Don't tell strangers anything they cannot read in newspapers
Counter-intelligence sheet for servicemen: a line drawing of two soldiers and a woman talking at a bar table while a man in a hat leans over the booth partition writing in a notebook. A five-line limerick and the slogan tell soldiers not to share anything beyond what newspapers print. The technique is a fear-appeal built on a spy in plain sight.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army, VI Army Corps (G-2 intelligence section), reproduced by Engineer Headquarters, VI Army Corps
- 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
- Security and surveillance, 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. Army, VI Army Corps (G-2 intelligence section), reproduced by Engineer Headquarters, VI Army Corps. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-694 (NAID 514175).
Text on the object
There once was a sly saboteur Whose methods at times seemed obscure But the boys on vacation Would give information For he used a fair maid as his lure. DON'T TELL STRANGERS ANYTHING THEY CANNOT READ IN NEWSPAPERS 8 G-2 VI AC REPRODUCED BY ENGR. HQS., VI ARMY CORPS [signature: illegible]
