Washington Poster — An Unprotected Trench is an Early Grave is a propaganda poster issued by the United States government during the First World War. The poster features a soldier in a trench, with a warning written above him in bold type: "An Unprotected Trench Is An Early Grave". The message of the poster is an appeal to the public to protect the men of the United States Army, and to remind them of the importance of the use of trenches in the war. It was designed by Harry R. Hopes, and was used to encourage enlistment in the US Army. There are two versions of Washington Poster — An Unprotected Trench is an Early Grave. The first version, issued in 1918, features a black and white image of a soldier in a trench with the warning written in white text. The second version, issued in 1921, features a color image of the soldier in the same trench, with the warning written in red text. Both versions are widely considered to be iconic images of the First World War.