---
title: It Depends on You and the Farmer Whether These Ships are Left Free to Carry Tanks & Guns
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/uk-it-depends-on-you-and-the-farmer-ships-1939/
description: Rows of dark cargo ships on blue water sit above text saying the farmer needs tools to grow food, and that the more food he grows 'the more guns the ships
section: Collection
---

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3. It Depends on You and the Farmer Whether These Ships are Left Free

[![It Depends on You and the Farmer Whether These Ships are Left Free to Carry Tanks & Guns, 1939 UK poster: Rows of dark cargo](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/uk-it-depends-on-you-and-the-farmer-ships-1939.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/uk-it-depends-on-you-and-the-farmer-ships-1939.jpg)

# It Depends on You and the Farmer Whether These Ships are Left Free to Carry Tanks & Guns

Rows of dark cargo ships on blue water sit above text saying the farmer needs tools to grow food, and that the more food he grows 'the more guns the ships will carry'. The poster links a purchase of farm tools to shipping space for tanks and guns, and addresses the viewer directly with a highlighted 'YOU'.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Transfer](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/transfer/)

## Text on the object

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

```
IT DEPENDS ON YOU
AND THE FARMER
whether these ships are left free
TO CARRY TANKS & GUNS

the more food the farmer grows
the more guns the ships will carry.
To grow the food he must have
tools - YOU can give him
THE TOOLS HE NEEDS

Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by H. Manly & Son Ltd. London. N 22. 51-2970
```

[← Is Your Child Protected?](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/uk-is-your-child-protected-1939/) [Join the Wrens: and free a man for the fleet (Women's Royal Naval Service) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/uk-join-the-wrens-free-a-man-for-the-fleet-1939/)

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- [Clay cylinder with the Ehulhul inscription of Nabonidus, king of Babylon, describing work on three temples](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/cylinder-nabonidus-ehulhul-inscription-555bce/) (Neo Babylonian Empire · 0000 · Transfer)
- [Seated limestone statue of Hatshepsut as king, with feminine royal titles on the throne, reassembled from fragments broken up at Deir el-Bahri](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hatshepsut-seated-statue-limestone-met-1458bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer, Testimonial)
- [Glazed-brick panel with a striding lion, from Babylon (reign of Nebuchadnezzar II)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/ishtar-gate-panel-striding-lion-nebuchadnezzar-ii-604bce/) (Neo Babylonian Empire · 0000 · Transfer)
- [Limestone relief block of Ramesses II wearing the White Crown, a jubilee relief from his temple at Herakleopolis](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/jubilee-relief-ramesses-ii-herakleopolis-met-05-4-256/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer)
- [Line drawing of the Great Kadesh battle relief on the walls of the Ramesseum, from Breasted's History of Egypt](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/kadesh-relief-ramesseum-breasted-drawing-1275bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Card stacking, Transfer). Content note: A drawing of an Egyptian royal battle relief showing Hittite soldiers and horses killed and drowned, as the king's monument presented the battle; it is a one-sided image made by the winning side's own account.
- [Gypsum alabaster slab inscribed in cuneiform, from Nimrud (Kalhu), reign of Ashurnasirpal II](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/nimrud-slab-ashurnasirpal-ii-inscription-883bce/) (Neo Assyrian Empire · 0000 · Transfer, Glittering generalities)
- [Egyptian alabaster jar inscribed with the name of Xerxes the Great in four languages (Old Persian, Elamite, Babylonian, Egyptian), 486 to 466 BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/xerxes-jar-four-languages-486bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Transfer)