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
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- British government (printed for H.M. Stationery Office by H. Manly & Son Ltd., London); issuing ministry not named
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War II
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- 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 Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by H. Manly & Son Ltd., c. 1939-1945. US National Archives, World War II Foreign Posters (NAID 44267227).
Text on the object
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
