Keep These off the U.S.A. Buy More Liberty Bonds
A pair of worn, blood-dripping boots with spurs stands under a black eagle bearing a red, white and red shield on each grey boot top, above the line 'keep these off the U.S.A.' The poster names no person and makes no factual claim; the boots stand for an invading army. The tell of the fear appeal is the metonym: a threat of occupation is conveyed by a boot, and the purchase of bonds is offered as the remedy.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Treasury Department (Liberty Loan campaign); John Norton (artist)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Fundraise
- Themes
- War and the military, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
U.S. Treasury Department. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-225.
Text on the object
keep these off the U.S.A Buy more LIBERTY BONDS John Norton THE STROBRIDGE LITHO. CO. CINCINNATI & NEW YORK 5 B
'John Norton' is the artist's signature inside the picture; the imprint line and '5 B' print code are at the foot of the sheet in very small type.
