During the war, the American Red Cross enjoyed incredible public support. Nearly 22 million adults and 11 million children—roughly one-third of the population—became dues-paying members of the organization. The Red Cross raised well over $400 million for war relief. Although much of this money went toward assisting U.S. and Allied soldiers, it also funded extensive relief operations for the civilians of France, Italy, Russia, Serbia, and other Allied nations. By depicting women, children, and wounded men asking for aid from the United States, this poster aimed to raise money for these civilian relief operations. Its task was to convince Americans that aiding Allied noncombatants was no less essential than aiding the military. Indeed, it defined contributions to foreign civilian relief as a wartime duty and an American patriotic obligation.

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