China First to Fight - United China Relief

China in the 1930s was plagued by famine and multiple civil and international wars, and disputes with neighboring Japan. United China Relief was founded in 1941 in New York City as a private charity to provide aid to the Chinese people for medical and displacement purposes. This poster acknowledges a fact often overlooked by history books; the true origins of WWII. In 1937, Japan invaded Eastern China and set in motion the aggression between America and Japan that would lead to the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

This poster is by one of the few female American poster artists to work for the US Government in WWII. Martha Sawyers (1902- 1988) was born in Texas but formally trained at The Art Students League in New York. She began her career as an illustrator for Broadway, and traveled extensively throughout Asia in the inter war years creating anthropological portraits. Upon her return, she was commissioned by Life Magazine as a war correspondent to the Far East. From there, she was hired to create several WWII posters such as this one. She continued to travel and work abroad for the rest of her life.

This is an Original Vintage Poster; it is not a reproduction. This poster has been archivally backed onto linen and is in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.