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Collection Highlight: Americans Will Always Fight for Liberty Poster

Poster showing American soldiers in World War Two marching past American Revolutionary soldiers in the Continental Army

A Closer Look with Rebecca Franco

"Americans will always fight for liberty." A group of modern soldiers marches past Washington's Continental Army, his standard flying above them. This poster was created in 1943 in the midst of World War II by the Office of War Information. It would have hung in post offices, libraries, train stations, any place where the office felt the Americans would see it and be instilled with a sense of confidence, a sense of patriotism, and a reminder of what Americans were fighting for in World War II.The artist who creates this poster is Bernard Perlin. And he does a number of interesting things. First, he uses the American Revolution as his parallel in this poster. And it is one of the few posters that exists that uses the American Revolution as a reference.Second, he underlines the word "always," "Americans will always fight for liberty." Reminding us that Americans have fought for liberty, freedom, and self government since the beginning. And they are fighting for it now.The other interesting thing that he does, he chooses 1778, which in the story of the American Revolution is a very dark time. Most modern references to the American Revolution choose 1776, the year of the Declaration of Independence, that bright, sunny summer.The fall of 1777, George Washington and his army have lost a number of battles in Pennsylvania that have allowed the British army to occupy Philadelphia, the Continental Congress capital. His army is forced to camp and spend the winter in Valley Forge outside the city. And it's at Valley Forge that they are at their lowest moment. They face a hard winter of low supply lines with very little food or access to clothing.It is in Valley Forge that George Washington writes, he is afraid that if they do not receive food soon that his army will starve, disperse, or dissolve. So it's interesting that Perlin chooses 1778 as his parallel moment. He's reminding us that in 1778, Americans have faced low odds before. They have faced dark times before. And they have faced sacrifice. But they have succeeded.

American artist Bernard Perlin (born 1918) drew on the popular memory of General Washington's ragged army at Valley Forge to compose this powerful image of American soldiers, past and present, during the darkest days of the Second World War. Posters like this were displayed in post offices, libraries, schools, factories, and other public places to strengthen resolve in the fight against fascism. Perlin's work powerfully associated two of our nation's epic struggles for freedom: the American Revolutionary War and what was already known in 1943 as World War II.

Posters like this, by artist Bernard Perlin, were displayed in public places to strengthen resolve in the fight against fascism during World War II.

World War II Poster

An Ongoing Revolution

Visitors of the Museum of the American Revolution in the Liberty Tree gallery which features a Liberty Tree

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Pride and Protest

Inside the Declaration of Independence gallery featuring a copy of the Declaration of Independence

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War and Independence

A high up view of the War at Sea gallery in the Museum of the American Revolution featuring a sloop

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A New Nation

Inside of the Revolutionary Generation gallery in the Museum of the American Revolution featuring photographs of the revolutionary generation

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Timeline of the American Revolution

World War II Poster

Details

A Closer Look with Rebecca Franco

Sources