---
title: Want a Second Front? Then Build the Fighting Ships! Ships Mean Victory
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/canada-want-a-second-front-build-fighting-ships-1939/
description: Four heads of working men in brown tones rise behind a dark warship against a yellow ray background, over the question 'Want a Second Front?'
section: Collection
---

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3. Want a Second Front? Then Build the Fighting Ships! Ships Mean Victory

[![Want a Second Front? Then Build the Fighting Ships! Ships Mean Victory, 1939 Canada poster: Four heads of working men](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/canada-want-a-second-front-build-fighting-ships-1939.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/canada-want-a-second-front-build-fighting-ships-1939.jpg)

# Want a Second Front? Then Build the Fighting Ships! Ships Mean Victory

Four heads of working men in brown tones rise behind a dark warship against a yellow ray background, over the question 'Want a Second Front?' and the answer 'Then build the fighting ships!'. The tell is the faces of ordinary workers presented as the builders of the ships (plain folks) and the closing slogan 'Ships mean victory', a virtue claim with no figures (glittering generalities).

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Plain folks](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/plain-folks/) [Glittering generalities](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/glittering-generalities/)

## Text on the object

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

```
Want a Second Front?
Then build the Fighting Ships!
SHIPS MEAN VICTORY
```

[← Wallace Reyburn Says...](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/canada-wallace-reyburn-says-second-front-shipping-1939/) [Wanted: Scrap Metal...To Make Tanks, Guns, Ammunition →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/canada-wanted-scrap-metal-tanks-guns-1939/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Trois Tetes sous l'meme bonnet (three heads under the same cap)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/trois-tetes-sous-le-meme-bonnet-1789/) (France · 1789 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['This log cabin was the first building erected on the North Bend', Whig print by T. Sinclair, 1840](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/harrison-north-bend-log-cabin-sinclair-1840/) (United States · 1840 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [Treeing Coons (pro-Polk cartoon), 1844](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/treeing-coons-polk-1844/) (United States · 1844 · Name-calling, Plain folks)
- [Zachary Taylor, People's Candidate for President (Currier banner), 1848](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/taylor-fillmore-peoples-candidate-1848/) (United States · 1848 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)
- ['Little Mac.' (from the Democratic presidential campaign songster)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/little-mac-song-sheet-feeks-1864/) (United States · 1864 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The peoples' choice, H. Greeley G. Brown](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/peoples-choice-greeley-brown-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Bandwagon, Plain folks)
- [The working-man's banner. For President, Ulysses S. Grant, 'The Galena Tanner.' For Vice-President, Henry Wilson, 'The Natick Shoemaker.'](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/working-mans-banner-grant-1872/) (United States · 1872 · Plain folks, Transfer)
- [The Chappaqua farmer](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/chappaqua-farmer-1872/) (United States · Jul 1872 · Plain folks, Glittering generalities)