Can you look him in the eye when he comes back? It depends on what you do today!
Home-front poster: a tired soldier in garrison cap and tan uniform stands at a doorway with a crutch under one arm, looking straight at the viewer. The headline asks whether civilians can meet his eye on his return; the red line answers 'it depends on what you do today!'. The technique is a guilt-based fear-appeal; the faint one here is shame rather than a stated threat.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Bressler Editorial Cartoons, Inc., New York (artist Packer)
- 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
- War and the military, Home front
- 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)
Bressler Editorial Cartoons, Inc.. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1111 (NAID 514638).
Text on the object
CAN YOU LOOK HIM IN THE EYE WHEN HE COMES BACK? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU DO TODAY ! [signature: Packer] [imprint: PRINTED IN U.S.A.] [imprint: Copyright, BRESSLER EDITORIAL CARTOONS, Inc., NEW YORK] [imprint: B-142 (printer's mark, partly legible)]
