Content note: Shows a racial caricature of a Japanese soldier (exaggerated teeth, round glasses), printed as issued in 1942. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Careless matches aid the Axis
Forest-fire prevention poster: a grinning caricature of a Japanese soldier, in a cap with a star, with exaggerated teeth and round glasses, lights a match before an orange background of burning trees. The headline links a careless match to the enemy, pasting the hated figure onto an everyday habit.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, War and the military
- 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)
U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-557 (NAID 514036).
Text on the object
careless matches aid the Axis PREVENT FOREST FIRES! [imprint:] FOREST SERVICE U S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1942—O—466268
