1944.04.22 “Empty is der Chrome Car"
by Ralph Lee (1906-1947)
14 x 18 in., ink on board
Coppola Collection
Ralph Lee was an editorial cartoonist for the Portland Oregonian. He died suddenly, at 41, in January 1947. His cousin, Art Bimrose, was the editorial cartoonist for the Oregonian for more than three decades. In 1937, the Oregonian hired him part-time to work on printing plates. Following Lee’s death, Bimrose was hired as the Sunday editorial cartoonist.
In1944, Germany’s supply of chromium (chrome) from neutral Turkey was disrupted, which is a vital alloying element used in producing stainless steel and military-grade armor. Germany, lacking domestic sources, depended heavily on chrome imports from Turkey.
Under Allied diplomatic pressure, Turkey agreed to cease chrome exports to Nazi Germany. And on April 20, 1944, Turkey officially halted all shipments. This was a major blow to the Nazi war machine’s long-term industrial sustainability.
