Rumor - Kill It!

A green, long-necked grimacing head hatches from a cracked egg marked with swastikas, and its neck forms the word RUMOR. The red brush-lettered order 'kill it!' treats a spoken rumour as a Nazi-hatched creature to be destroyed (fear-appeal, name-calling).

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Fear appealName-calling

Date

1940

Period

Second World War

Made by

Director of Public Information, under authority of Hon. J. T. Thorson, Minister of National War Services, Ottawa

Region

North America

Country

Canada

Medium

Poster

Issuer type

State

Regime

Mackenzie King Government

Leader

William Lyon Mackenzie King

Audience

Domestic public

Purpose

Warn or inform

Themes

Home front, Security and surveillance, Media and information

Event

World War II

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 Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026

Rights

Public domain (Canadian Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired; no URAA restoration)
Director of Public Information, Ottawa. National Archives and Records Administration, NAID 44267765, local ID 44-PF-657.

RUMOR
kill it!

ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION, UNDER AUTHORITY OF HON. J. T. THORSON, MINISTER OF NATIONAL WAR SERVICES, OTTAWA  PRINTED IN CANADA  AG. 13 ES

[signature:] Hock