Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel
Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel, 1904-1991), known for his childrens books is often over-looked as a pivitol artist prior and during the beginnings of United States involvement in the war. For two years, 1941-1943, he was the chief editorial cartoonist for the New York newspaper PM, and for that journal he drew over 400 editorial cartoons that depicted the likes of Hitler and Mussolini. His cartoons also provided commentary on U.S. isolationism and how U.S. citizens can contribute to the war effort through war bonds.
Seuss’s drawings had brought a lot of criticisms of how the United States had handled isolationism. He often compared the America First movement to being just as bad as Nazism, fascism, and communism. He was very critical on how the United States would, as he seen, allow Germany, Japan, and Italy to be so aggressive. Seuss often made Charles Lindburgh, Gerald Nye, and Charles Coughlin subject of his cartoons as anti-Semitic traitors that were comparable to Nazis. Seuss had believed that the United States was not sending enough aid to Britain and France. With that said, Seuss was very supportive of President Roosevelt’s handling of fighting the war and going to Europe first.
Seuss not only made political cartoons displaying world leaders, but he had also contributed to the War Production Board and the United States Treasury Department. He had called upon citizens to “Insure your home against Hitler!” and “Wipe that sneer off his (Hideki Tojo) face!” These types of posters along with ones that criticized how the Republican Party had been unsupportive of the United States effort to aid USSR, provided this depiction that if you were against President Roosevelt, you were practically a Nazi.
More of Dr. Seuss's works can be found on the Dr. Seuss Catalogue of Political Cartoons.