---
title: '"Volunteer Civilian Defense" (WPA War Services, Alabama, 1941-1943)'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/volunteer-civilian-defense-alabama-wpa-1941/
description: A bomber's shadow falls across the outline of Alabama in blue, above the words 'Volunteer Civilian Defense'. Tagged by technique, with source and rights.
section: Collection
---

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3. "Volunteer Civilian Defense" (WPA War Services, Alabama, 1941-1943)

[!["Volunteer Civilian Defense", 1941 US poster: A bomber's shadow falls across the outline of Alabama in blue, above the words](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/volunteer-civilian-defense-alabama-wpa-1941.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/volunteer-civilian-defense-alabama-wpa-1941.jpg)

# "Volunteer Civilian Defense" (WPA War Services, Alabama, 1941-1943)

A bomber's shadow falls across the outline of Alabama in blue, above the words 'Volunteer Civilian Defense'. The tell: the shape of the home state under an aircraft's shadow makes a threat feel local and puts the ask in two words.

A silkscreen poster from the Work Projects Administration's War Services programme in Alabama, dated between 1941 and 1943 by the Library of Congress, which describes it as encouraging voluntary participation in civilian defense. It was aimed at the domestic public to recruit volunteers. A bomber's shadow falls across a blue outline of Alabama above the words "VOLUNTEER CIVILIAN DEFENSE". The archive tags fear appeal: placing the shadow over the home state makes the threat feel local, and the single remedy offered is to volunteer.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Fear appeal](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/fear-appeal/)

## Full record

Region, Country, Medium, Issuer type, Regime, Leader, Audience, Purpose, Themes, Event, Source, Rights

## Text on the object

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

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

```
VOLUNTEER
CIVILIAN DEFENSE
```

[← V = Duitschland wint voor Europa op alle fronten (V = Germany wins for Europe on all fronts)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/v-duitschland-wint-voor-europa-1941/) [Want action? Join U.S. Marine Corps! →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/want-action-join-marine-corps-1941/)

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