When’s the last time you looked at, or heard, a piece of art?
As Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”. In the 1930s – early 1940s, this could be no further from the case. The United States was reeling from the despair and hardships of the Great Depression, as well as both trying to resolve the substantial loss of life from being involved in the latter part of the Great War. The general public consensus also dramatically despised the idea of joined in an impending European conflict at the time.
One of the many ways the public could try to find a brighter side of life was through art. Cartoons, perpetually taking off after the popularity of Walt Disney’s iconic classic from 1928, “Steamboat Willie”, were geared for and enjoyed by the younger generation, as well as the parents who accompanied them. These cartoons would either be featured at nickelodeons around the country or even in print form via comic books. Artists like Walt Disney, Joe Shuster, Chuck Jones and more would start to become household names. This form of media also grew exponentially right after the cataclysmic tragedy at Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941. Cartoons, and their creators with them, would now join the ranks in America’s fight.
Characters like Donald Duck, Popeye the Sailor, Superman, Captain America, Bugs Bunny and many more helped keep the entirety of the Axis powers at bay. Although these racial depictions are very much a dark stain on the nation’s conscience today, these examples can provide a snapshot into what was considered normal, particularly in a time of war. For those who couldn’t actively join the military, these cartoons continuously drilled in the messages of precious war bonds, or even giving whatever one had to help in the war effort.
There were other media forms besides cartoons that were affected in the second World War. Hitler’s Nazi regime, as they relentlessly tore through the European landscape with his Blitzkrieg tactics, made sure to try to exterminate any anti-Nazi propaganda, including literature and priceless works of art. However, there were countless daring individuals and groups, like the “Monuments Men”, that helped preserve and save thousands of beautiful and once-in-a-lifetime artifacts from becoming dust in the bottom of a fire pit. There were also countless examples, like with Brummett Echohawk and Elizabeth Black, that forever cemented the brutalities, intensity, sacrifice and honor of war by way of oil paints, pencil drawings and personal sketches.
The most grandiose example of artists highly impacting World War II would probably have to be the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. Stationed in southern England, this band of artists, actors, carpenters, and various technicians helped create one of the most pivotal pitfalls of the Third Reich: The Ghost Army. With Operation Overlord (D-Day) just a few mere months away from execution, the stage has been set for one of the biggest inside jokes in western history. And Hitler was going to fall for it. Hard. They painted, constructed and fabricated hundreds of inflatable tanks, vehicles, and military fortifications. The deception worked incredibly well, convincing Hitler’s entire Panzer tank division to be stationed in northern France, until it was too late.
Henri Matisse was quoted once “Creativity takes courage”. From what was said today, it definitely took courage to fight a regime. Art is, and will always, have a profound impact on all of our lives. Especially the countless tales weaved in between every single brush stroke, film frame, pencil mark, or note on a staff.