THE WAR IN CARTOONS: A HISTORY OF THE WAR IN 100 CARTOONS BY 27 OF THE MOST PROMINENT AMERICAN CARTOONISTS (1919)

Let's face it.  World War I was stupid, basically a family quarrel that got out of hand because of a few pig-headed persons.  Although it was started for spurious reasons, its consequences were very real and tragic -- the deaths of 15 to 22  million people, roughly half of them civilians.  The tragedy continued after the war as the spoils of war were partitioned with no thought about the eventual consequences.  The legacy of World War has lasted for over a century.

Enough tub-thumping on my part.

This book, edited by George T. Hecht, focuses a spotlight on German atrocities -- and there were plenty of them -- as seen through the lens of American newspapers.  Among the cartoonists represented were Charles Dana Gibson, James Montgomery Flagg, Windsor McCay, John T. McCutcheon, Paul Fung, J. H. Cassell, Oscar Cesare, and Rollin Kirby.  As propaganda these editorial cartoons certainly did the trick.  Try not to be affected by Rollin Kirby's "But Why Did You Kill Us?", or by O. P. Williams take on the execution of British nurse Edith Cavell, "German 'Kultur' ".

This was supposed to be The War To End All Wars.  It wasn't.  It would be nice if someday we learned the lessons that World War I taught us. but I'm not holding my breath.

A highly recommended book.

https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=90566&comicpage=&b=i.