8 Of Dr. Seuss's Best Political Cartoons
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

8 Of Dr. Seuss's Best Political Cartoons

Theodore Geisel and World War II.

25620
8 Of Dr. Seuss's Best Political Cartoons
YouTube

Dr. Seuss: beloved children's book writer, social commentator, and political cartoonist. Not many people know that Theodore Geisel (AKA Dr. Seuss) turned his drawing talents to political cartoons during World War II. He was a white Christian who was pro-integration, anti-isolationist, and critical of anti-Semitism at a time when most of the country was the opposite. Dr. Seuss's children's books often show his moral beliefs; his political cartoons were no different, and they offer an insight into the complicated, interesting mind.

1. Adolf the Wolf

World War II began in Europe in 1939, but the United States refused to become directly involved until the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. There were a variety of reasons -- the country was just recovering from the Great Depression, people were wary of getting involved in another senseless, endless European war like World War I — and the isolationist movement was strong. Seuss was intensely anti-isolationist, meaning that he favored entering the war and fighting the Nazis. Cartoons such as the one above showed his disgust at isolationists, and a particular disdain for those who he perceived as valuing foreign lives less than American ones. (Seem familiar?)

2. Shop at Adolf's

Following his anti-isolationism, Seuss was a big critic of the leader of the isolationist movement America First — Charles Lindbergh. If you're thinking of the trans-atlantic flight Lindbergh, you've got the right one. Seuss often portrayed Lindbergh as being in league with the Axis powers, or at least furthering their ideas and agendas.

3. Hitler and Laval

Pierre Laval was the leader of Vichy France -- France under Nazi rule. Dr. Seuss drew this cartoon right around the time the Holocaust reached France.

4. Judaism at Home

Seuss's support of Jews at home and abroad was as incredibly unpopular opinion during his time. In 1939, on the eve of WWII, Gallup Poll respondents indicated they were less likely to accept European immigrants if they were Jewish (although they didn't want refugees at all.) Many people know the story of the ship MS St. Louis, which came to Cuba carrying almost a thousand Jewish German refugees and was refused entry into the United States. Here Seuss blames some of his usual targets; Charles Lindbergh and Gerald Nye, an isolationist senator.

5. Real Harmony

During WWII President Roosevelt signed an executive order forcing the integration of defense industries, partly in an effort to avoid strikes during wartime. This was not a move largely supported be a pre-civil rights movement America. Dr. Seuss's advocation of integration was a rare voice during the 40s.

6. The Old Run-Around

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F21%2F63599466954549874319839393_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_13.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=462&h=455c7592b482da89bcd8efc6731fa76badb90a1bd7963ee8e31a514676b8ace8&size=980x&c=2243935531 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F21%252F63599466954549874319839393_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_13.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D462%26h%3D455c7592b482da89bcd8efc6731fa76badb90a1bd7963ee8e31a514676b8ace8%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2243935531%22%7D" expand=1]

I guess this is fairly self-explanatory. And once again, not entirely irrelevant in today's world.

7. Cages Cost

Along with his more moralistic cartoons, Seuss was no stranger to propaganda. He drew several cartoons advocating buying war bonds and, ironically, advising Americans to beware foreign propaganda.

8. The Signal

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F21%2F635994670300750175-1437125242_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=408&h=97f9eec36eb74b2c4fc67d2d8883b87c5b14a2fbfe23fea57af2b556cb5883f1&size=980x&c=321184092 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F21%252F635994670300750175-1437125242_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D408%26h%3D97f9eec36eb74b2c4fc67d2d8883b87c5b14a2fbfe23fea57af2b556cb5883f1%26size%3D980x%26c%3D321184092%22%7D" expand=1]

As progressive as Seuss was in other arenas, his treatment of the Japanese in his cartoons fell back on racist stereotypes and baseless fear-mongering. As above, he typically depicted the Japanese as universally evil and stupid, and was clearly pro-internment. The United States imprisoned as many as 120,000 Japanese-Americans on the West Coast during WWII, putting them into temporary internment camps. This was done regardless of citizenship status or actual suspect behavior, and most never regained the confiscated possessions and property they owned before the war. They were eventually given some monetary compensation and the US government issued an official apology, but every time the case has gone to the Supreme Court the government's actions have been upheld.

