WW I Patriotic & Propaganda Postcards

[world war I nerd]

Does anybody out there collect or have any interesting or unusual WW I era patriotic or propaganda postcards? If so, please post them.

 

As we all know, there are hundreds and hundreds (maybe even thousands and thousands) of WW I themed postcard designs out there. Over the years most WW I enthusiasts have become acquainted with the all too familiar and uninteresting postcard designs and themes that were printed for the masses during the Great War.

 

However, once I began really looking, I soon realized that in addition to the extremely boring postcards that we always see, an extremely wide variety of U.S. military themed propaganda and patriotic postcards produced here in the United States and in Europe were waiting to be excavated from underneath the layers of other postcards that we've seen a million times.

 

The subject matter of the postcards are as varied as the artists who created them … The images printed on them range from resolute renderings of Uncle Sam to crudely or humorously drawn depictions of America's soldiers and sailors. Many feature ridiculous parodies of Imperial Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm being taught a lesson. While others stress the Allied soldiers commitment to victory or depict French women clad in red, white and blue outfits anxiously anticipating the arrival of the "Sammies".

 

Anyway, here are a few examples of what to me are some of the more interesting U.S. military themed WW I era postcards.

 

Feel free to add additional postcards or commentary. Thanks for looking.

 

World War I Nerd ...

 

I'll start things off with a few pre-WW I postcards like this 1904 dated "Nephew of Uncle Sam" doing what all soldiers are encouraged to do, which is writing a letter home.

[world war I nerd]

Uncle Sam with the step-children he inherited from Spain as a result of the Spanish American War.

 

A 1913 dated postcard of a U.S. Navy liberty party returning to their ship, somewhat the worse for wear.

 

Postmarked 1916, this postcard illustrates the sailor's dilemma of remaining neutral when confronted by a bevy of international beauties.

 

A somewhat whimsical take on the 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico in search of the bandit Pancho Villa.

 

Another 1916 postmarked card depicting Military Police chasing men in uniform away from a saloon. I believe it was against Army regulations for a bar, tavern or saloon to serve alcohol to a man in uniform.

 

A classic patriotic postcard heralding America's readiness for war should the nation be provoked.

 

Normally I would shy away from collecting or posting a "cute" patriotic postcard, but this card compelled me to do so.

 

The stars and stripes of America's might speak for themselves (or at least America's Uncle) in this card.

 

Of course, you can't bring up the subject of patriotism without mentioning the Spirit of 1776, or in this case, the Spirit of 1917.

 

The flag of the United States as well as the banners of the Allied nations were also a very popular Great War theme.

 

Uncle Sam was often depicted taunting Kaiser Wilhelm, err … I mean Bill.

 

What's more patriotic than Uncle Sam & baseball? I guess knocking the stuffing out of "Kultur".

 

Another depiction of Our Uncle.

 

Not a Halloween card, but Uncle Sam as a sailor.

 

Uncle Sam teaching "Bill" a lesson.

 

Uncle Sam administering a "bitter pill" to the Kaiser.

 

Who'd of guessed that according to this card, the Kaiser was badly in need of breath mints.

 

The Kaiser getting ready for an unwanted trim.

 

Who knew that the Kaiser was a dancer?

 

Germany scoffed when America entered the war, thinking that it would take the U.S. a minimum of two years to raise, train, equip, transport and field an Army large enough to make a difference on the battlefields of Europe.

 

During the war, in the U.S., the Dachshund dog became an enduring symbol of Imperial Germany.

 

Note the similarity of this card with the previous postcard … or vice-versa.

 

Apparently a German prisoned was alleged to have said that … "France was in the war because the war was in their country. England was in the war for glory, and that the Americans' were in the war for souvenirs."

 

This card combines Uncle Sam and a Dachshund.

 

A card illustrating that American soldiers come in all shapes and sizes.

 

In civilian life the domestic tasks such as cooking, cleaning and laundry were rarely done by men.

 

This card echoes the above sentiment.

 

The garment that Uncle Sam provided did not escape the notice of postcard designers..

 

Just about every aspect of a new recruit's training was portrayed in one way or another on wartime postcards.

 

How the soldiers got to Europe was also a subject that drew a lot of attention. Although, I'm pretty sure that this method was never used.

 

Nor was this method.

 

It's amazing that even sea sickness was deemed to be appropriate subject matter for a postcard

 

And yet another card depicting Doughboys "feeding the fishes">

 

Once "Over There" the French printed their own welcome to the "Sammies", "Yanks" and "Doughboys" in the form of postcards.

 

Quite a few postcards depicting the French Female populations interaction with the "Sammies" were also printed.

 

Some French postcards were bordering on scandalous ...

[world war I nerd]

I'll let everyone digest this first installment of the patriotic postcards before I post more.

 

Please comment or post your own postcards.

 

 

A heroic French tribute to the arrival of the Americans.

[mikie]

Some nice cards there. I'll need to look, but don't think I have any unusual ones to share. Lets see some more!

Mikie

[world war I nerd]

Thanks for noticing Mikie. Yes, please do look to see if you have any other than normal WW I era postcards.

 

Continuing with the French theme, here's one boasting that the arrival of the Sammies will bring about a swift victory.

