My Machine
A painted portrait of a machinist in an apron beside a lathe, in a shaft of light, with a printed first-person poem in which worker and machine are 'one'. The poem pairs words such as 'free' and 'Victory' with the worker's output (glittering generalities) and merges the worker's identity with the machine and the war effort (identity fusion).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- General Cable Corporation (artist Pat Holbrooke)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Corporation
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Labor, Home front, 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)
General Cable Corporation (artist Pat Holbrooke). National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1379 (NAID 515038).
Text on the object
My Machine . . . This is my machine. Mine! There are many other machines but this one is mine. It is a part of me-I am a part of it. We are one. Together we are forging the weapons of Victory- Weapons that will strike the shackles from men who would be free- As I am free! With Thy help, O Lord, I will bring forth the most and the best That is possible from my machine. For it depends on me. It multiplies the power of my hands-when my hands are on the job. It does true work-when my brain is alert to control it. It does not falter-unless I falter. It does not stop-unless I forget. In the lands of my enemies, slaves, under the whip, Labor at their machines. But I am free! I abide by my machine of my own free will. No man is my master-no man my slave. And this way is best. It is! By unfaltering example we shall prove it is best- My machine and I. By argosies of ships and tanks and planes, In the only language the enemy understands, We shall prove it. This is our pledge-mine and my machine's- Till Freedom's light comes on again. Suggested by "My Rifle"- The Creed of a United States Marine [signature:] Pat Holbrooke [imprint:] COPYRIGHT 1944-GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION
