This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

What is the message of this cartoon?

To do this question, you need first to borrow two concepts from English:

Denotation(what you see)

Connotation(how it affects its audience)

This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

John Bull, Stalin and Uncle Sam are playing poker.

‘John Bull’ = Britain. ‘Uncle Sam’ represents America.

Denotation

Connotation

MeaningThe negotiations at Yalta are like a game of poker, where you ‘play your cards right’ to gain an advantage and get what you want.

This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

Stalin is smiling, John Bull looks bewildered and Uncle Sam looks defeated.

Their faces give the clue to their performance in diplomatic neogtiations at Yalta.

Denotation

Connotation

MeaningChurchill and Roosevelt have been outwitted by Stalin.

This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

Stalin is winning - he has taken the pile ‘Europe’, is taking ‘China’ … and ‘India’ will be next.

Stalin controlled eastern Europe, and gained Manchuria and North Korea for his help in the Pacific.

Denotation

Connotation

MeaningStalin is shown as an aggressive expansionist, using his negotiating skills to increase the Soviet empire.

This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

Finally, always remember to look at:

Origin(who drew it)

Date(when it was published)

This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

Early 1945, probably just after the Yalta Conference.

Stalin had dominated the conference, won the diplomacy and got all he wanted.

Date

Details

SignificancePlaschke is criticising Churchill and Roosevelt for allowing Stalin to win, and suggesting that he intends to go on until he dominates the world.

This cartoon by the American cartoonist Paul Plaschke appeared in the Chicago Tribune in early 1945.

The American cartoonist Paul Plaschke.

Plaschke was born in Germany, and worked for the right-wing, VERY anti-Stalin, Hearst newspapers.

Origin

Details

SignificanceThis cartoon is demonising Stalin. It is designed to alarm its American audience and to influence the US government to hate and fear the Soviet Union.

Did you know:

Rich American William Hearst was a cause of the Cold War – his newspapers continually warned of the need to stand up to Stalin! Soviet cartoons accused him of being a Nazi-lover.