His last hope... "The Blockade" Anti-British propaganda poster featuring Winston Churchill looming above a mother and child
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 46.625 inches (118.428 cm) | Width: 31.625 inches (80.328 cm)
Creator(s)
- SPK (Artist)
Archival History
The poster was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
Anti-British propaganda poster showing a hungry, pregnant mother and child in France while Winston Churchill stands idly by. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. In response, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. Germany invaded France in May 1940. In June, Marshal Henri Phillippe Petain signed an armistice which gave the Germans control of northern and western France, including Paris. The Germans used the industrial and agricultural areas of the occupied zone to produce goods primarily for Germany and the war effort, with the remainder going to the French public. In response to the French armistice, Britain began a blockade against France. The combination of the blockade and the priority production of goods for Germany, prompted France to institute strict rationing which left many people hungry and suffering. Many French people blamed the British blockade rather than the German occupational policies for their situation and German propaganda was quick to capitalize on their resentment.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
French poster printed on medium weight, faded white, paper depicting Winston Churchill looming over a pregnant woman and a small child standing alone on northern France wearing filthy clothes. He is dressed in black and wears a bowler cap, coat and gloves. He holds a lit cigar in his hand as he leans to his right over a black and white image of the woman and child. The woman’s brow is furrowed and her lips are pressed together as she worriedly presses her hand to her face and rests the other hand on the child’s head. The child stands in front of the woman, wearing baggy pants and a long sleeve shirt, holding a small parcel of food. There is large French text in white at the top, and in red at the bottom. The artist’s monogram is in the top left corner. The background is blue at the top and fades to black and gray below. The right edge is lightly wrinkled and in places, the ink has seeped through the paper onto the back. For another example of this poster see accession number 1998.136.2.
People
- Churchill, Winston, 1874-1965--Caricatures and cartoons.
Subjects
- Propaganda, Anti-British--Posters.
- Propaganda, French--History--20th century.
- World War, 1939-1945--Posters.
- Nazi propaganda--posters.
- France--History--German occupation, 1940-1945.
- World War, 1939-1945--Propaganda.
Genre
- Posters
- Object