The Road to War

Political Cartoons

The Flower (1919)

This cartoon by the British artist David Low

appeared in the Star newspaper on
11 November 1919.

What is the message of this

cartoon?

To do this question, you

need first to borrow two
concepts from English:

Denotation
(what you see)

Connotation
(how it affects its audience)

This cartoon by the British artist David Low

appeared in the Star newspaper on
11 November 1919.

Denotation
The League of Nations
is an angel.
Connotation
The angel of peace.

Meaning
The League is a
divine bringer of
peace to the world.

This cartoon by the British artist David Low

appeared in the Star newspaper on
11 November 1919.

Denotation
The League of Nations
is a large flower.
Connotation
Peace is a very
beautiful thing.
Meaning
The League is a
beautiful thing.

This cartoon by the British artist David Low

appeared in the Star newspaper on
11 November 1919.

Denotation
The flower is
growing in a
graveyard.
Connotation
The League is one
result of the deaths
of the First World
War.
Meaning
The soldiers did not
die in vain out of
the killing of the war
has come a way to
keep the peace in
the
future.
This
cartoon
by the British artist David Low
appeared in the Star newspaper on
11 November 1919.

Finally, always remember

to look at:

Origin
(who drew it)

Date
(when it was published)

This cartoon by the British artist David Low

appeared in the Star newspaper on
11 November 1919.

Origin
David Low, in the
Star.
Details
A British newspaper.
David Low was a strong
supporter of the League
of Nations

Significance
This cartoon
illustrates the hope
that British people
(especially David
Low) placed in the
League
toBritish
keep
This
cartoon by the
artist the
David Low
appeared
in the Star newspaper on
peace.
11 November 1919.

Date
11 November 1919.
Details
Exactly a year after
the Armistice the
first Remembrance
Day.
Significance
This was part of the British
publics psychologically
coming to terms with the
First World War
remembering the slaughter,
but also hoping it would be
the war to end all wars.
This cartoon by the British artist David Low
appeared in the Star newspaper on
11 November 1919.

The Gap in the Bridge (Br 1919)

Japanese Invasion of Manchuria

(1931)

A British cartoon of 1933 shows Japan trampling all

over the League, whilst Britain powders her nose.

Moral Persuasion (1936)

The rabbit is
saying: "My
offensive
equipment being
practically nil, it
remains for me to
fascinate him
with the power of
my eye."

Denotation
A rabbit, representing
the League of Nations.

Connotation
Rabbits are weak, and
known for running away
and hiding.

Meaning
The League is weak.

This cartoon entitled Moral Persuasion

appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."

Denotation
A snake, representing
international strife (i.e.
war).

Connotation
Snakes are powerful and
evil, and they eat
rabbits.

Meaning
The League is too weak
to expect it to be able to
stop war.
This cartoon entitled Moral Persuasion
appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."

Denotation
The rabbit (knowing it has
no weapons) is preparing to
try to hypnotise the snake.

Connotation
IDIOCY! Snakes hypnotise
their prey, and rabbits freeze
with fear the rabbit is going
to be killed.

Meaning
Moral persuasion will never
prevent war, and it will be
the League which is
destroyed.

This cartoon entitled Moral Persuasion

appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."

Date
July 1920.

Details
Poland, Russia and
Czechoslovakia were at
war and the League
could not stop it.

Significance
This showed the British
publics disappointment that
the League seemed unable
to stop war.

This cartoon entitled Moral Persuasion

appeared in the British satirical magazine
Punch in July 1920.
The rabbit says: "My offensive equipment
being practically nil, it remains for me to
fascinate him with the power of my eye."

Italy Invades Abyssinia (1935)

A British cartoon of 1935 shows international

politics like a stage musical. Britain and
France sing:
We dont want you to fight,
but by jingo if you do,
We will probably issue a joint memorandum
Suggesting a mild disapproval of you.

Appeasement

England footballers give the Nazi salute before a match in Germany in 1938 - a
picture from German photograph archives.

Re-Militarize the Rhineland

Hitler goose-steps across the spineless

leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled Rearmament,
Rhineland and Danzig.

This cartoon by the British

cartoonist David Low appeared in
the Evening Standard newspaper in
July 1936.

What is the message of this

cartoon?

To do this question, you

need first to borrow two
concepts from English:
Hitler goose-steps across the spineless
leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

Denotation
(what you see)

Connotation
(how it affects its audience)

This cartoon by the British cartoonist

David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard newspaper in July 1936.

Denotation
Hitler strides across the
spineless leaders of
democracy thumbing his
nose.
Hitler goose-steps across the spineless
leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

Connotation
Thumbing ones nose
is a sign of contempt.
Meaning
Hitler was
increasing his
power with utter
contempt for the
other countries of
the
world.
This cartoon
by the British cartoonist
David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard newspaper in July 1936.

Denotation
Hitler is goosestepping.
Hitler goose-steps across the spineless
leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

Connotation
German militarism the
goose-step was the
formal march of the
German
army.
Meaning
Hitler is increasing
his power by force
and threat of military
force.
This cartoon by the British cartoonist
David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard newspaper in July 1936.

