americanization cartoon notes
Description (Cartoon here!)
one picture
- shows invasion of beautiful tropical island by strong military forces.
- no speech bubbles or captions
- dominated by attacking forces
battleship on the right
- firing Coca-Cola cans instead of shells at the island
- ship bears the Nike emblem and is flying a Mc Donald's flag
bombers (Motorola Logo) flying from right to left, dropping heavy TV screens instead of bombs
two landing vessels/crafts
on the vessels you find the company emblems of Texaco, Shell and Nike
Great masses of Walt Disney's comic figure Goofy make up the majority of troops going ashore
- they are all holding assault/automatic rifles
- one group of soldiers is putting up the MS Windows flag on the highest point of the island as a symbol of complete victory on /conquest of the island – scene clearly resembling the famous photograph of putting up the flag on Iwo Jima in WW2
commanding officer is an angry looking figure resembling Dagobert Duck, another Disney character, urges troops to advance
In the foreground we have the clear contrast between a strangely smiling, waving Micky Mouse with Nike emblem on his uniform, who at the same time is pointing his gun at the inhabitants of the island AND on the other hand
the inhabitants of the island (women, children, men)
- are clearly afraid of the Disney soldiers
- are running away/led into captivity with their hands over their heads as a sign of surrender.
- In the background there is even one islander who is lying on the beach face down, who seems to have been killed in the attack
Analysis
In his cartoon the author clearly criticizes the negative way of and effects of the Americanization and opening up of new markets by the USA and points out the aggressive spread of American culture, influence and interests esp. in 3rd world countries.
Union/merger of US military, big US companies, foreign policy and US way of life and marketing. ⇒ ships, aircraft, shells, TV bombs
No resistance/defence possible against combined assault of US fast food, high-tech, sports and fashion as well as oil industries, TV programmes and military power
⇒ islanders are outnumbered, surrender, show no signs of fighting
Interests of US economy are present everywhere: US policy dominated by economical interests
⇒ company emblems have replaced all US national symbols on uniforms, flags and military vehicles
⇒ ruthless businessman Dagobert is commanding officer
Seemingly harmless items of US culture are really weapons
- kill and conquer ⇒ dead man on the beach
- destroy original national culture and subdue by Americanization
⇒ coke-shells, TV sets as bombs
⇒ dumb but good-natured Goofy and friendly/clever Micky as invaders attacking helpless civilians with automatic rifles
Americanization is war, although it may seem harmless at first.
