Posters of World War II

Powerful images, concise explanations, and a compelling introductoray essay make this collection both enjoyable and memorable. Gregory has pulled together 110 distinctive images, some beautiful, some simple, and many surprising - to create a visual catalog of propaganda efforts to recruit soldiers, sell war bonds, and encourage civilians to conserve rubber.Some familiar images, like Rockwell's Four Freedoms poster series, articulate American ideals. Many graphic images use humor and fear to emphasize worker safety and efficiency in factories. I was surprised to find posters targeting cooks and children with messages like: "lick the platter clean. Don't waste food"; "Give It Style: Leftovers can taste good and look good..follow the 'Army Cook'; and "Save Your Cans - Help pass the Ammunition"; and "Ask the women and children whom Hitler is starving whether rationing is too great a 'sacrifice." I originally bought this fascinating glimpse into WWII as a gift, started to skim it, and ended up finishing it in an hour. So I decided to keep it. Then I talked so much about the book that I ended up buying another copy and giving it away as a gift. Almost anyone interested in posters, World War II, or America should find this an absorbing tour of modern history.

The book reprints many examples of both Allied and Axis propaganda posters. The reader can see, even though many are from different cultures, how the same the posters all are (appeals to patriotism, stirring up victories of old, etc.). It is a must for World War II buffs.