Don't be afraid to ask - Who is that guy?
Cartoon factory worker cups his hand and shouts 'Who is that guy?' at a man peering round a No Admittance sign. The text says politeness has ceased to be a virtue, that spies do not wear uniforms, and calls the worker a production soldier on America's first line of defense. Fear-appeal of the hidden spy plus transfer of military duty to the shop floor.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Cyrus C. Hungerford (copyright holder, Pittsburgh; issuer not named)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Mixed
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- 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)
Cyrus C. Hungerford. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-652 (NAID 514130).
Text on the object
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK- WHO IS THAT GUY? NO ADMITTANCE There is a Time when Politeness Ceases to be a Virtue NOW IS THAT TIME . . . You are a Sentry in America's First Line of Defense. The Production Line . . . Don't hesitate to challenge Strangers . . . Spies don't wear uniforms. Demand Credentials . . . IT'S YOUR SAFETY that's at stake. You are a PRODUCTION SOLDIER... America's First Line of Defense is HERE [signature:] HUNGERFORD [imprint:] Copyright 1941, Cyrus C. Hungerford, Pittsburgh, Pa.
