To the folks back home

This poster was designed by American Expeditionary Forces in Germany for Victory Liberty Loans. Many countries involved in the war realised that they would need more funds to resource their campaigns, so many developed war loan programs. These programs encouraged the population to purchase government war bonds which would be repaid with interest, and assist the war effort. These loan subscriptions have been estimated to have covered 60 percent or more of the cost of the war in Germany.. War loan posters were produced in great volume during the First World War. They used patriotism combined with guilt to inspire the populace to financially back the war. Cyrus LeRoy Baldridge (1889-1975) was an American painter, designer and illustrator. Always a keen adventurer, he joined the French army as an ambulance driver at the outbreak of the First World War. America's involvement in the war saw him transferred to the American infantry where oversaw the illustration of the Stars and Stripes newspaper. This role saw him travel freely over the battlefields; he was deeply effected by the horrors of war. On 6 June, 1977, Baldridge committed suicide with his American army-issued pistol from World War I.