Don't Kill Americans by Careless Talk!
Wide orange-and-black text-only strip, apparently a transit-vehicle card: 'Don't kill Americans by careless talk!' above a black band instructing never to discuss military or naval information in a public vehicle. There is no picture; the fear-appeal rests on the word 'kill' tied to ordinary conversation.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Government Printing Office issue (issuer not named on sheet)
- 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, 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)
U.S. Government Printing Office issue. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-669 (NAID 514148).
Text on the object
DON'T KILL AMERICANS BY CARELESS TALK! NEVER DISCUSS MILITARY OR NAVAL INFORMATION IN A PUBLIC VEHICLE. [imprint: U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1942—O—446237]
