The Hun, His Mark

“The Hun, His Mark” was one of many posters issued by the United States government during World War I to encourage support of the war. During WWI, the U.S. government needed money to pay for tanks, ammunition, airplanes, and ships to fight the war. The government found funding through civilians through war bonds, or Liberty Loans. This was a very effective way of getting large amounts of money quickly. The poster encouraged the viewer to purchase a Liberty Loan to support the soldiers and end the war. These were sold back to the government after the war. This poster depicts a bloody German handprint with the note that supporting the war effort through buying Liberty Loans will help ensure victory over the Germans. Underneath the hand is the inscription “The Hun-his Mark.” This statement is one of the earliest written mentions of the Germans as Huns. The poster was commissioned in 1917 by the United States Treasury from James Allen St. John. St. John was a famous American illustrator and was known especially for his illustrations for novels. This poster was created and reproduced as a lithograph at the time of its distribution.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/wwiposters/1016/thumbnail.jp