For a short war - prepare for a long one
A black-and-white poster of two large three-dimensional numerals, '3 months' and '5 years', set on banners, above a quotation attributed to Donald Nelson: 'For a Short War - Prepare for a Long One'. The named official's words carry the message; the numerals frame a short and a long war as equally possible.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- War Production Board, War Production Drive Headquarters; Will Hammell (artist)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Economy and finance
- 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)
War Production Board, War Production Drive Headquarters. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-790 (NAID 514278).
Text on the object
3 MONTHS OR 5 YEARS "For a Short War - Prepare for a Long One" DONALD NELSON [signature:] WILL HAMMELL [imprint:] GPO 489628 O - 42 [imprint:] BB 24 War Production Drive Headquarters, War Production Board.
