Don't be a dope - Handle equipment right! (nut and bolt tight)
Equipment-care cartoon for soldiers: a jeep shedding wheels, bolts and a canvas top careers down a grassy slope past a signpost reading 'To Berlin', with panicked passengers aboard. The verse calls him 'our brilliant Joe Dope'. The slogan 'Don't be a dope' is name-calling aimed at the careless driver, here with sarcasm.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ordnance Department, U.S. Army, Preventive Maintenance Program; artist Cpl. Will Eisner
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- 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)
Ordnance Department, U.S. Army, Preventive Maintenance Program. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1143X (NAID 514727).
Text on the object
The book says to run a car right You should keep every nut and bolt tight, But it's too much to hope That our brilliant Joe Dope Would obey - which produces this sight! [sign:] TO BERLIN [signature: CPL. Will Eisner, ORDNANCE DEPT.] Don't be a dope - HANDLE EQUIPMENT RIGHT ! [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1942-O-498372 [imprint:] PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT, U.S. ARMY