 

Another French Femme Fatale wit a rather fanciful depiction of the WW I U.S. Army uniform.

 

This European postcard (not entirely sure of its origin) shows another fantasy U.S. Army WW I uniform.

[world war I nerd]

Going back to the pre-WW I postcards, this 1907 dated card pokes fun at the hardness of Army hardtack.

 

A romanticized interpretation of the 1898 battle for San Juan Hill during the Spanish American war.

[world war I nerd]

1914 dated card that can be converted into toy soldiers.

[world war I nerd]

1917-ish patriotic Navy themed card.

 

Quite naturally, the American Eagle also frequently showed up on wartime patriotic postcards.

 

American flag, the American Red Cross & America's military card.

[world war I nerd]

Uncle Sam getting ready to duke it out with Germany.

 

Uncle Sam & a Doughboy.

 

Uncle Sam togged up for war.

 

The Kaiser over a bent knee.

 

The Kaiser getting some serious abuse from Uncle Sam's boot!

 

More abuse for the Kaiser courtesy of the red, white & blue.

[world war I nerd]

Training in the rain.

 

Smiling was a common thumbs up in respect to morale postcard theme.

 

A Happy Sailor.

 

And a happy soldier.

[world war I nerd]

This is kind of an odd basic training postcard.

 

U.S. Navy going "Over There" to clean things up.

 

Another "going over" themed postcard.

 

Farewell cards were quite common as well - most being quite cheesy.

 

A card showing the conflicting newspaper headlines of the various nations involved in the Great War.

[world war I nerd]

Dogs were also prominent characters in WW I era postcards.

 

Another wartime canine card.

 

I believe this one to be a pre-WW I card about America's readiness. I don't own this (but I'd like to) as I found it on the web. It's worth showing despite the poor quality.

[world war I nerd]

The final theme for today's batch of postcards is that of the importance of writing and receiving letters in respect to morale on both sides of the Atlantic.

 

Quite a few of the "writing letter" postcards featured mothers and sweethearts.

 

Apparently this was a reference to the ever increasing shortage of raw materials in Germany due to the naval blockade that Great Britain imposed on that nation … The Army version.

 

Last card for today … The Navy version.

 

A letter a day … etc.

[solcarlus]

Bonjour.

 

My contribution.

 

 

 

 

[world war I nerd]

Solcarlus, thanks for your contribution to this topic.

 

It would be nice to see some more AEF/America themed French postcards … Please post more if you find any.

 

I've yet to see any British made America/AEF themed postcards? Anybody out there seen any?

[solcarlus]

Please post more if you find any

 

Yes world war I nerd

 

 

 

And an advertisement for a store. Les galeries Lafayette:

 

[world war I nerd]

Solcarlus … merci beau coup, again. It's a treat for me to see some French postcards that I've never seen before. Thankk you.

[solcarlus]

Solcarlus merci beau coup, again. It's a treat for me to see some French postcards that I've never seen before. Thankk you.

 

Tout le plaisir est pour moi

 

 

 

[mikie]

Well I looked and it seems that this is the only card I still have that sort of fits the patriotic theme here. It was printed in Paris. There is a penciled message of no real interest on the back, but the soldier did date it December 28,1918, from Pont A Masson, France. The lettering, flowers and flag banner are embroidered onto a thin lace material that was then glued to the card. I know a shop nearby that has boxes of old postcards. You've got my interest up so will try to stop by over the weekend and see what they have.

 

 

Mikie

[solcarlus]

Bonjour.

 

Not very warriors

 

 

[derrbrad]

Handful from my Great-Great Uncle. Fireman on the USS Kentucky.

 

More.

 

 

Not sure time frame but was with his stuff. Never post marked.

[world war I nerd]

mikie and derrbrad, thanks for contributing to the content of this post. There are tone of flag, warship, photographic and embroidered patriotic themed postcards out there.

 

Solcarlus, thanks (again) for adding even more French American/AEF themed postcards. I really like those because they are seldom seen on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. If you track down any more, please post them.

 

Here's an unusual one that I tracked down on eBay.

[world war I nerd]

An interesting card printed in Germany some time in 1919. I wonder if there are any more of these German made postcards depicting AEF, or more accurately, Army of Occupation soldiers?

 

I just missed getting this one from eBay. I've seen one other from this series, which seems to depict scenes from post Armistice AEF life, i.e., the miseries of waiting to go home.

 

Another Kaiser themed postcard.

 

And another one depicting the Kaiser as the hapless victim of the AEF.

 

Not sure if this patriotic Army - Navy postcard postdates America's entry into the Great War or not.

[world war I nerd]

Initially, for obvious reasons, I wasn't going to post this card. However, it does reflect the prevailing sad state of race relations in the U.S. Army at the time.

[world war I nerd]

A Doughboy opening up a can of whup-a** on a German soldier.

 

The AEF's Commander in Chief, "Blackjack" Pershing.

 

A tank themed postcard.

 

Another "Up and At Em' postcard showing Doughboys rounding up German pigs.

 

A rather startled looking Doughboy boasting about what will happen to the "Heinies".

 

Finally a postcard depicting a gasmask.

 

I'm not sure if this is, strictly speaking, if this was what the term "going over the top" was.

 

Last one for today … Boys of the U.S.A.