Despite this negative view of the Japanese before and during the war, Dr. Seuss did eventually change his mind and rise above his racist beliefs. He visited Hiroshima after the US dropped the atomic bomb there, and was moved enough to write "Horton Hears a Who" as a sort of apology. And if "a person's a person no matter how small" can be interpreted as slightly condescending, we'll just have to take what we can get.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F21%2F635994667894104366-2076701291_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=777&h=a13ea90d9cc837fb6c27810ccbc9ff472a6e6b59580bdceb5f248238868af490&size=980x&c=3465434448 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F21%252F635994667894104366-2076701291_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D777%26h%3Da13ea90d9cc837fb6c27810ccbc9ff472a6e6b59580bdceb5f248238868af490%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3465434448%22%7D" expand=1]

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F21%2F635994645730266088-356910241_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=417&h=5b2cb44ac3e527850d99f8a341dc3e7cf2821cec04ff023bb7d872d1746e1501&size=980x&c=2956881709 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F21%252F635994645730266088-356910241_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D417%26h%3D5b2cb44ac3e527850d99f8a341dc3e7cf2821cec04ff023bb7d872d1746e1501%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2956881709%22%7D" expand=1]

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F21%2F6359946456829564251151677273_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=139&h=c32a305c0d6906160b65a64ec9b2b4e8f9ac92128d9c9299930f52e99af93a1e&size=980x&c=1811486066 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F21%252F6359946456829564251151677273_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D139%26h%3Dc32a305c0d6906160b65a64ec9b2b4e8f9ac92128d9c9299930f52e99af93a1e%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1811486066%22%7D" expand=1]

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F05%2F21%2F6359946456118593291234361955_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=554&h=e3e93b275394e09163c25ab1fe84057a43c270b166fe29bd0ec7f3fa4eb99f5e&size=980x&c=3394454758 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F05%252F21%252F6359946456118593291234361955_Dr_Seuss_World_War_II_Political_Cartoon_16.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D554%26h%3De3e93b275394e09163c25ab1fe84057a43c270b166fe29bd0ec7f3fa4eb99f5e%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3394454758%22%7D" expand=1]

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Relationships

I Remember That Saturday

A memory that I will forever remember.

21
Google

It was a Saturday night. We had nothing else to do besides be with one another. We were normally always in your bedroom watching television and talking about random topics that popped into our little brains. The only difference was, that Saturday night was nothing like the rest.

Keep Reading... Show less
Relationships

An Open Letter To My Grandpa In Heaven

If Heaven wasn't so far away, I'd be there every day.

15936
Nikki Wright

Dear Grandpa,

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

That Feeling of Opening Day

What it means and What Happened

2610
That Feeling of Opening Day

Baseball's Opening Day has inspired countless writers, fans, and players throughout the years. Some notable quotes we remember about this special day are:

Keep Reading... Show less
Featured

To The 'Best Friend' I Decided I Couldn't Be Friends With Anymore

Most of all, thank you for being the person who finally pushed me to choose myself.

98303
The CW / YouTube

Dear Old Friend,

Keep Reading... Show less
Lifestyle

7 Tips For Traveling

Don't miss any of these ideas to make your trip complete!

3702
7 Tips For Traveling

Whether it's a day trip, an out-of-state journey, or an experience leaving the country, here are some tried and true traveling tips.

Before any trip, we all think about what to pack and what to bring. We may have a strict itinerary, or we may have looser guidelines for what to do when. But we should also consider the following - make them goals:

Keep Reading... Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments