Can You Swim? Why Not?
Text poster with a red cross and a grinning cartoon swimmer in mid-dive, asking 'Can You Swim? Why Not?' and inviting readers to a Swimming Campaign held at the American Red Cross and a blank partner line, to teach every boy and girl to swim. The technique is faint here: a universal 'every boy and girl' invitation (bandwagon).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- American Red Cross
- 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
- Health, 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)
American Red Cross. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-546 (NAID 514025).
Text on the object
CAN YOU SWIM? WHY NOT ? LEARN AT THE SWIMMING CAMPAIGN HELD AT [blank space for venue] THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AND [blank space for partner] Cooperating To Teach Every Boy and Girl To Swim. POSTER 1004
