---
title: The Men Are Ready... Only You Can Give Them Wings
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/canada-the-men-are-ready-give-them-wings-1939/
description: A low-angle illustration shows a line of identical helmeted airmen receding into the distance, with the foremost figure looking down at the viewer.
section: Collection
---

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3. The Men Are Ready... Only You Can Give Them Wings

[![The Men Are Ready... Only You Can Give Them Wings, 1939 Canada poster: A low-angle illustration shows a line of identical](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/canada-the-men-are-ready-give-them-wings-1939.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/canada-the-men-are-ready-give-them-wings-1939.jpg)

# The Men Are Ready... Only You Can Give Them Wings

A low-angle illustration shows a line of identical helmeted airmen receding into the distance, with the foremost figure looking down at the viewer. The slogan 'Only YOU can give them wings' sets the capital-letter YOU in front of the viewer, making the viewer personally responsible for the airmen's readiness, which is the identity-fusion tell.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

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

## Text on the object

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

```
THE MEN ARE READY...
ONLY YOU CAN GIVE THEM WINGS

ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION, OTTAWA.
UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HON. JAMES G. GARDINER, MINISTER OF NATIONAL WAR SERVICES.
```

[← That's My Ship! I Know She Can 'Take It' and 'Hand It Out!'](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/canada-thats-my-ship-winter-1939/) [The Nerve Centre of War →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/canada-the-nerve-centre-of-war-1939/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Our job is to beat the Hun. Vote Union Government (Canada, 1917 election)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/our-job-is-to-beat-the-hun-union-government-1917/) (Canada · 1917 · Name-calling, Identity fusion). Content note: Ethnic slur ('Hun') for Germans in the slogan.
- [Julistus (Proclamation): Red Guard committee denies rumours and orders rumour-spreaders arrested](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/punakaarti-julistus-huhut-1918/) (Finland · 1918 · Identity fusion)
- [Salzburg 20-Kronen "Anschluss" voucher (1921)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/salzburg-anschluss-voucher-20-kronen-1921/) (Austria · 1921 · Identity fusion)
- [The Bombay Chronicle, article on a foreign-cloth bonfire (July 30, 1921)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/bombay-chronicle-cloth-bonfire-1921/) (British India · Jul 30, 1921 · Identity fusion, Glittering generalities)
- [L'Unione Sarda, 24 March 1929: 'Il voto di oggi, è atto di fede' (plebiscite day front page)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/unione-sarda-plebiscito-front-page-1929/) (Fascist Italy · Mar 24, 1929 · Identity fusion, Glittering generalities)
- [Zwei SA-Männer bringen ein Hitler-Plakat an (Mecklenburg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sa-maenner-kleben-hitler-plakat-mecklenburg-1932/) (Weimar Republic · Jun 21, 1932 · Identity fusion). Content note: Photograph of SA men in uniform with swastika armband putting up a Hitler election poster, 1932.
- [Hitlerjugend, Deutsches Jungvolk: Altmetallsammlung](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hj-altmetallsammlung-jungvolk-1933/) (Nazi Germany · 1933 · Identity fusion). Content note: Deutsches Jungvolk boys in uniform collecting scrap metal, 1933.
- [Marine-HJ werben für den Bau von HJ-Heimen (Handwagen mit Plakat)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/marine-hj-werbung-hj-heime-1933/) (Nazi Germany · 1933 · Identity fusion). Content note: Hitler Youth members in uniform with swastika armbands and flags promoting the building of Hitler Youth homes.