To Joe Dope ring-around-the-rosie is fun
Tank-turret safety cartoon: an unlocked turret swings round and its gun barrel knocks one crewman's head off while another crewman clutches the barrel, under a verse about turret locks not engaged. The decapitated head is the fear-appeal, and the 'Don't be a dope!' slogan is name-calling aimed at the careless crewman.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ordnance Department, U.S. Army
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Theme
- 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)
Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1143F (NAID 514697).
Text on the object
To Joe Dope ring-round-rosie is fun With fat girls but not with a gun Turret locks not engaged When tank's start is staged Will result in more mayhem than fun Don't be a dope! HANDLE EQUIPMENT RIGHT! [signature: ORDNANCE] [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944-O-62235
