---
title: Answer honestly
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/answer-honestly-war-production-board-1942/
description: 'Text poster with a pale V and an eagle, framed by a red and blue dotted border: three quoted lines from Donald M. Nelson ask workers whether they are doing'
section: Collection
---

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3. Answer honestly

[![Answer honestly, 1942 US poster: Text poster with a pale V and an eagle, framed by a red and blue dotted border](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/answer-honestly-war-production-board-1942.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/answer-honestly-war-production-board-1942.jpg)

# Answer honestly

Text poster with a pale V and an eagle, framed by a red and blue dotted border: three quoted lines from Donald M. Nelson ask workers whether they are doing everything to arm 'our fighting men' and pair 'sweat and action' on the production line with 'blood and action' on the battleline. The tell is the chairman's name as testimonial and the link of worker and soldier into one effort.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Testimonial](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/testimonial/) [Identity fusion](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/identity-fusion/)

## Text on the object

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

```
ANSWER
HONESTLY
"Are YOU doing everything within
your power today to put more
weapons into the hands of our
fighting men?"
"There must be SWEAT and ACTION
on the Production line to match the
BLOOD and ACTION on the battleline."
"The men of the PRODUCTION LINE
dare not do less than the men of
THE BATTLELINE."
Donald M. Nelson
Chairman of
The War Production Board
```

[← Another victory for the Axis!!!: Defend yourself against accidents](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/another-victory-for-the-axis-twin-cities-ordnance-plant-1942/) [Are You Like Benny? Take Care of Your Truck →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/are-you-like-benny-truck-1942/)

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- [Behistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of Ahuramazda](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/behistun-relief-darius-and-rebels-521bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Card stacking, Name-calling, Testimonial). Content note: Shows bound captives before the king, and the inscription records the mutilation and public execution of rebel leaders, as the king's own account.
- [Tomb of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam: the king in relief beside his inscription DNa, c. 490 BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dna-inscription-darius-i-naqsh-e-rustam-490bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Testimonial, Card stacking)
- [Seated limestone statue of Hatshepsut as king, with feminine royal titles on the throne, reassembled from fragments broken up at Deir el-Bahri](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hatshepsut-seated-statue-limestone-met-1458bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer, Testimonial)
- [Bronze sestertius of Gaius (Caligula), reverse S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS in an oak wreath](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-caligula-ob-cives-servatos-0037/) (Roman Empire · 0037 · Testimonial, Transfer)
- [Bronze sestertius of Trajan, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C, the emperor on horseback riding down an enemy](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-trajan-optimo-principi-0103/) (Roman Empire · 0103 · Testimonial, Glittering generalities)
- [Seljuq gold dinar of Sanjar, dated 493 AH, with the Abbasid caliph named on one face](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/seljuq-gold-dinar-sanjar-caliph-name-1099/) (Great Seljuk Empire · 1099 · Testimonial)
- [Estoire d'Eracles page with Bernard of Clairvaux preaching the Second Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 180v)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-bernard-preaching-second-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial)
- [Opening page of the Estoire d'Eracles (William of Tyre in French), with the Crucifixion and Pope Urban II preaching the First Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 1r)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-urban-ii-preaching-first-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial, Transfer)