Protect his future ... watch your tongue
War Department security poster with a painted portrait of a smiling blond toddler in striped overalls against a dark ground. Text: 'Protect his future ... watch your tongue', and 'Silence means security'. The appeal is to family feeling, with the child standing for what careless talk is said to endanger; no enemy is depicted.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- War Department, Adjutant General's Office (printed 'W.D., A.G.O., "Boy" Security Poster'); artwork by Earl Christy
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance
- 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. government security campaign. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-152 (NAID 513598).
Text on the object
Protect his future ... watch your tongue ★ SILENCE MEANS SECURITY ★ [signature:] Earl Christy [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943—O—522721 [imprint:] W.D., A.G.O., "Boy" Security Poster
