Content note: Ethnic slur in the slogan; the figure shown is an American driver. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Nap and Help a Jap: 'Careless Carl' Greases His Truck
A heavyset driver in blue overalls dozes against a tree with a straw in his mouth while an oil can and grease gun lie beside him and his truck waits on the slope. The slogan 'Nap and help a Jap' uses the slur as a rhyme with 'nap' and turns a routine break into assistance to the enemy.
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. wartime vehicle-maintenance and safety poster (issuer not named on the object); held in the OWI poster file
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Mixed
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Themes
- Home front, Labor, War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Techniques
- Name-callingIdentity fusion
- 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 (NARA 515044, local id 44-PA-1385), Records of the Office of Government Reports, Record Group 44, series 'World War II Posters', retrieved October 2, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. publication without copyright notice; NARA 'Unrestricted')
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Text on the object
NAP and help a JAP "CARELESS CARL" greases his truck
No imprint or signature found on the scan; the date is undetermined (NARA: 1941-1945).
