WWII propaganda poster by William Gropper. NARA ID 7387571.
While many WW2 posters tout positive patriotic messages, some tapped fear to rally support for the Allies - graphically using racist and sinister imagery to depict the enemy, including the Axis leaders shown above. Such propaganda was produced by the Office of War Information, created by FDR in 1942 to boost wartime production at home and undermine enemy morale abroad.
Illustrator, muralist, artist, and satirical cartoonist William Gropper first worked for the federal government under the Treasury Relief Art Project, then for the Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA). Grateful for the support earlier in his career, Gropper volunteered his services to the Office of War Information and created political propaganda for which he received a "Citation in recognition of fine assistance” from the Treasury Department and personal thanks from FDR for “giving pictorial form to specific war information objectives.”
However, Congressional opposition to many OWI tactics - including such fear-mongering - resulted in increasingly curtailed funds, and OWI was disbanded at the end of the war.
See also:
Records of the Office of War Information (RG 208)
1967 "Finding Aid" to these records (really - 1967!)
Records of the Office of War Information - online
Propaganda, Politics, and the Personification of FDR: The Uncle Sam Poster Controversy, by textual archivist Daniel Dancis, Text Message blog.
