A careless word... another cross
Painting of a white grave cross on reddish ground with a soldier's cartridge belt hung on the upright and a helmet on the crossbar, casting a long shadow. 'a careless word' sits above and '...another cross' below in white type. Fear-appeal: it ties careless speech to a soldier's death.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Office of War Information (artist: John Atherton)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Office of War Information. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-271 (NAID 513720).
Text on the object
a careless word ...another cross [signature:] JOHN ATHERTON [imprint:] OWI Poster No. 23. Additional copies may be obtained upon request from the Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information, Washington, D.C. [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1943-O-501237
