I want you for the U.S. Army, enlist now
Army recruiting poster: Uncle Sam in a star-banded top hat, scowling and pointing straight out at the viewer, with 'I want you' above and 'for the U.S. Army, enlist now' below. The tell is the direct personal address and pointing gesture, with the national personification as transfer. This is a 1940 printing of the design first used in 1917.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1940
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army (painting by James Montgomery Flagg, Leslie-Judge Co.)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Recruit
- Theme
- 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. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-71 (NAID 513533).
Text on the object
I WANT YOU for the U.S. ARMY ENLIST NOW [signature: James Montgomery Flagg] [imprint: From Painting By James Montgomery Flagg © Leslie-Judge Co.] [imprint: P-26-RPB-7-24-40-25M]
