Original Item: Only One Available. The War Production Board (WPB) was an agency of the United States government that supervised war production during World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt established it in January 1942, with Executive Order 9024. The WPB replaced the Supply Priorities and Allocations Board and the Office of Production Management.

The WPB directed conversion of companies engaged in activities relevant to war from peacetime work to war needs, allocated scarce materials, established priorities in the distribution of materials and services, and prohibited nonessential production. It rationed such commodities as gasoline, heating oil, metals, rubber, paper, and plastics. It was dissolved shortly after the defeat of Japan in 1945 and was replaced by the Civilian Production Administration in late 1945.

In 1942–1945, WPB supervised the production of $183 billion (equivalent to $2.12 trillion in 2020) worth of weapons and supplies, about 40 percent of the world output of munitions. The UK, the USSR, and other allies produced an additional 30 percent, while the Axis produced only 30 percent. One fourth of the US output was warplanes; one fourth was warships. Meanwhile, the civilian standard of living was about level.

The national WPB's primary task was converting civilian industry to war production. The WPB assigned priorities and allocated scarce materials such as steel, aluminum, and rubber, prohibited nonessential industrial production such as that of nylons and refrigerators, controlled wages and prices, and mobilized the people through patriotic propaganda such as "give your scrap metal and help Oklahoma boys save our way of life". It initiated events such as scrap metal drives, which were carried out locally to great success. For example, a national scrap metal drive in October 1942 resulted in an average of almost 82 pounds (37 kg) of scrap per American.

This powerful image depicts a crowd of French working men raising their arms as if under arrest; behind them is an official decree posted from the Vichy government. Ben Shahn, the artist, has been labeled a “social realist,” who in his own words, “found that I must paint those things that were meaningful to me— that I could honestly paint in the shapes and colors I felt belonged to them. What shall I paint? Stories.” The story of the French occupation contributed to America’s decision to enter the war.

The text at the top of the poster reads:

We French workers warn you…
defeat means slavery, starvation, death

The overall condition is really good but there is tearing located on the left side of the image resulting in some color loss. There are original creases present from the fold marks made for the shipping and delivery process for the large envelope this was sent in.

Comes more than ready for display.