Denotation
Hitler is goose-stepping
over the spineless
leaders of democracy
Hitler goose-steps across the spineless
leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

Connotation
The leaders of the
western democracies are
just giving way to Hitler.
Meaning
Anger at
appeasement and
the need to stand
up to Hitler who
intended to keep
on expanding are
a regular message
of Lows cartoons.

Denotation
The first three steps are
taken towards the ultimate
goal: Boss of the Universe.
Hitler goose-steps across the spineless
leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

Connotation
Taking steps implies
conscious decisions. Low
does not know what Hitler
will do next.

Meaning
Low does not know
what Hitler will do next,
but he is sure that
Hitler intends to
continue until he rules
the world.
This cartoon by the British cartoonist
David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard newspaper in July 1936.

Finally, always remember

to look at:

Origin
Hitler goose-steps across the spineless
leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

(who drew it)

Date
(when it was published)

This cartoon by the British cartoonist

David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard newspaper in July 1936.

Date
The British cartoonist
David Low, in a British
newspaper.
Hitler goose-steps across the spineless
leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

Details
Low hated Hitler and
appeasement.

Significance
Low is reflecting the
anti-appeasement
standpoint that Hitler
was just humiliating the
appeasers.
This cartoon by the British cartoonist
David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard newspaper in July 1936.

Origin
July 1936.

Hitler goose-steps across the spineless

leaders of democracy towards his goal:
Boss of the Universe.
The first 3 steps are labelled
Rearmament, Rhineland and Danzig.

Details
In March 1936, German
troops had re-occupied the
Rhineland.

Significance
Low is warning that
Hitler needed to be
confronted, or he would
continue trying to take
over more countries.
This cartoon by the British cartoonist
David Low appeared in the Evening
Standard newspaper in July 1936.

Anschluss
March 1938

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity and the

sign says Strictly Preserved.

Drawn by the British cartoonist Bernard

Partridge for the satirical magazine Punch
in February 1938.

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity

and the sign says Strictly Preserved.

Denotation
Hitler as a poacher,
stealing a deer
labelled Austrian
Integrity.
Connotation
Poaching has
connotations of crime
and cruelty Hitler is
shown as a bad man.
Meaning
Hitler is stealing
Austrias integrity (=
independence/freedom
).
Drawn by the British cartoonist Bernard
Partridge for the satirical magazine Punch
in February 1938.

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity

and the sign says Strictly Preserved.

Denotation
A sign stating:
Strictly preserved.
Connotation
Hitler is committing
an illegal act.
Meaning
Anschluss was
forbidden by the Treaty
of Versailles, but Hitler
was breaking the terms
of the Treaty.
Drawn by the British cartoonist Bernard
Partridge for the satirical magazine Punch
in February 1938.

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity

and the sign says Strictly Preserved.

Denotation
Hitler carries a gun.

Connotation
The gun represents
German militarism,
violence and
expansionism.
Meaning
Hitler is stealing
Austrias integrity by
force

Drawn by the British cartoonist Bernard

Partridge for the satirical magazine Punch
in February 1938.

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity

and the sign says Strictly Preserved.

Denotation
The gamekeeper (who
looks like Mussolini)
lounges against the
rock, waving Hitler on.
Connotation
It is a lazy, donothing pose, and
the gesture is one of
encouragement.
Meaning
Mussolini (who stopped
Hitler in 1934) is
allowing even
encouraging Hitler.
Drawn by the British cartoonist Bernard
Partridge for the satirical magazine Punch
in February 1938.

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity

and the sign says Strictly Preserved.

Denotation
Austria is represented
as a deer.
Connotation
Deer as beautiful, but
vulnerable.
(Although Austria was
in fact a
authoritarian, rightMeaning
wing state.)
Note how cartoonist
misrepresents Austria (as
delicate and
vulnerable) in order to
make Hitler look worse
i.e. this is a biased
source.

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity

and the sign says Strictly Preserved.

Origin
The British cartoonist
Bernard Partridge.

Details
Partridge, as many British
people, was alarmed by
Hitlers expansionism.

Significance
Partridge is warning people of
Hitlers violent intentions; this
is an anti-appeasement
cartoon saying why isnt
someone stopping him?
Drawn by the British cartoonist Bernard
Partridge for the satirical magazine Punch
in February 1938.

The deer is labelled Austrian Integrity

and the sign says Strictly Preserved.

Date
February 1938.

Details
A month before
Anschluss, as the crisis
was developing.
Significance
Partridge is predicting (and
condemning) the Anschluss
if nothing is done to stop
Hitler.

Drawn by the British cartoonist Bernard

Partridge for the satirical magazine Punch
in February 1938.

At the back, Britain says to France, who is

next-to-last: Why should we take a stand
about someone pushing someone else when
its all so far away?

Czechoslovakia/
Munich Conference

Munich Agreement 9/29/38

Chamberlain

Deutschland Uber Alles (Germany over all).

'Europe can look forward to a
Christmas of peace'

March 15, 1939

Nazi-Soviet Pact