Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
America calling. Take your place in Civilian Defense, 1941 US poster: Text-and-emblem poster

America calling. Take your place in Civilian Defense

Text-and-emblem poster: 'AMERICA CALLING' in large red capitals over the blue-circle, white-triangle Civilian Defense emblem, then 'Take your place in Civilian Defense' with the C and D picked out in red. The technique is faint: a national call that implies others are already taking their places, with no concrete task named.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Glittering generalitiesBandwagon
Date
1941
Period
Second World War
Made by
Office for Emergency Management, Division of Information
Region
North America
Country
United States
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Roosevelt Administration
Leader
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Audience
Domestic public
Purpose
Recruit
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)
U.S. Treasury Department, prepared by F. W. Woolworth Co.. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-343 (NAID 513793).

Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

AMERICA
CALLING
[emblem: CD in triangle within circle]
Take your place in
CIVILIAN DEFENSE
CONSULT YOUR NEAREST DEFENSE COUNCIL
DIVISION OF INFORMATION, OFFICE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
[imprint: U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1941-O-423671]

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