Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
Food Will Win the War: You Came Here Seeking Freedom, Wheat Is Needed for the Allies, 1917 US poster: Immigrants crowd

Food Will Win the War: You Came Here Seeking Freedom, Wheat Is Needed for the Allies

Immigrants crowd the rail of an incoming ship, looking toward the Statue of Liberty and a New York skyline under rainbow bands of colour. The text reads 'You came here seeking Freedom. You must now help to preserve it. Wheat is needed for the allies. Waste nothing.' The tell of transfer is the arrival scene: the viewer's memory of reaching America is attached to a request about conserving wheat.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Transfer
Date
1917
Period
First World War
Made by
U.S. Food Administration; Charles Edward Chambers (artist)
Region
North America
Country
United States
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Wilson Administration
Leader
Woodrow Wilson
Audience
Diaspora or minority
Purpose
Mobilize or secure compliance
Themes
Home front, Migration
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; Charles Edward Chambers (artist). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-60.

Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR

You came here seeking Freedom
You must now help to preserve it

WHEAT is needed for the allies
Waste nothing

[seal: United States Food Administration]

UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION

No 18

RUSLING WOOD, LITHO. N.Y.

[artist's signature: Chambers]

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