Dr. Seuss vs. Imperial Japan

I recently watched a copy of PBS documentary The Political Dr. Seuss, which focused on the life of cartoonist and author Theodor Seuss Geisel and his political beliefs. On particularly interesting topic covered in the film was Dr. Seuss’ work as political cartoonist in the early years of World War II:

As World War II began, Dr. Seuss turned to political cartoons, drawing over 400 in two years as editorial cartoonist for the left-wing New York City daily newspaper, PM. Dr. Seuss’s political cartoons opposed the viciousness of Hitler and Mussolini and were highly critical of isolationists, most notably Charles Lindbergh, who opposed American entry into the war. Some cartoons depicted all Japanese Americans as latent traitors or fifth-columnists, while at the same time other cartoons deplored the racism at home against Jews and blacks that harmed the war effort. His cartoons were strongly supportive of President Roosevelt’s conduct of the war, combining the usual exhortations to ration and contribute to the war effort with frequent attacks on Congress (especially the Republican Party), parts of the press (such as the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune), and others for criticism of Roosevelt, criticism of aid to the Soviet Union, investigation of suspected Communists, and other offenses that he depicted as leading to disunity and helping the Nazis, intentionally or inadvertently.

Not suprisingly, Dr. Seuss was a man of his time, and at that time even many of the most liberal Americans viewed the war with Japan in racial terms and considered Americans of Japanese descent to be a security threat to America. Dr. Seuss combines both of these in this February 13, 1942 cartoon:

In the picture, Japanese Americans are depicted as a subversive fifth-column, gathering by the thousands to pick up TNT which they will no doubt use in attacks within America. The text reads “Waiting for the signal from home.” All of the Japanese Americans are depicted as racial caricatures with the same facial features. A few days after this cartoon was published, President Roosevelt signed Executive order 9066, which began the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans.

One can get a much closer look at Dr. Seuss’ standard Japanese face from this October 13, 1942 cartoon:

His Japanese characters don’t represent Hirohito or any other well-known World War II figure, in contrast to his obvious pictures of Hitler. Instead, Minear wrote, “…Dr. Seuss draws ‘Japan’ – piggish nose, coke-bottle eyeglasses, slanted eyes, brush mustache, lips parted (usually in a smile).” He went on to say, “Perhaps it is no surprise that American cartoonists during the Pacific War painted Japan in overtly racist ways. However, it is a surprise that a person who denounces anti-black racism and anti-Semitism so eloquently can be oblivious of his own racist treatment of Japanese and Japanese Americans. And to find such cartoons – largely unreproached – in the pages of the leading left newspaper of New York City and to realize that the cartoonist is the same Dr. Seuss we celebrate today for his imagination and tolerance and breadth of vision: this is a sobering experience.”-Springfield Library

Apparently when he made this 1942 comic about stamping out racial prejudice, he wasn’t referring to prejudice against the Japanese.

To look at all of Dr. Seuss’ war time cartoons, check out this site. I also recommend you watch “The Political Dr. Seuss“, which was a very well made documentary that talks about a lot more than Dr. Seuss and his cartoon/propaganda work.