The giant they let loose 

• 1944 
• Carmack, Paul 
• Drawing 
• Historical item 

6556147

Drawings / paintings

The giant they let loose

38 x 28 cm

1944

Original pen and ink/pencil/crayon editorial cartoon drawing on art card, 1944, published in the Christian Science Monitor, shows Nazi leader Hitler, Italian Duce Mussolini and Japan’s General Tojo cowering before the genie of ‘Allied war production power’ which has been released from the bottle and which Hitler sees as ‘getting bigger and bigger!!’. During the 1930s both the Germans and Japanese were rather contemptuous of the United States because, according to Hitler, they were a “mongrel” people incapable of higher culture or great creative achievements who had allowed themselves to sink into deep economic recession. Yet he also realised the considerable industrial potential of the United States and its people's capacity for work, and he did not want war with them. Hitler nevertheless declared war on the United States after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and, as he could well have foreseen, once the sleeping giant had been roused its prodigious industrial output proved a key factor in the success of the Allies in defeating Germany, and later Japan. Between 1942 and 1945 total US production amounted to $185 billion worth of armaments and supplies, far more than any other of the countries involved. Stamped on verso: “Used Mar 2 1944". Signed lower right, card size 38 x 28 cm, image size: 29 x 24.5 cm. Caption in blue crayon in upper border, in very good condition.