1942.02.02 “Necessary Evil”
by Ralph Lee (1906-1947)
14 x 23 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.
Propaganda is used to influence people psychologically in order to alter social perceptions. From posters and comics to movies and radio shows, the purpose was to change American perceptions of The Enemy. One strategy used to accomplish this was fear tactic, to rally the nation behind the war to defeat the Japanese, in particular, following Pearl Harbor.
On June 14, 1942, FDR created the Office of War Information (OWI). This
mid-level agency joined a host of other wartime agencies, including the War and State
Departments, in the dissemination of war information and propaganda. Officials at OWI used numerous tools to communicate to the American public. These included Hollywood movie studios, radio stations and printing presses.
Using this array of media, propagandists instigated hatred for the enemy. Patriotism became the central theme of advertising throughout the war, as large-scale campaigns were launched to sell war bonds, promote efficiency in factories, reduce ugly rumors, and maintain civilian morale.
The commentary in the cartoon is poignant in its mourning of civility. The path to victory requires a necessary evil.
