The Cuban Crisis in cartoons
The cartoon shows a hand labeled "The Kremlin" using the sickle part of the hammer and sickle symbol, representing communism, to crack open the island of Cuba, depicted as an oyster. The caption "THEIR OYSTER?" suggests that the Soviet Union saw Cuba as a geopolitical opportunity or resource to be exploited ("the world is your oyster" is an idiom meaning you can achieve anything you wish in life or go anywhere because you have the opportunity or ability to do so). The act of cracking open Cuba with the sickle implies forceful Soviet influence or intervention. This cartoon likely comments on the Soviet Union's increasing influence in Cuba during the Cold War and suggests that the Soviets were aggressively asserting their presence right in America's backyard, possibly in the context of the events following the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
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The cartoon depicts a caricature of President John F. Kennedy with an exaggerated expression of distress, as he blows on a naval mine labeled "CUBA," which appears to be exploding in his face. This image likely conveys the idea that Kennedy's policies or actions regarding Cuba—specifically the Bay of Pigs Invasion—have backfired. The mine blowing up in Kennedy's face symbolizes the unexpected and negative consequences of the invasion for the Kennedy administration. It suggests that the president's direct involvement in the aggressive strategy towards Cuba resulted in a political and military blunder, thus harming his own position and the international standing of the United States and made him look very foolish in the process.
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The phrase "The chicken has come home to roost" typically means that the bad or foolish things someone has done in the past have come back to cause problems for them. In the context of this political cartoon, which shows a chicken labeled "Bay of Pigs" perched atop the White House, the message is that the ill-fated Bay of Pigs Invasion—planned and executed by the U.S. government—has resulted in negative consequences for the administration itself. It suggests that the repercussions of the failed invasion are now being felt at home, directly at the seat of power. The cartoonist is using this metaphor to comment on the failure and its domestic political fallout, implying it was a predictable outcome of the government's actions.
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The cartoon, published in October 1962, coincides with the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a moment when the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The image shows animals boarding Noah's Ark, symbolizing an escape from an impending disaster, while two figures, likely representing the United States and the Soviet Union, given the star on the missile, are walking with a nuclear missile each.
The message of the cartoon is a commentary on the absurdity of the Cold War's nuclear arms race, with the two superpowers continuing to focus on their missiles even as the world is potentially facing an apocalyptic scenario, akin to the biblical flood that prompted Noah to build the Ark. The text "Für alle Fälle..." translates to "Just in case..." which adds to the irony, suggesting a contrast between the precautionary tale of Noah and the reckless brinkmanship of the superpowers. It's a stark warning against the dangers of nuclear proliferation and the threat it posed to global survival. |
The cartoon from September 30, 1962, depicts figures representing Fidel Castro and Nikita Khrushchev on a small island, with Khrushchev using a missile as a fishing line. The caption in German reads, "Why threat (worry)? — One should be allowed to do a bit of fishing!"
The message of the cartoon is a satirical take on the Cuban Missile Crisis. It portrays Khrushchev's actions of placing Soviet missiles in Cuba as a casual, almost leisurely activity like fishing, downplaying the severity of the situation. The humor is derived from the contrast between the actual threat of nuclear missiles so close to American shores and the nonchalant attitude depicted by the characters. It criticizes the Soviet Union's provocative placement of nuclear weapons in Cuba under the guise of something innocuous and the potential danger it posed to global peace. |
The cartoon from October 29, 1962, features John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev arm-wrestling over a table, with nuclear missiles labeled "H" (for hydrogen bombs) as the bases of their chairs. This period coincides with the Cuban Missile Crisis when the U.S. and the Soviet Union were in a tense standoff that could have led to nuclear war.
The purpose and message of the cartoon are to illustrate the high-stakes nature of the U.S.-Soviet confrontations during the Cold War, particularly the Cuban Missile Crisis. The arm-wrestling match represents the struggle for power and dominance between the two nations. The missiles under their chairs symbolize the potentially catastrophic consequences of this power struggle, as each leader is metaphorically sitting on the very weapons that could destroy both countries. The cartoon highlights the danger and absurdity of the situation, where global fate rested on the outcome of a metaphorical "game" between two superpower leaders. |
The cartoon from October 24, 1962, shows JFK in the White House, protesting against a Soviet base in Cuba, while Khrushchev is near the Kremlin, behind missiles labeled "US bases in Turkey, Persia, etc." The caption reads "INTOLERABLE 'HAVING YOUR ROCKETS ON MY DOORSTEP!'"
The message of the cartoon is to highlight the hypocrisy or double standards in international politics during the Cuban Missile Crisis. JFK's stance that Soviet missiles in Cuba are "intolerable" is contrasted with the presence of US missiles near Soviet borders, which is presented as a parallel situation that the Soviets had to tolerate. It points out the mutual provocations of the Cold War, where both superpowers were placing offensive weapons close to each other's territory, and yet each side objected when the other did the same. The cartoon suggests a critique of the moral indignation shown by the US in the face of a situation that mirrored their own actions in other parts of the world. |
The cartoon from October 26, 1962, depicts a poker game with various national leaders. The Soviet leader, Khrushchev, is in the foreground, playing against another Kennedy, with a tense expression. Other world leaders look on anxiously. The stakes of the game are high, represented by a pile of coins and a gun on the table, suggesting the imminent threat of violence or war.
The message of the cartoon, a comment on the Cuban Missile Crisis, which was at its height at the time was like a high-stakes game of poker between the United States and the Soviet Union, with the rest of the world watching nervously. The presence of the gun among the poker chips underscores the potential for the crisis to escalate into nuclear conflict, reflecting the fear and tension of the moment. The cartoon criticizes the handling of international diplomacy as a dangerous gamble with global consequences. |