<image 1> The 1936 cartoon above, from the New York Daily News, is making the point that
['although European individuals and countries might be seduced into waging another major war, the United States would be wise to avoid participating.', 'the policy of appeasement is a bankrupt policy that can only lead to more death and destruction.', 'munitions manufacturers, the so-called merchants of death, were pushing the world toward war in the name of profits.', 'the weaponry of modern warfare had advanced to such a degree that future military engagements would result in unprecedented carnage.']
The 1936 cartoon is making the point that although European individuals and countries might be seduced into waging another major war, the United States would be wise to avoid participating. The cartoon is an expression of isolationism, which became a common sentiment among many Americans between the two world wars. The cartoon is implying that war may be seductive, but it is also brutal and deadly. Many Americans had vivid memories of World War I, and many had lost friends and loved ones. Ultimately, many asked, was it worth it? In addition, the Senate's Nye Committee (1934-1937) uncovered evidence that certain American corporations greatly profited from World War I. Americans wondered if the so-called merchants of death had pushed the country into World War I.