Content note: Caricature of a Japanese naval officer and two smaller caricatured Japanese figures, drawn with exaggerated facial features, as printed in 1942. This object is shown as it was published. Why
American citizen, what can you do about this? Only work can make US strong!
Work-effort poster: a heavily caricatured Japanese naval officer, with exaggerated scowl and dark skin, beside a boxed quotation attributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, and two small grinning caricatured figures in top hats, one holding a knife. Text asks what the citizen can do and answers 'Work'. The caricature (name-calling by image) and the quoted threat (fear-appeal) set up the call to work.
Propaganda techniques used in this advertisement
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Griswold-Eshleman Co. (private sheet promoting wartime work)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Advertisement
- Issuer type
- Corporation
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Labor, War and the military
- 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)
The Griswold-Eshleman Co.. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-350 (NAID 513800).
Text on the object
"...I shall not be content merely to capture Guam and the Philippines and occupy Hawaii and San Francisco. I am looking forward to dictating peace to the United States in the White House in Washington." ADMIRAL ISORUKU YAMAMOTO, of the Japanese Navy AMERICAN CITIZEN what can you do about this ? The answer is "WORK"--An honest day's work every day, from every man, every woman, every machine --it's as simple as that. -only Work can make US STRONG! [imprint:] COPYRIGHT 1942 BY THE GRISWOLD-ESHLEMAN CO. LITHO U.S.A.
