Norman Rockwell Paintings from Four Freedoms War Bond Sales Poster, Ours to fight for, freedom from fear Norman Rockwell painting and patriotic war bond sales poster to print; WWII U.S.A.Patriotic War Bonds Posters Gallery

American History Books

Ours to fight for, freedom from fear WWII war bond sales poster from Four Freedoms Norman Rockwell painting series patriotic war bond sales posters. Click for larger file public domain copyright free image file to print.

History of Norman Rockwell's paintings "The Four Freedoms," inspiring patriotism across America and selling millions in United States Treasury Department War Bonds to U.S. citizens in 1943:
In 1940 Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union had already overrun and divided up Poland, Japan was making great progress towards conquering China, Nazi Germany had alarmed the world with successful military actions against Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and France the United States began marketing "defense bonds" to discreetly help provide military finance for war preparations. The U.S. treasury made these defense bonds affordable to anyone, they were sold for as little as $18.75 and matured in ten years, at which time the United States government paid the bondholder $25. Bonds in larger denominations from $50 to $1000 were also available; for those that found it difficult to purchase an entire bond at once, 10 cent savings stamps could be purchased and collected in Treasury approved stamp albums until the recipient had accumulated enough stamps for a bond purchase. In January 6, 1941 in his Message to Congress United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented the "Four Freedoms" in part:
"We look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way-- everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want . . . everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear . . . anywhere in the world. "

Roosevelt inspired Norman Rockwell to want to create a series of paintings based on these four freedoms, interestingly the U.S. government declined Rockwell's offer to create these paintings. However, Rockwell's finished "Four Freedom" paintings were commissioned and publicly circulated in Americas most popular magazine The Saturday Evening Post. Starting in February 1943 the "Four Freedoms" paintings were reproduced in four consecutive issues of the "Post" alongside complementary essays by contemporary American writers. "Freedom of Speech," "Freedom to Worship," "Freedom from Want" and "Freedom from Fear" were so successful that the paintings toured in an exhibition that raised $139.9 million for the war effort through the sales of war bonds. Reproduced they became four of the best known patriotic posters printed for World War Two. After winning public approval, the four paintings became a motto for the war and for the 1943 war bond drive. This inspiring 1943 American patriotic painting "OURS to fight for, freedom from fear" contributed by Norman Rockwell to the United States war bond sales effort is one of the best works of art to come out of the war years.

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