The World Cannot Live Half Slave, Half Free: The Prussian Blot
A map of Europe shades the German-led bloc in red under the heading 'The Prussian Blot' and the figure '100,000,000 people already enslaved by Germany.' Beneath it the poster pairs a quoted statement attributed to President Wilson with a quoted proclamation attributed to the Kaiser, and ends 'There can be no peace.' The tell is the combination of a threat map with an opponent's own words, which frames a negotiated end as impossible.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1917
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- State Council of Defense (printed 'By Authority of the State Council of Defense')
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Themes
- War and the military, Media and information
- 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
State Council of Defense. National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-5.
Text on the object
THE WORLD CANNOT LIVE HALF SLAVE, HALF FREE THE PRUSSIAN BLOT EUROPE 100,000,000 PEOPLE ALREADY ENSLAVED BY GERMANY President Wilson Says of the Germans: "Their plan was to throw a broad belt of German military power and political control across the very center of Europe and beyond the Mediterranean Sea into the heart of Asia. They have actually carried the greater part of that amazing plan into execution." THE KAISER PROCLAIMS: "Woe and death unto those who oppose my will. Death to the infidel who denies my mission. Let all the enemies of the German nation perish. God demands their destruction." WHILE GERMANY DREAMS OF DOMINATING THE WORLD BY FORCE THERE CAN BE NO PEACE By Authority of the State Council of Defense
