My Soldier (Third Liberty Loan)
A mother and her small child kneel in bedtime prayer beneath a framed portrait of a soldier, set in an oval against red-and-white flag stripes with two aeroplanes on the blue field. The printed child's prayer asks God to bring 'my brother' safely home, and the sale of Government bonds is attached to that wish. The tell is the transfer of domestic and religious feeling onto the purchase, and the implied personal stake of the buyer.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1918
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- U.S. Treasury Department (Third Liberty Loan campaign)
- 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, Home front, 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 (Third Liberty Loan campaign). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-201.
Text on the object
MY SOLDIER Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep. God bless my brother gone to war Across the seas, in France, so far. Oh, may his fight for Liberty, Save millions more than little me From cruel fates or ruthless blast,- And bring him safely home at last. BUY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BONDS THIRD LIBERTY LOAN
A small artist's mark below the oval is [illegible].
