World War I Poster - Les Foyers Du Soldat

The Union Franco-Americaine was a formal arrangement between the American YMCA and the French Army, and Emmanuel Sautter was in charge of the Foyer du Soldat program. In Februrary 1918, the French ministry of war agreed to provide the YMCA with buildings, tables, benches, light, and heat to establish new foyers. In return, the American YMCA provided secretaries and programming. By February 1919, they had established 1452 Foyers du Soldat for the French army. They operated at the front and behind lines, just as American canteens did. At the conclusion of World War I, supreme allied commander Marshal Foch commented on the massive support that was provided by the YMCA during hostilities in an address to YMCA officials and staff: “Thanks to your powerful help we were able to maintain our morale; thanks to the Foyer du Soldat Union Franco-Americaine YMCA, into which the tired soldier came for new strength, and to find a touch of that family life, or at least that familiar contact which seemed to him an infinite comfort. This was the means by which resistance was maintained [and] you sheltered all that work in the shadow of the finest ideals, the principle of humanity - unselfish service.” A. G. Warshawsky (1883-1962), the artist of the poster, grew up in Cleveland and studied at the Cleveland School of Art. In 1908, he traveled to Paris where he maintained a studio for 30 years. At the outbreak of World War II, he moved to Monterery, California.

The left and top edge are mostly missing.

“Les Foyers du Soldat - Union Franco Americaine” (trans: The Hearths of the Soldier - French American Union). The image shows and American soldier shaking hands with a French soldier. In the background is a YMCA canteen. The YMCA emblem is located at the top of the page.