Name/Title
“Fall of Rome” Patriotic [Cover]Description
Colored cachet by Lannie Smith portraying “June 5, 1944 / Fall of Rome. / First Nazi capitol to be captured by the Allies. / Germans evacuate city without a fight.”Context
As they went about their daily tasks, Texans on the home front gathered around their radios, eagerly read the daily news, watched newsreels at local movie houses and studied maps of foreign countries to learn the latest about the war overseas. Lannie Smith, of Port Neches, was the oldest of a large family, with five brothers and three sisters. He had a watch making and repair business in Houston and at one time returned to the family home in San Augustine after losing a leg in an accident. During World War II, Lannie produced a limited set of patriotic covers - most with maps or important war events. His artwork is unique with hand painted color on top of printed black and white design. This cover commemorates the liberation of Rome. On June 4, 1944, the US Fifth Army under Lieutenant General Mark Clark entered Rome, making it the first Axis capital to fall to the Allies.