"Avenge December 7" Vintage WWII Poster, 1942

This is an original WWII poster by Bernard Perlin, published in 1942.  The poster features a Navy sailor clenching his fist in the air, against an ominous background of smoke, flames, and the silhouette of a battleship exploding in the water. “Avenge December 7th” is printed in stark orange text at center. A moving piece of propaganda, this poster invokes the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941.

The December 7th attack on the naval base of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, killed over 2,000 soldiers and destroyed approximately 200 planes and nearly 20 ships. The United States entered the war the next day, December 8, and the attack became a rallying cry for the war effort. 

In an effort to control the spread of information about the war to the American public, President Roosevelt established the Office of War Information in June 1942. The OWI commissioned work from leading artists to create print, radio, and film media to inspire and instill confidence and patriotism in the American public. The OWI also ran informational campaigns for civilian agencies, War Bond drives, and campaigns to increase economic production for the war effort. New posters were distributed every two weeks, with the stated goal of placing posters in every city and town in the United States.

This is an official Office of War Information poster, No. 15 in the series, published by the US Government Printing Office. The US Government Printing Office publication code "1942-O-491978" is printed at bottom center.

CONDITION:

In fine condition, with original color. The poster's paper is healthy, with intersecting folds as issued. "OWI Poster #15. Additional copies may be obtained upon request from the Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information, Washington D.C." is printed in the center of the bottom margin.   "U.S. Government Printing Office: 1942-O-491978" is printed at the center below that. Poster is signed by the artist in the lithographic stone at the bottom lower right. 

Poster is sold unframed, as-is. Unframed Dimensions: 40" H x 28 1/4" W.