Weapons for Liberty: U.S.A. Bonds, Third Liberty Loan Campaign (Boy Scouts of America)
A helmeted figure of Columbia with a shield bearing the American eagle stands behind a kneeling Boy Scout who holds up a sword inscribed 'Be Prepared', beneath the words 'U.S.A. Bonds'. The panel text names the Third Liberty Loan campaign and the Boy Scouts of America, and the base reads 'Weapons for Liberty'. The tell is transfer: the national allegory and the sword carry their dignity to the purchase of bonds and to the boy's role in selling them.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1918
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- Boy Scouts of America, for the Third Liberty Loan campaign (U.S. Treasury)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- NGO
- Regime
- Wilson Administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Fundraise
- Themes
- War and the military, Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War I
- Regime
- Wilson administration
- Leader
- Woodrow Wilson
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), RG 4 (U.S. Food Administration), World War I Posters (NAID 512439), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- NARA Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision
Boy Scouts of America, for the Third Liberty Loan campaign (U.S. Treasury). National Archives and Records Administration, 4-P-160.
Text on the object
U·S·A BONDS Third Liberty Loan Campaign BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA [sword inscription:] Be prepared WEAPONS FOR LIBERTY [artist's signature at lower right, lettered: Leyendecker] AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHIC CO. N.Y.
The small patch on the scout's shirt (Boy Scouts of America) is too small to read in full and is not transcribed.
