Propaganda Stamps of WWII

The belligerents during WWII spent enormous effort trying to influence the morale of the other side. The theory was that getting your enemy to question their government’s success could aid in long term prospects of victory. We dropped leaflets over German and Japanese troop concentrations explaining how they could surrender and that it was only a matter of time before the Allies won the war. From the other side, Axis Annie and Tokyo Rose constantly exhorted ally troops to lay down their arms.

Stamps were used for propaganda effects too. And the Germans, who have had a fondness for stamps, had some truly amazing issues. These are all official issues of the German government for use as propaganda. They are listed in the German specialized catalog and most catalog for well under $100 each. And being Nazi’s, they couldn’t help having an anti-Semitic flavor on many of the stamps.