'Do With Less' WW II Rationing Poster
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This poster, released in March 1943, depicts an appealing 'GI Joe' drinking coffee from his canteen cup. Rationing of consumer goods was introduced in March 1942 and continued throughout World War II and nearly one year after, ending in 1946. Government-sponsored ads, radio shows, pamphlets and poster campaigns such as this one, urged the American people to comply.
The poster is a good example of how photography was combined with poster art during the war. This design became so popular that it was reprinted in several larger sizes and with slightly different headlines. Three sizes were produced by the Office of War Information: 22 x 28 inches, 28 x 40 inches,and 21 7/8 x 23 7/8 inches. This is poster number 37 in the OWI series during World War II.
The man in the photo is Thomas J. Murray, who died on 16 October 2002 at the age of 87 and was buried with military honors. Through this poster, Murray served as the face for rationing from 1943-1945.
