Listen! The enemy may be talking. Don't talk! The enemy may be listening.
Type-only security notice in a black frame: 'Listen!' and 'Don't talk!' in very large red capitals, each followed by a small black line ('The enemy may be talking', 'The enemy may be listening'). There is no picture. The appeal is a bare warning that an unseen enemy hears careless speech (fear-appeal), a different sheet from the hosted OWI 'enemy ears' poster.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. government (issuer not printed; imprint 'RPB')
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- 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. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1295 (NAID 514901).
Text on the object
LISTEN! THE ENEMY MAY BE TALKING DON'T TALK! THE ENEMY MAY BE LISTENING [imprint:] RPB-4-4-42-1M
