A poster, written in Hebrew and English, warning soldiers not to reveal military secrets while showing off about their experiences in the army. The poster has a picture of a male soldier and sitting at a table in a restaurant or cafe with a woman. The smartly-dressed woman is leaning forward and paying close attention to the soldier, who appears to be telling her a story. While not in official army uniform, the soldier has a military look, since he is wearing a khaki shirt and shorts and is armed. While his hat is not a military beret, it is red, which is the colour of the paratroopers. The soldier is gesturing, and his body language suggests a person who is trying to impress. The caption warns soldiers not to show off and suggests that they speak to their commanding officers if they feel the need to share their army stories. Although the poster is not dated, it seems to be from the 1950s.
The drawing on the poster reflects stereotypes of Israelis and of gender differences. The man is scruffy with a beard and a hairy chest and legs. Both his facial expression and body language exude arrogance. He seems to be telling a story to a woman who is hanging on his every word. The woman is impeccably dressed. She appears to be trying to impress the man through her well-groomed appearance and attention to style. They are both smoking cigarettes.
Field security is a major concern for any army. Soldiers are warned about unintentionally spreading secrets to the enemy through careless speech. During World War II, the American slogan “Loose Lips Sink Ships” and the British version “Careless Talk Costs Lives” were publicised widely on posters. In Israel, many posters were produced conveying a similar message. The slogans remind the soldiers that the enemy is always listening so they should refrain from unnecessary speech. Several posters have been printed reminding male soldiers of the danger of saying too much about their army activity even to their girlfriends.
