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During the First World War, all of the national governments of the warring nations used poster campaigns to encourage civilian and military support of the war effort. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 different posters were produced in the United States alone. The best know of these is probably James Montgomery Flagg's finger-pointing Uncle Sam. These posters represent a landmark in the history of visual communication for two reasons. They are the first example of advertising that employed a powerful emotional appeal and are considered the beginning of modern American advertising methods. They also represent the first large-scale use of the poster for political purposes.
The Henry Ford has over 400 World War I lithograph posters covering military recruitment, war bond drives, and various kinds of industrial and civilian participation. Most of the posters are American with a selection of posters produced in other countries.
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