Buy War Bonds
Throughout the Second World War Americans were exposed to nearly constant reminders, in magazines, movie theaters, newspapers, radio advertisements, outdoor rallies, dances, political meetings, schools, and virtually everywhere they looked, to buy War Bonds.
War Bonds were viewed as a means of controlling inflation with the United States at full employment by removing cash from circulation. This was in addition to their obvious use in generating funds to help prosecute the war. Most of the advertising appealing to the public to purchase War Bonds was donated, and celebrities were recruited to add their personal appeals to the public.
Norman Rockwell created, at the behest of the government, his series The Four Freedoms, which toured the country in a War Bond drive and generated over $130 million in revenues. Films often displayed at the end of their credits (which were often watched due to the custom of having a second feature) a graphic imploring the public to buy bonds, which were for sale at the theater’s box office. Through multiple separate bond drives, posters were printed and liberally distributed which displayed fighting men in action, or pointing to their equipment, asking the public to give them the tools to finish the job.
Eventually the government sold $185 billion worth of War Bonds during the Second World War. The use of War Bonds, which were in essence a voluntary loan made by the bond purchaser to the United States government, kept inflation under control and provided much needed funding to the government without raising taxes.