Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation

Content note: A pencil cartoon of falling vegetables aimed at a three-dimensional swastika lying on the ground, as published by the Office of War Information. This object is shown as it was published. Why

You Can Make This Kind of Ammunition!!, 1943 US cartoon: Two beets and a carrot fall like bombs onto a swastika lying

You Can Make This Kind of Ammunition!!

Two beets and a carrot fall like bombs onto a swastika lying on the ground, under a clipping reading 'All Americans urged to grow Victory Gardens.' The tell is semantic hijack: vegetables are relabelled as ammunition so that home gardening is framed as a weapon against the Axis.

Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon

TransferSemantic hijacking
Date
1943
Period
Second World War
Made by
Office of War Information (cartoon artwork; artist Charles Alston)
Region
North America
Country
United States
Medium
Cartoon
Issuer type
State
Regime
Roosevelt Administration
Leader
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Audience
Domestic public
Purpose
Mobilize or secure compliance
Themes
Home front, Economy and finance, 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 (NARA), RG 208, Artworks and Mockups for Cartoons Promoting the War Effort (NAID 535594), retrieved October 3, 2026
Rights
Public domain (U.S. government work)
Office of War Information. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 208, 208-COM-91 (NAID 535632).

Text on the object

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

"ALL AMERICANS URGED TO GROW VICTORY GARDENS." ~NEWS ITEM.
"YOU CAN MAKE THIS KIND OF AMMUNITION!!"
[Signed:] Alston OWI

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