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"Make Good the Promise" was one of many posters issued during World War I to encourage support for the war and specifically the Red Cross efforts to support American soldiers.
The poster depicts a map connecting America, the Atlantic, and Europe with a vibrant rainbow. On the American side, a pot of gold labeled "Keep it Full" symbolizes the funds to be gathered, while an ambulance on the European side, marked with the Red Cross emblem, represents the aid delivered to war-torn regions.
This poster was commissioned by the Red Cross from an unknown artist in 1918. Before the war, the Red Cross was a small and relatively insignificant organization based in the United States. During the conflict, it gathered donations and provided aid to the warring nations in Europe. Once the U.S. entered the war, the Red Cross saw an influx of volunteers and funding from the government. World War I transformed the Red Cross into a global organization capable of assisting people worldwide.
The Second War Fund aimed to raise $100,000,000 between May 20-27, 1918. The campaign was a massive success, collecting $166,439,291 from 47 million American donors.
Founded in 1881 by Clara Barton, the American Red Cross initially focused on disaster relief and public health within the United States. Its mission expanded abroad during the Spanish-American War in 1898, providing aid to American soldiers and victims of conflicts and natural disasters. In World War I, the Red Cross began sending relief ships with medical personnel and supplies to Europe early in the war. After the United States entered the conflict in April 1917, the organization's role grew significantly, attending to the needs of American soldiers and organizing public health projects in war-torn countries.
The First War Fund drive in June 1917 raised over $110 million, but by spring 1918, these funds were nearly exhausted. The Red Cross Bulletin of May 6, 1918, highlighted the dire need for additional resources, noting the crucial role the organization played in preventing the collapse of allied countries. The Second War Fund drive surpassed all expectations, with the Red Cross Bulletin of June 3 announcing the staggering total of $166,439,291 raised. This amount, equivalent to over $3 billion in 2023 dollars, underscored the American public's overwhelming support for the Red Cross's humanitarian efforts.
The poster appeared in various sizes, with the present example being the largest.
![(First World War - German Propaganda) Die Eisenbahn, der Lebensnerv des Heeres. [The railway, the lifeblood of the army.]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/89362.jpg)
