USA - WWII

In the face of acute wartime labor shortages, women were needed in the defense industries, the civilian service, and even the armed forces. Publicity campaigns were aimed at encouraging those women who had never before held jobs to join the workforce. Poster and film images glorified and glamorized the roles of working women and suggested that a woman's femininity need not be sacrificed. Women were portrayed as attractive, confident, and resolved to do their part to win the war. Of all the images of working women during World War II, the image of women in factories predominates. Rosie the Riveter--the strong, competent woman dressed in overalls and bandanna--was introduced as a symbol of patriotic womanhood. The accoutrements of war work--uniforms, tools, and lunch pails--were incorporated into the revised image of the feminine ideal. - Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669753/

The image shows a woman with rolled-up sleeves and a red polka-dot bandana tied around her hair. She is flexing her right arm to show her bicep, looking directly at the viewer with a determined expression. She wears a blue work shirt with a small badge on the collar. Above her head, in bold white letters on a yellow background, it says: "We Can Do It!" The poster has a strong, empowering tone, symbolizing women's contributions to the workforce during World War II.

War poster shows three women who work for the war effort an office worker, a welder, and factory worker.

United Kingdom - World War I

A British recruiting poster, 1915. By the end of 1914, almost one million British men had enlisted. But the voluntary system proved insufficient to meet the needs of the war, so in January 1916 Britain adopted mass conscription for the first time in its history. It was needed, for in the 1918 Second Battle of the Marne alone the Allies lost one million men.

German propaganda poster shows a smiling family with father, mother, and three children embraced by the benevolent and protective wings of the National Socialist eagle.

Germany - 1933

This mid-1930s poster says, “The NSDAP [Nazi Party] protects the people. Your fellow comrades need your advice and help, so join the local party organization. German propaganda poster shows a smiling family with father, mother, and three children embraced by the benevolent and protective wings of the National Socialist eagle.

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