Don't let lice make a monkey out of you!
Troop hygiene poster: a cartoon monkey in an army-style cap scratches itself with wide, worried eyes among jungle leaves, under 'Don't let lice make a monkey out of YOU!'. Text tells soldiers who itch to look for lice and report any found at once. The warning rests on a visual pun and mild fear-appeal; no enemy is pictured.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. War Department
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Health, 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. War Department. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-680 (NAID 514159).
Text on the object
Don't let lice make a monkey out of YOU! If you itch ...look for lice! IF YOU FIND LICE REPORT IT AT ONCE! Distribution: Continental: In accordance with Part II, ASF Cir. No. 313, 1944 and Section I, ASF Cir. No. 181, 1944. Overseas: T of Opns (10); Depts (10); SvC (10); Base Comds (10); Island Comds (10); Def Comds (10); Sectors (10); Base Sectors (10); Armies (1); Corps (1); D (1); B (1); R (1); Sep Bn (1). DON'T LET LICE MAKE A MONKEY OF YOU Approved War Department Graphic Training Aid 8-10 WAR DEPARTMENT - 12 OCTOBER 1944 Reproduction without permission prohibited [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-691222
