The horror and the stupidity of World War I makes it a difficult subject for the usual flip rabbit comments but the above is so idiotic I can't think what to do but laugh - it originated from the British National War Savings Committee and 1915. the general idea is to spend your money on war bonds rather than clothes.
Another British poster from 1915. 'There's room for you' indeed! I bet there was.
This poster is German and from 1918. It translates as 'collect stinging nettles if you want clothing and thread. Information available from the Bayerische Nesselstelle, Munich'. No, I haven't a clue why either.
I have to say, I just hate the dishonesty and manipulative nature of these posters. 'Be a man and do it' Not so subtle, methinks. USA 1917.
And as for those food hoarders. The man on the left looks like he could use going on a diet... 
Beat the rush. What this actually means is that they were about to bring in conscription. Britain 1915
The most famous - or infamous of the lot. Begs the answer 'gave it a miss thus surviving to have you, dear'. Parodied to this day. One striking thing about so many of these posters is that there was plainly widespread resistance to being sent out to be pointlessly slaughtered, thus necessitating this crudely manipulative stuff. Britain c1915. Hat Tip to vintagraph.
7 comments:
And Also, Pity The Poor Cockerels.....
Wow, those are pretty crazy posters. Never seen anything like them before at all! All from WW1 too.
Fortunately, I think things have changed quite a bit in the last nearly 100 years. I can't imagine this sort of approach would be successful today.
The Dental Maven is right. WR, please spare us Tony Blair's pre Iraq invasion TV adverts inviting people join the Army to help rape victims - just what the invasion of Iraq was all about!
Bad form is a phrase that needs to be brought back.
Tony - Nasty, nasty trick the white feather thing. Apparently hardly ever happened in WWII.
JoJo - They have a real unintended surrealism to them.
Maven/Mahal - bit of a difference of opinion here. I'll leave you to sort it out!
DHG - Absolutely old chap! Not to mention chaps who play with a straight bat and chaps who don't!
In fact bring back 'chap' generally, preferably proceeded by the indefinite article.
As in 'a chap finds it very hard to get spats these days..'
Think I lie down now.
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