Content note: Painted close-up of a soldier with blood running down his forehead. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Have You Really Tried to Save Gas by Getting Into a Car Club?
Painted close-up of a grim helmeted soldier with blood running down his forehead, under the question 'Have you really tried to save gas by getting into a car club?'. The wounded front-line figure lends sacrifice to the request to share rides, a transfer, and the injury is a fear-appeal and guilt cue aimed at drivers.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. government (artist Harold von Schmidt; issuer not printed)
- 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)
U.S. government (artist Harold von Schmidt). National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-184 (NAID 513630).
Text on the object
HAVE YOU REALLY TRIED TO SAVE GAS BY GETTING INTO A CAR CLUB? [signature:] HAROLD VON SCHMIDT 1944 [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-585265
