Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
This Is the Netherlands, One of the United Nations, 1939 Netherlands poster: A sheet headed 'this is THE NETHERLANDS'

This Is the Netherlands, One of the United Nations

A sheet headed 'this is THE NETHERLANDS' with sections 'the people', 'their work' and 'the country', photographs of cheese carriers, cyclists, Amsterdam harbour and windmills, a statistics panel, and a lower band on the Netherlands West Indies (Curacao, Surinam). The tell for glittering-generalities is the closing claim that the country 'has been the originator of many democratic principles'; card-stacking shows in the selection of photographs and figures, including a West Indies band presented through exports and portraits.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Card stackingGlittering generalities
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
Netherlands Information Bureau, an Agency of the Netherlands Government; artists F. C. Veit and S. M. Adler
Region
Western and Central Europe
Country
Netherlands
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Gerbrandy Government
Leader
Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
Audience
Foreign public
Purpose
Persuade or win support
Themes
War and the military, Empire and colonialism, Media and information
Event
World War II
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 Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
Rights
Held by NARA, Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision (foreign-government imprint lithographed in the US)
Netherlands Information Bureau; F. C. Veit and S. M. Adler, National Archives and Records Administration, 44-PF-899k.

Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

this is
THE NETHERLANDS

In 1543 the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands were united under Charles V. [...] The Netherlands was one of the cradles of religious tolerance, and of international law, and has been the originator of many democratic principles.

the people
CHEESE CARRIERS AT ALKMAAR
DIAMOND CUTTER, AMSTERDAM
FISHERMEN VOLENDAM ON THE ZUYDERZEE
BICYCLING FAVORITE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION IN LEVEL HOLLAND
the country
HARBOR OF AMSTERDAM
SIXTEENTH CENTURY CASTLE
OPEN AIR SCHOOL, AMSTERDAM
WINDMILLS IN RECLAIMED LAND
their work
POPULATION: 8,728,569. [statistics not reproduced]

CURACAO  SURINAM
THE NETHERLANDS WEST INDIES
The Netherlands West Indies comprises the territories of Surinam and Curacao. [...] total exports of petroleum products from Curacao territory was valued at 266,666,763 guilders in 1937; and its phosphate production at more than 100,000 tons.
BOATMAN ON ISLAND OF SABA, CURACAO
OIL REFINERIES IN CURACAO
BAUXITE MINES IN SURINAM. (DUTCH GUYANA)
INDIAN GIRL IN SURINAM. (DUTCH GUYANA)

f. c. veit and s. m. adler
Lithographed in the United States of America
ONE OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Issued by Netherland Information Bureau
An Agency of the Netherlands Government

More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

Fragments of the Abydos king list from Ramesses II's temple, in the British Museum: rows of royal cartouchesNew Kingdom EgyptFragments of the Abydos king list from Ramesses II's temple, in the British Museum: rows of royal cartouches0000 · Card stacking, TransferBehistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of AhuramazdaAchaemenid EmpireBehistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of Ahuramazda0000 · Card stacking, Name-calling, TestimonialContent noteTomb of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam: the king in relief beside his inscription DNa, c. 490 BCEAchaemenid EmpireTomb of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam: the king in relief beside his inscription DNa, c. 490 BCE0000 · Testimonial, Card stackingLine drawing of the Great Kadesh battle relief on the walls of the Ramesseum, from Breasted's History of EgyptNew Kingdom EgyptLine drawing of the Great Kadesh battle relief on the walls of the Ramesseum, from Breasted's History of Egypt0000 · Card stacking, TransferContent notePersepolis, Apadana staircase relief: a figure with an animal from a procession of delegations, early fifth century BCEAchaemenid EmpirePersepolis, Apadana staircase relief: a figure with an animal from a procession of delegations, early fifth century BCE0000 · Card stacking, Manufactured consensusAlabaster relief, Assyrian troops storming a citadel, from Nineveh (reign of Sennacherib)Neo Assyrian EmpireAlabaster relief, Assyrian troops storming a citadel, from Nineveh (reign of Sennacherib)0000 · Card stackingContent noteColour lithograph of the Latin text of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti on the wall of the temple of Roma and Augustus at Ancyra, with the heading in large letters (Perrot, Guillaume and Delbet, 1872)Roman EmpireColour lithograph of the Latin text of the Res Gestae Divi Augusti on the wall of the temple of Roma and Augustus at Ancyra, with the heading in large letters (Perrot, Guillaume and Delbet, 1872)0014 · Card stacking, Glittering generalitiesSilver denarius of Vespasian, reverse IVDAEA with a trophy of arms and a seated mourning womanRoman EmpireSilver denarius of Vespasian, reverse IVDAEA with a trophy of arms and a seated mourning woman0070 · Card stackingContent note