Don't talk - HE Listens

Place Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney
Accession Number ART93116
Collection type Art
Measurement Overall: 39.5 x 24.2 cm
Object type Work on paper
Physical description gouache on board
Maker Unknown
F&M Studios
Place made Australia: New South Wales, Sydney
Date made 1941
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright unknown

Description

Depicts a cartoon image of Hitler, profile view with an overly exagerrated ear. The caption reads "Don't talk - he listens". This work is an original design for a draft propaganda poster produced in Sydney during the Second World War. Posters created in Australia depicting Hitler are extremely rare as the Australian focus was on Japan as the enemy.
In February 1940 a nationwide campaign in the UK was launched that warned the general public against loose talk and the dangers of unwittingly giving information to enemy sympathizers. Australia and the United States also produced their own series of propaganda posters relating to the theme "Careless talk costs lives".
In a total war, not only military secrets are of potential use to an enemy. Casual indiscretions coming to the attention of enemy agents could result in military and civilian casualties by focusing action on specific targets. Although this danger was greatly overstated, much attention was devoted to heightening the security consciousness of the public. The campaigns also had the effect of contributing to an increased sense of involvement in the war effort.