And if our lines should form and break
Silhouette of helmeted infantrymen at dusk, one with a fixed bayonet, above an eight-line verse. The verse asks whether producers will 'take the blame' if supplies fail and says the soldiers, not the producers, will pay the cost. The technique is testimonial, a Marine's message, with an implied accusation of blame.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Think American Institute (Kelly-Read & Co.; artist Miller)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Mixed
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, War and the military, Labor
- 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)
Think American Institute. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-400 (NAID 513851).
Text on the object
And if our lines should form and break, Because of things you failed to make -- The extra tank or ship or plane For which we waited all in vain, And the supplies that never came Will you then come and take the blame? For we, not you, will pay the cost Of battles you, not we, have lost. [imprint:] THINKAMERICAN INSTITUTE [imprint:] THINKAMERICAN REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. No. 140 -- COPYRIGHT -- KELLY-READ & CO., ROCHESTER, N.Y. [imprint:] MESSAGE ON THIS POSTER BY AN AMERICAN MARINE NOW "SOMEWHERE ON THE PACIFIC" [signature:] C R MILLER
