Original Item: Only One Available. WWII, unlike any other conflict before it, can be classed as an intelligence war. In every theatre, in every type of operation, and for each major country involved, intelligence became a central facet of war planning. From the breaking of codes, the recruiting of secret agents and the production of detailed assessments, through to the escape of prisoners of war, sabotage and destructive covert missions, the conduct of the war would have been dramatically different had intelligence not played such a vital role.

During the war years, German military intelligence attempted two separate missions involving three different landings of agents from submarines on America's Atlantic shores. All of these agents, a total of ten, were caught by the FBI before any spying or act of sabotage could be accomplished.

This orange and black poster has the following on it: 'The war against spies and saboteurs demands the aid of every American. When you see evidence of sabotage notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation at once. When you suspect the presence of enemy agents, tell it to the FBI. Beware of those who spread enemy propaganda! Don't repeat vicious rumors or vicious whispers. Tell it to the FBI! - J. Edgar Hoover, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation' OWI Poster No. 74. 1943-O-533519.

J. Edgar Hoover served as FBI director from 1924 to 1972, a combined 48 years with the BOI, DOI, and FBI. He was chiefly responsible for creating the Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory, or the FBI Laboratory, which officially opened in 1932, as part of his work to professionalize investigations by the government. Hoover was substantially involved in most major cases and projects that the FBI handled during his tenure. But as detailed below, his proved to be a highly controversial tenure as Bureau director, especially in its later years. After Hoover's death, Congress passed legislation that limited the tenure of future FBI directors to ten years.

Beginning in the 1940s and continuing into the 1970s, the bureau investigated cases of espionage against the United States and its allies. Eight NSDAP agents who had planned sabotage operations against American targets were arrested, and six were executed (Ex parte Quirin) under their sentences. Also during this time, a joint US/UK code-breaking effort called "The Venona Project"—with which the FBI was heavily involved—broke Soviet diplomatic and intelligence communications codes, allowing the US and British governments to read Soviet communications. This effort confirmed the existence of Americans working in the United States for Soviet intelligence. Hoover was administering this project, but he failed to notify the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of it until 1952. Another notable case was the arrest of Soviet spy Rudolf Abel in 1957. The discovery of Soviet spies operating in the US motivated Hoover to pursue his longstanding concern with the threat he perceived from the American Left.

The poster shows signs of display use and wear with slight tearing and visible creases/fold lines from when the poster was issued out. There is no significant damage and the colors are still easily recognizable.

Comes more than ready for further research and display.