Neutral Power FTW
March 3, 2009 2:31 PM   Subscribe

 
What is this, awesome post day or something?
posted by mediareport at 2:36 PM on March 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


Awesome post.
posted by WPW at 2:39 PM on March 3, 2009


I have an overwhelming desire to buy sturdy chairs.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 2:43 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


And then if only there were a way to profit off such a chunk-splitting, page-splitting organization on a per impression basis!
posted by Submiqent at 2:43 PM on March 3, 2009 [3 favorites]


This is indeed awesome, which makes me wish even more that there was an easier way to view it.
posted by availablelight at 2:44 PM on March 3, 2009


If only there were some way to make "What, you fag!" less irritating and argh-inducing, even given the context of gamer speak.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:46 PM on March 3, 2009 [4 favorites]


Ya, that doesn't look like a pancreas.
posted by Orange Pamplemousse at 2:47 PM on March 3, 2009


Why, that little Germany character behaved deplorably.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:49 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


This FPP is useless without the WWI episode.
posted by terranova at 2:50 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


Here's the Deviant Art page, so you can read all the comments, including the descriptions of historical inaccuracy, the incorrect shape of Poland, and other exemptions from the rather long drawing. Or you could just browse more art.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:50 PM on March 3, 2009


I'm ashamed to ask this, and I apologise in advance, but...

When the UK declares war there's South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Australia all pitching in - and one other rectangular country. What's that supposed to be? Rhodesia? A French possession? It's not British India.
posted by alasdair at 2:52 PM on March 3, 2009


Nagasaki is always forgotten
posted by mattoxic at 2:52 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


Where was the second atom bomb? And why is Russia's roll in the war always downplayed so dramatically in the west?
posted by paisley henosis at 2:55 PM on March 3, 2009


Ya, that doesn't look like a pancreas.
Not from a sideview, anyway. I really liked this. What is Russia's response to the US' "we won"?
posted by Bernt Pancreas at 2:56 PM on March 3, 2009


Finland's missing an arm too. Russia hacked it off during the war, but in the context of the strip it should still be there.
posted by ursus_comiter at 2:59 PM on March 3, 2009


whooo Finland represent whooo
posted by slimepuppy at 3:00 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


Why didn't Germany have a toothbrush mustache? Missed opportunity.
posted by Daddy-O at 3:03 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


explosion sound
posted by griphus at 3:08 PM on March 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


The expression on Germany's face when he says, "Crap, France and Great Britain," is priceless. Almost Gromit quality.
posted by Chuffy at 3:10 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


It's no Human Smoke.
posted by dontoine at 3:10 PM on March 3, 2009


I like that Austria is basically Germany's semi-tumescent.. uh... pancreas.
posted by dersins at 3:11 PM on March 3, 2009


Metahitler.
posted by snofoam at 3:18 PM on March 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


EXCUSE ME JAPAN, BUT I BELIEVE ALL OF THIS IS NOT YOURS.
posted by Science! at 3:21 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


alasdair,

It might be Nepal, based on this Wikipedia list of countries declaring war on Germany after its invasion of Poland. The shape is certainly right.
posted by thewittyname at 3:32 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


I loved this.

But....the "other part of Ireland" was neutral along with Sweden et al?

Firstly) it looked like the intent was to portray Northern Ireland - not a neutral zone. I could be wrong, maybe it was a map of Donegal, or Kerry, or something.

And b) there was no WW2 in Ireland - it was officially termed "The Emergency".

And iii) De Valera had a nice way with words. He sent a lovely telegraph to the rump German state expressing condolences on the passing of Hitler.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 4:01 PM on March 3, 2009


USSR is all over there. But why is France so unenthused about the USA? I thought they were pretty happy to see us.

(Chairs. We still sell them. $.99.)
posted by DU at 4:06 PM on March 3, 2009


Terranova, is this the anthropomorphic WWI map you were looking for? I love this image. Check out Austria squished in from all sides, kicking Italy in the head. Also, there's a highlander shaped like the British Isles diving barroom brawl style into Europe. The neutrals are sitting around smoking, gossiping, sulking -- it's great.

These WWI maps are inferior, but the disturbing giant vodka swilling Russian and the leashed Austria getting run over by a steamroller might be worth a glance.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 4:07 PM on March 3, 2009 [9 favorites]


Online gaming version of WWII
posted by gemmy at 4:18 PM on March 3, 2009 [4 favorites]


what about Czechoslovakia mein fuhrer?
posted by Glibpaxman at 4:21 PM on March 3, 2009


Austria has an enormous schwanzstucker.

He's very popular.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 4:35 PM on March 3, 2009


And why is Russia's roll in the war always downplayed so dramatically in the west?

Possibly because of the Cold War that followed?
posted by JiBB at 4:46 PM on March 3, 2009


Curse you thewittyname! That first wikipedia link sent me an hour and a half into Australian war history and most recently searching for ww2 examples of australian graphic design at www.awm.gov.au.
posted by Submiqent at 4:52 PM on March 3, 2009


And why is Russia's roll in the war always downplayed so dramatically in the west?

How up-played is the West's role in the war in Russia?

Serious question, actually. I'd like to know more of the Russian historical view of their allies during the fray. I mean to say, calling it the Great Patriotic War suggests either a deliberate insularity or a view of their western allies as a bit - dilettantish. Given the numbers they lost, one can sort of see their point, even if a good deal of the carnage was, let's face it, kind of self inflicted - one thinks of the officer corps that Stalin killed off in the late thirties (swift one, commissar!) and the cannon-fodder tactics. Still, one sometimes wonders if they could have pulled it off alone.

