Original Item: Only One Available. The Victory Liberty Loan was issued in April 1919, after the close of the war. Propaganda for the loan stated the money was to be used to bring the soldiers home and take care of them upon return. Volunteers who worked to sell bonds were issued a coin made from German cannons captured at Chateau Thierry.

Five months after the Armistice, Americans were still seeing in public places and in their newspapers images of World War I. George Creel and his Committee on Public Information had successfully sold the war to Americans, but payment in full had yet to be made. In late 1917, during the Second Liberty Loan campaign, President Woodrow Wilson had implored Americans to give to protect the nation’s fighting forces: “Shall we be more tender with our dollars than with the lives of our sons?” Now, after the war’s end, the government would utilize triumphant victory as a theme to ask Americans to give.

This is a lovely example of the scarce “Hun or Home” poster designed to encourage people to buy liberty bonds. The poster depicts a woman holding a child next to a seated silhouetted German soldier, insinuating that he’d do horrible things to her, a common stereotype of the period. The poster was designed by Henry Raleigh and measures 20 x 30”. 
 
The phrase ‘Hun’ refers to the Hunnic Empire, specifically Attila the Hun in the 5th Century. The term became associated with Germany after Kaiser Wilhelm II gave a speech in 1900, praising the aggressive and merciless tactics of Attilla’s armies. The speech, known as the Hun Speech or Hunnenrede, is considered the origin of the pejorative term.

The poster is in fair condition but has some tears and rips along the edges as shown, along with some light folding damage. The color has been retained very well, however.

A lovely example ready to be displayed and framed.