Content note: A dark, green-faced caricature profile of the German Kaiser in a spiked helmet looms over a U-boat and a burning ship, as issued. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Defeat the Kaiser and His U-Boats: Victory Depends on Which Fails First, Food or Frightfulness
A dark, green-faced profile of a spiked-helmet figure labelled the Kaiser fills the right side of the sheet, while a U-boat and a burning ship sit in an orange sea at left. The text frames the war as a contest between food supply and 'frightfulness', and asks the viewer to eat less wheat. The tell is the pairing of a personalised enemy and a sinking ship with a household action, so that a bread choice reads as a response to the threat shown.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Food Administration
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- War and the military, Home front
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Food Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-99.
Text on the object
Defeat the KAISER and his U-BOATS Victory Depends on Which fails first, food or frightfulness Eat less WHEAT [seal: U.S. Food Administration] UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION OC. [artist's signature, upper left, approximately: Stick]
'OC.' (bottom left) is a printer's or edition mark. Handwritten pencil numerals on the sheet are not part of the printed design and are not transcribed.
