers in both the Pacific and Europe. War bonds were offered by the United States Government for purchase by the public; purchasers would keep the bond and be reimbursed for its return at a later date. On May 1, 1941, the first Series E U.S. Savings Bond was sold to President Franklin D. Roosevelt by Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr. There were eight war loan drives conducted from 1942 to 1945. Bonds were advertised in newspapers, magazines, radio broadcasts, and also with posters and poster stamps. Quotas were set up on the national, state, county, and town levels to encourage their sale, and volunteers went door-to-door to sell war bonds. Purchasing bonds was considered patriotic and an investment in victory. The War Finance Committees, in charge of the loan drives, sold a total of $185.7 billion in bonds during the war.

Patriotic American WWII poster stamp

Object

Patriotic poster stamp featuring a red-white-and-blue color scheme, distributed in the United States during the nation’s participation in World War II. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. America saw a surge of patriotic sentiment and nationalistic pride after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States’ entry into World War II, in December 1941. This patriotism was spurred on by ephemeral objects such as posters, stickers, pins, and poster stamps that were adorned with national symbols and decorated with red, white, and blue. American’s sense of patriotic duty motivated many to grow Victory Gardens, ration goods, take on new wartime jobs, and increase industrial production. Such patriotic home front activities were seen as valuable contributions to the war effort that helped push America and its allies to victory.

Patriotic American WWII Victory poster stamp

Object

Patriotic poster stamp featuring a red-white-and-blue color scheme, and an overly large “V” distributed in the United States between 1941 and 1945. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. In early 1941, the “V for Victory” campaign was conceived by Victor de Laveleye, who broadcast for the BBC in German-occupied Belgium. He proposed the idea to his audience because “V” is the first letter of the French and English words for “victory” (victoire and victory), as well as the Flemish and Dutch word for “freedom” (vrijeid). He then called on his listeners to write the V everywhere as an act of resistance against the occupiers. The idea caught on and spread to the Netherlands, northern France, and England. The campaign spread to the still neutral United States, and in the late summer of 1941, ephemera began appearing with “V for Victory” printed on them. After America entered the war in December 1941, the campaign was officially made a part of the government’s efforts. America saw a surge of patriotic sentiment and nationalistic pride after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This patriotism was spurred on by ephemeral objects such as posters, stickers, pins, and poster stamps that were adorned with national symbols and decorated with red, white, and blue. American’s sense of patriotic duty motivated many to grow Victory Gardens, ration goods, take on new wartime jobs, and increase industrial production. Such patriotic home front activities were seen as valuable contributions to the war effort that helped push America its allies to victory.

Set of four poster stamps with a dove of peace flying above America

Object

Set of four Peace for America poster stamps depicting a dove holding an olive branch flying over the continental United States. Poster stamps were collectable stamps, slightly larger than postage stamps, with designs similar to posters. Although they were not valid for postage, poster stamps could be affixed to letters and envelopes as a means for fundraising, propaganda, and educational purposes. Doves, and the image of a dove holding an olive branch, are traditional symbols of peace and love that can be traced back to antiquity. In the story of Noah, a dove returns to the ark with an olive branch indicating that there was dry land; with the bird and branch both symbolizing deliverance and God’s forgiveness. In ancient Japan, a dove carrying a sword symbolized the end of war. In 1949, Pablo Picasso’s work “Dove of Peace” was chosen as the emblem for the First International Peace Conference in Paris in 1949. Picasso later provided variations of his work for subsequent Peace Congresses in Wroclaw, Stockholm, Sheffield, Vienna, Rome and Moscow.

Anti-Bund poster stamp

Object

One of two (2) anti Bund poster stamps; yellow with dark blue print; first stamp with text "YOU PAY FOR / NAZI SPIES" above image of Uncle Sam pointing at viewer and "WHEN YOU BUY / NAZI GOODS" below.

Anti-Bund poster stamp

Object

One of two anti-Bund poster stamps; yellow with dark blue print; stamp reads "THE / NAZI BUND / IS / NAZI BOUND / BOYCOTT NAZI GOODS" with image of swastika in background.

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