Cartoon, A failure, WW1
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Cartoon, A failure, WW1
Cartoon, A failure. Two French soldiers coming out of a cafe remark that a shell has fallen in the middle of the street, avoiding all the African soldiers fighting with the German army. (The humour is verbal, being based on a pun which is lost in translation!) Date: 1916
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Media ID 14240790
© Mary Evans Picture Library
Africans Baionnette Bomb Cafe Chimney Colonialism Damage Damaged Failure Fallen Roof Shell Shelling Skylight Surprise Tiled Verbal
EDITORS COMMENTS
Amusing Misfortune: A WWI Cartoon Depicting an Unintended Outcome of War (1916) Amidst the chaos and destruction of the First World War, this cartoon by an unknown artist offers a brief respite from the grim reality of the battlefield. The image, titled 'Cartoon, A failure,' captures a moment of unexpected humor as two French soldiers exit a cafe, their attention drawn to a fallen shell in the middle of the street. The soldiers, dressed in red and blue uniforms, exchange surprised glances as they remark on the irony of the situation. The humor in this cartoon lies in the pun, which may be lost in translation but is evident in the French caption: 'La Baionnette Tombe au Milieu de la Rue' (The Bayonet Falls in the Middle of the Street). The soldiers' reaction to the seemingly harmless shell is a stark contrast to the violence and danger that surrounded them. The scene is set against the backdrop of a European street, with tiled roofs and damaged buildings, evidence of the ongoing shelling and bombing. The soldiers' uniforms, one adorned with a red fez and the other with a blue peaked cap, reflect the diverse makeup of the colonial forces that fought in the war. The cartoon also features a group of African soldiers, dressed in green uniforms, fighting alongside the German army. This representation of colonial troops in the European theater of war is a reminder of the complex and often overlooked role of colonialism in the First World War. Despite the devastation and loss, this cartoon offers a glimpse into the human experience of war, where even in the midst of chaos, moments of unexpected humor and irony could be found.
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