Keep calm and carry on series#

The Ministry of Information, the wartime institution which commissioned the design, laid down some simple ground rules: the design had to stand out from posters issued by other departments, it had to use a “special and handsome type” and “bear a distinctive uniform device” making it “difficult or impossible for the enemy to print reproductions” – which is ironic given the ultimate fate of the poster. Rare color photos cast new light on World War II Defend it with all your might.” The public’s reaction wasn’t great, and by the time the blitz started, it was decided that the third poster had the wrong kind of message: “There was a fear that morale would fall apart, but it turned out that people didn’t need to be told to keep their chins up – they just wanted to be told what to do,” said Lewis. The other two posters carried the not quite so catchy “Your courage, your cheerfulness, your resolution will bring us victory,” and “Freedom is in peril.

Keep calm and carry on series#

It was created in 1939 as part of a series of three posters, and although 2.5 million copies were printed, they were never actually used: “While the other two were put up as soon as they came off the printer, this one was held back in expectation of bombardments or an invasion,” said the author of a new book titled “Keep calm and carry on: The truth behind the poster” Bex Lewis during a phone interview.

Keep calm and carry on: a quintessentially British phrase that has been exported and imprinted the world over.īut before becoming a viral meme, this remnant of World War II was first overlooked and then forgotten for over 60 years.