World War II impacted nearly every aspect of American society, from the types of meals eaten to the culture influenced by the silver screen. For the first time in history, all Americans banded together on an industrial scale and focused on a unified effort toward victory. Every conceivable mode of entertainment has improved. In a literal sense, creators and writers had become real players in the war effort. Long before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the possibility of another world war began to creep into American consciousness. The stories written by several authors during this time reflect the growing anxiety over the war and its impact on the lives of Americans. Tiny tremors preceding the coming earthquake.
Immediately after the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, Disney and the government began discussions about how the mouse can defend the homeland. The U.S. military later commandeered the Walt Disney Studios for their use, but rooms weren’t the only resource Disney could offer the troops. The government has entrusted Walt Disney himself with a very important task; to create military training films. Disney Studios helped the war effort by enlisting Mickey Mouse and several other prominent actors. Several military training films were released by Disney in the early 1940s, providing wartime education to millions of Americans. Disney, along with other government initiatives, educated and invigorated Americans to promote the war effort. Museum exhibits show a series of posters aimed at teaching children the value of preserving stamps for war bonds.
Walt Disney wanted to support his country in any way possible, which exemplified his loyalty, patriotism, and honor to Americans. He literally threw every resource he had into the war effort to make sure there was never a shortage of soldiers on the front lines. In one of his interviews, Walt said that all work for the war effort was done at cost and no profit was expected. He didn’t want to profit from the war, when the soldiers risked their lives on the battlefield. Hearing this, Americans loved the Mickey Mouse show and other Walt Disney-related shows even more.
Additionally, face masks were distributed to Hawaiians after the attack. Protective face masks for children have been specially designed with an image of Mickey Mouse to make them more attractive. About a thousand Mickey Mouse Masks were made during World War II. Even though Mickey didn’t physically fight on the battlefield, the Walt Disney Studios initiative had a positive impact during this devastating time.
Participating in the war effort was more than enough for most writers and people in the wartime entertainment industry. However, Mickey Mouse was just a simple representation of how the entertainment industry came together in support of the US military. Caricature was, in many ways, the best way to talk about the war. During World War II, most Americans had grown up watch mickey mouse and other famous Disney cartoons. Therefore, Walt Disney found it to be the best and easiest way to convey messages to Americans. Although the laws of physics were never applied to these cartoons, they certainly helped viewers perceive the difficulties of war.
As the war progressed, the cartoon industry grew and the armed forces provided fertile ground for incredible talent. It was a win-win situation for the US government and the animation film companies. More men joined the military to support their country, and the film industry grew in popularity. The government and the entertainment industry coexisted so well during this time that it seems far-fetched to the uninitiated just how tightly welded major cartoons were to war machines.