For odd corners of downplayed WWII history, however, you can't beat Finland! God bless the Finns - even Stalin was impressed, and he didn't impress easy.
posted by IndigoJones at 6:12 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


But why is France so unenthused about the USA? I thought they were pretty happy to see us

Given the choice of having WW2 roll through their village or live under the German occupation, I think it would be a tough choice -- from what I gather there were plenty of French volunteers to build a damn good Atlantic Wall to encourage the allies to land somewhere else.

The Germans were keeping many many French POW employed in slave-labor conditions, granted, but other than that being under the German boot would compare favorably to having everything you own being turned into spinters and bricks.

Minus points to the artist for not including Bohemia Protectorate in with Germany ca 1939. Once Hitler acquired Czech areas, allegedly in casual conference with his hangers-on he made the "munching" gesture with his left hand to depict how the Reich's attack forces, leaping off from Czech areas in the south and Pomerania in the N would chomp into Poland.

Iran was invaded by Stalin in the north and the UK in the south, to secure a southern transport route into Russia. There's still some residual bad blood about that in Iran, which makes the recent events of Obama talking with Russia about Iranian diplomacy interesting.

Sometimes knowing so much about WW2 is a curse; there's so much abject ignorance about this complicated yet o-so-important topic.
posted by troy at 6:48 PM on March 3, 2009


"calling it the Great Patriotic War suggests either a deliberate insularity or a view of their western allies as a bit - dilettantish"

Or, an accurate reflection of the relative German deployment on the two fronts. Could the USSR have gone it alone? Of course - 85% of German soldiers were on the eastern front and the battle of Kursk was long over before Normandy.

This is not a controversial statement anywhere other than Hollywood.
posted by bonecrusher at 6:59 PM on March 3, 2009


Could the USSR have gone it alone? Of course - 85% of German soldiers were on the eastern front and the battle of Kursk was long over before Normandy.

yeah but Kursk was predicated on the disaster at Stalingrad, and Tunisia for that matter.

Backing up the clock to early 1942 and throwing in the resources Germany was using in Africa, plus resources to defend France and Germany from air attack, one gets a different force advancing on Stalingrad, one that perhaps would have had 10 proper Heer divisions securing its flank along the Don and thus stopping the Russians and saving what was left of the Sixth Army from encirclement.

Every flak battery and fighter squadron in France and Germany took needed replacements from the defensive sectors of the Russian front. Plus the Germans were devoting a pretty penny in building up their u-boat fleets and prosecuting the convoy battles.

While it's entirely counter-factual to imagine a single-front war in 1942-43, such a war would have been entirely different for the Russians, and not nearly as successful.
posted by troy at 7:19 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


You forgot Poland.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 7:42 PM on March 3, 2009 [1 favorite]


Could the USSR have gone it alone? Of course

In much the same way that traditional US accounts of the war underplay the eastern front, the "OMG it was all USSR!!!" counterplay dramatically underplays the importance of lend-lease to the Soviet war effort. Going it alone would have meant doing without 400000 trucks and jeeps, doing without 5000000 tons of food, doing without 10000 to 20000 aircraft, doing without vast numbers of locomotives and other railroad equipment.

Imagine the Soviet advance through eastern Europe proceeding by horse-drawn cart. That's going it alone.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:44 PM on March 3, 2009 [4 favorites]


The chairs are not $0.99. They are 0.99¢.
posted by iconjack at 10:28 PM on March 3, 2009 [2 favorites]


This document is an important historical resource on the pivotal role of chairs in WWII.
posted by homunculus at 10:46 PM on March 3, 2009


"the news today, oh boy"

cute.
posted by thatelsagirl at 10:58 PM on March 3, 2009


Here's the Deviant Art page, so you can read all the comments, including the descriptions of historical inaccuracy, the incorrect shape of Poland...

I came in here specifically to complain about the shape of Poland, but I see my work is already done.
posted by Meatbomb at 12:07 AM on March 4, 2009


flagged for awesome
posted by hypersloth at 12:32 AM on March 4, 2009


The countries have Don Hertzfeldt mouths.
posted by blueberry at 3:27 AM on March 4, 2009




Sadly, link is not working for me.
posted by chinston at 6:45 AM on March 4, 2009


It might actually be working but your browser has the image scaled so small that you cannot see it.
posted by bz at 9:38 AM on March 4, 2009


To be continued?

I guess we can only hope for another world war so we can see how this plays out.
posted by quin at 3:16 PM on March 4, 2009


The Wikipedia list of countries that declared war on Germany is pretty great. Chile declared war in April 1945? That must have been a bitter blow for Hitler. (Obviously Chile's decision might have more to do with joining the United Nations than the Allied war effort, but I prefer my explanation.)
posted by greytape at 3:23 PM on March 4, 2009 [1 favorite]


Weird. At work it was messed up for explorer but worked in firefox. Anyway, neat! Thanks.
posted by chinston at 6:59 PM on March 4, 2009


Or, an accurate reflection of the relative German deployment on the two fronts.

So what do they call the pacific war, which they entered only after VE day and when the fighting was pretty much over and what remained was up to USAers?

And though, granted, it was a bigger deal for them than for us, still, come on, the phrase is more than a little self serving
posted by IndigoJones at 2:35 PM on March 5, 2009


(by it I mean the (European) war in general)
posted by IndigoJones at 2:37 PM on March 5, 2009


The Other part of Ireland is the 26 counties (the republic). That's roughly the shape of the republic if you amputate the 6 counties of Northern Ireland.
posted by stonepharisee at 12:50 PM on March 14, 2009


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