Political Cartoon

Dr. Suess is best known for his famous children's books like "Cat in the Hat," "The Sneetches," and "Green Eggs and Ham" only to name a few. His real name is Theodore Suess Geisel and was a second generation German-American. During World War II, he worked as a cartoonist for PM Magazine. One of his most famous political cartoons is "Ho Hum! When He’s Finished Pecking Down That Last Tree He’ll Quite Likely Be Tired" (1941) which is shown below. Geisel made this right before the United States got involved in WWII and the country was divided between isolationism and interventionism. Geisel was an interventionist and it was clear in this comic that he believed intervening with the Nazis would be better letting them run amuck in Europe killing many innocent people. 

In the cartoon, there is an eagle with an American hat, happily sitting in a tree while twiddling his thumbs. In the background, there is a Nazi bird pecking down trees labeled with countries that the Nazis have invaded and attacked such as, Frace, Poland, and Greece. While the Nazi bird is pecking down a tree labeled England the eagle is facing away with the caption "Ho Hum! When He’s Finished Pecking Down That Last Tree He’ll Quite Likely Be Tired." This implies that America has literally turned its back on the Allies and is ignorant of Hitler's intentions for spreading Nazism. The eagle is depicted as a sitting duck; naive to the troubles that are to come. 

This cartoon is a critique of American isolationism. Its purpose is to convince viewers that the only way to protect America and its interests is to get involved in the European War. 

The cartoon is below:

Theodor Seuss Geisel, “Ho Hum! When he’s finished pecking down that last tree he’ll quite likely be tired” in Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons, Richard H. Minear. Introduction by Art Spiegelman, and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss (New York City: The New Press, 1999.) 32.