What Didn't You Do in the War Daddy?

A pen cartoon shows a dejected man smoking on a bench beside a 'Help Wanted' newspaper, over the question 'What didn't you do in the War Daddy?' and an offer of no post-war 'come-down' through a savings backlog. The tell is the picture of postwar unemployment paired with one remedy, buying War Savings Certificates (fear appeal).

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Fear appeal

Date

1939

Period

Second World War

Made by

Issuer not printed (War Savings Certificates appeal); artist 'Ricky RCAF'

Region

North America

Country

Canada

Medium

Poster

Issuer type

State

Regime

Mackenzie King Government

Leader

William Lyon Mackenzie King

Audience

Domestic public

Purpose

Fundraise

Themes

Economy and finance, Home front

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

Held by NARA, Unrestricted; Canadian wartime publication (Crown copyright, if any, expired); hosted by owner decision
Issuer not printed (War Savings Certificates appeal); artist 'Ricky RCAF'. National Archives and Records Administration, 44-PF-728.

"What didn't you do in the War Daddy?"
THERE'LL BE NO POST-WAR COME-DOWN FOR YOU IF YOU PREPARE YOUR COME-BACK BY BUILDING A SAVINGS BACKLOG WITH-
WAR SAVINGS CERTIFICATES
[on newspaper:] HELP WANTED
[signature:] RICKY RCAF