This World War I era government poster encouraged women to join the WAVES (the women's branch of the Navy) with the message, "Your Country Needs You Now." Some 35,000 women served in the U.S. armed forces during WWI.

During World War I, many branches of the federal government used posters to urge Americans to support the war effort. In a time without radio, TV, or the Internet, posters were an inexpensive way to deliver powerful messages to millions of people. The government hired well-known artists to create designs that unified the American people. Posters continued to be published during World War II, and new posters are still in production. The National Archives holds close to 20,000 posters produced by military and civilian agencies.