The use of political cartoons in history teaching : World War II cartoons as a case study

Abstract

This work attempts to show the usefulness of political cartoons as a historical source of evidence for both the historian and the history teacher. Chapter 1 presents a literature review about the effectiveness of cartoons as a communication medium, cartoon technique, the effect of visual perception and propaganda. It also provides a short history of the development of cartooning from pre-history to modem times and an analysis of how cartoons work on children.

In the consequent chapter, an analysis of the political cartoon in war time and in particular of the political cartoons in World War II, Malta is presented. Chapter 2 describes the need of propaganda as a valid medium to elicit a psychological conditioning for the support of a total war. It also includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of the cartoon as a visual medium of propaganda and an analysis of cartoon content in Maltese newspapers. Chapter 2 identifies the role of the cartoonist and investigates the effort contributed by individual cartoonists in Maltese newspapers during the period 1939-1945. It also discusses the link between cartoon content and Maltese National Identity mid the value of symbolism in wartime cartoons. Chapter 3 submit arguments in favour of the use of political cartoons in the history classroom. Finally, after the epilogue for the main text a workbook is presented which puts forward a set of questions based on topics which can be used as an extended scheme for the teaching of World War II in the history classroom.

The appendices that follow include an interpretation of the story told by war cartoons in Maltese newspapers, and a selection of wartime cartoon material from the local newspapers. Besides Appendices 3 include a sample set of questions linked to cartoons which can be used in a history classroom as an isolated source of evidence.