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Description

This World War I-era broadside serves as a passionate recruitment appeal for the United States Tank Corps.

The image is minimalist, but the message clear. With a bold, commanding tone, it emphasizes the critical need for leaders—lieutenants, sergeants, and captains—to command and direct tanks, which are presented as the most advanced and decisive weapon of the era. The text glorifies the role of the tank, describing it as a "tremendous battering ram" and "surest shield" against the German forces, referred to as "the horde of the Hun." Tanks are depicted as essential tools for breaking enemy lines, destroying machine gun nests, and saving countless infantry lives, elevating the role of tank operators to a heroic and honorable status.

The design includes a simple but evocative illustration of a soldier’s profile wearing the insignia of the Tank Corps on his collar, reinforcing the prestige and distinction associated with this branch of service. The text appeals to men with education, technical skills, and leadership qualities, particularly targeting mechanics and engineers, while emphasizing the speed of the recruitment and training process—promising commission within a month and deployment overseas within sixty days. The message seeks to inspire pride, urgency, and a sense of duty, highlighting the glory and honor that will come to those who serve in the Tank Corps.

Located at the Tank Corps Recruiting Office in Washington, D.C., the broadside reflects the U.S. military’s push to recruit specialized personnel for the relatively new and technologically advanced tank divisions, which were pivotal in the mechanized warfare of World War I. The broadside captures the spirit of the era, with its rhetoric combining patriotic fervor and modern military innovation, urging eligible men to "Join the Tanks." 

Condition Description
Lined with old mesh, pinholes to top corners.