Content note: Shows three drawn nude male figures from the front and back, with soap and spray partly covering them. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Go easy on the hot water
Instruction poster on a green ground: three drawn nude male figures wetting, lathering and rinsing, each with an ON or OFF arrow, beside a large shower head. The message is to turn the water off when not in use. The technique is faint: the ordinary routine of a shower is shown as the shared behaviour asked of every soldier.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army, Office of the Chief of Engineers (Army Conservation Project)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- War and the military, Home front
- 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, Office of the Chief of Engineers. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-902 (NAID 514407).
Text on the object
GO EASY on the HOT WATER ON OFF ON WETTING LATHERING RINSING TURN IT OFF when you're not using it! [imprint:] OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943—O-536590 [imprint:] ARMY CONSERVATION PROJECT NO. 35-E-9 [signature:] ks SAVE U.S. ARMY CONSERVATION PROGRAM
