Stop work to stop the war Accession Number: ARTV03061

Description

This poster was created in 1970 as part of the Vietnam Moratorium movement in Australia that was at its peak from 1969-1971. This poster was specifically aimed at promoting the second Moratorium protest on 18 September. At the largest of these national protests, in Melbourne, almost 200 people were arrested in what was initially touted (and later considered) as a peaceful protest. The protests were largely organised by two groups in Australia: the Vietnam Moratorium Campaign (VMC), and the Congress for International Co-operation and Disarmament (CICD). The Moratoria were largely based off the American model, which had produced large protests on 15 October and 15 November 1969. The 8 May 1970 Moratorium in Australia came just four days after the Kent State Shootings in Ohio. At these protests to the Vietnam War, armed members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed protestors leaving 4 dead and 9 injured. Moratorium posters were usually printed in strong colours, often orange and blue or vibrant red and black.

This poster, specifically aimed at workers, calls for staff to cease work to protest for the withdrawal of Australian and American troops from Vietnam. The bright bold, red text "STOP WORK / to STOP the War" drawers in the viewers' attention. It is set in front of images of the first Moratorium protest that was held on 8 May 1970. Within these images can be seen protesters holding signs protesting the war. In the centre left of the poster is the Moratorium starburst symbol - the symbol that was seen on many of these posters relating to the Moratorium.

Details

Accession Number
ARTV03061
Artist
Unknown
Publisher
Trade Union Moratorium Committee
Printer
Quality Press Pty Ltd
Classification
Art
Object Type
Poster
Physical Description
Medium: offset lithograph on paper
Measurement
Overall: 43 cm x 26.8 cm
Medium
offset lithograph on paper
Date Made
1970
Place Made
Whole/Part
Whole
Item Count
1
Credit Line
presented by S J Woods, 1980
Copyright
Copyright unknown

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Accession ARTV03061

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Last modified: 4 December 2025 - 12.04 am