In 1955, the Central Intelligence Agency’s Psychological and Paramilitary Operations Staff made some inquiries through their point of contact at the State Department about the storage and accessibility of records concerning CIA operations. When they didn’t receive the answer they wanted, an informal suggestion led to a formal policy to circumvent those requirements by manipulating technicalities and appearances, and in some cases ignoring the records even existed.

After a couple decades of wholesomeness, terror, and wholesome terror, the National Security Agency’s security posters took a turn for the mellow in the ’70s. Here’s five of our favorites.

In 1973, still coming down from the harshed mellow of Watergate, a Central Intelligence Agency officer came up with what they felt would be the perfect solution to lagging morale and lackluster operation security: a motivational poster contest. The results, apparently produced in-house, were exceedingly a product of a their time and environment - and are now available for you desktop wallpaper needs.