wwii
Warner Bros vs Fascists: ‘The Ducktators’ (Looney Tunes 1942)
The world is a big barnyard in Warner Brothers’ 1942 black and white The Ducktators. When a Hitler-mustachioed duckling hatches, you won’t believe what happens next!
‘Donald Duck in Nutzi Land’ aka ‘Der Fuehrer’s Face’ (1943 video)
Der Fuehrer’s Face (originally titled Donald Duck in Nutzi Land) is a 1943 American animated anti-Nazi propaganda short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released in 1943 by RKO Radio Pictures.
The cartoon, which features Donald Duck in a nightmare setting working at a factory in Nazi Germany, was made in an effort to sell war bonds and is an example of American propaganda during World War II.
The film was directed by Jack Kinney and written by Joe Grant and Dick Huemer from the original music by Oliver Wallace. The film is well known for Wallace’s original song Der Fuehrer’s Face, which was actually released earlier by Spike Jones.
Der Fuehrer’s Face won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 15th Academy Awards. It was the only Donald Duck film to receive the honor, although eight other films were also nominated.
In 1994, it was voted Number 22 of “the 50 Greatest Cartoons” of all time by members of the animation field. However, because of the propagandistic nature of the short, and the depiction of Donald Duck as a Nazi (albeit a reluctant one), Disney kept the film out of general circulation after its original release.
Its first home video release came in 2004 with the release of the third wave of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD sets.
Mexico: FOR Liberty, AGAINST Nazis (WWII toons, video)
Seventy-some years ago, Mexico joined the Allies (AKA the United Nations) to fight against Nazi Germany. Contrast and compare with 2016 when the U.S.A. will soon be “led” by its very own homegrown fascist.
Back in the good old days, the U.S. Office of Inter-American Affairs produced and released the propaganda flick Mexican Moods praising our new World War II BFFs south of the border, the place where cheeto boy wants to build his wall.
Did you know? U.S. ‘interned’ Peruvians of Japanese descent (audio)
Not only did Uncle Sam lock up Japanese-Americans in “internment camps” during World II, but a 1942 regional security pact also became the legal cover for shipping 1800 Peruvians of Japanese descent to the very same camps. Carmen Utako Tochio Villanueva (photo), who was born into one of those families in a Texas internment camp, tells her story to LatinoUSA’s Mia Warren:
Mas…Did you know? U.S. ‘interned’ Peruvians of Japanese descent (audio)
U.S. ♥ Mexico WWII propaganda film: ‘Mexican Moods’ (1942)
Seventy years ago, when Mexico joined the Allies (AKA the United Nations) to fight against Nazi Germany, the U.S. Office of Inter-American Affairs produced and released Mexican Moods praising our new BFF.
Sometimes shaky period color footage is matched by shaky period narration and musical production numbers as the film celebrates Mexico’s joining the United Nations, silver making in Taxco (right), modern Mexican airports, Aztec ruins and rituals and Mexican movie and stage stars like handsome young law-school-dropout/comic actor Cantinflas. The 11-minute video, produced and directed by Aldo Ermini, is right down here…
Mas…U.S. ♥ Mexico WWII propaganda film: ‘Mexican Moods’ (1942)