Content note: Red caricature heads of two enemy leaders, one in a swastika cap and one with exaggerated glasses and teeth, captioned 'Our carelessness / their secret weapon'. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Help at home to win the war! Prevent range fires
A small card headed 'Help at home to win the war!' lists three fire-prevention rules. Beside them are two red caricatured heads, one in a swastika cap and one in a round cap with glasses and teeth, captioned 'Our carelessness / their secret weapon'. Fire damage is tied to the enemy through the caricatures.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, with State Forest Service
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- 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)
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, with State Forest Service. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-950, 44-PA-950A (NAID 514456).
Text on the object
HELP AT HOME TO WIN THE WAR! RANGE FIRES damage and destroy forage; divert manpower from ranches and farms. Smoke interferes with the training of pilots and blinds them while on patrol. So— NEVER BURN to clear land without a permit if laws require one; without scraping or plowing around for safety; without help handy. STOP TO SMOKE in safe places during dry weather. Observe the rules in areas closed to smoking. BE SURE that matches, cigarettes, and pipe ashes are cold and that campfires are dead. OUR CARELESSNESS THEIR SECRET WEAPON PREVENT RANGE FIRES U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service — State Forest Service [handwritten: 44-PA-950]
