Pay taxes. Kill Nazis. Keep Democracy on the March.
March 6, 2012 5:24 PM   Subscribe

Donald Duck wants you to pay your taxes to fight Nazism, when he's not dreaming he's a Nazi. Of course, Disney didn't need Donald Duck in every propaganda film.
posted by hoyland (15 comments total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
There was kind of a cute moment in Ken Burns' "The War" where one woman recalled that as a youngster, they were implored by Disney cartoons to save bacon grease in order to make bullets, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out how bacon grease somehow managed to be turned into bullets.
posted by ShutterBun at 5:55 PM on March 6, 2012


I love this stuff! Thanks for this post, great related videos as well.
posted by sc114 at 6:15 PM on March 6, 2012


There was kind of a cute moment in Ken Burns' "The War" where one woman recalled that as a youngster, they were implored by Disney cartoons to save bacon grease in order to make bullets, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out how bacon grease somehow managed to be turned into bullets.

I'm suddenly reminded of how, in the Sepoy Mutiny, some of the cartridges had been greased with tallow, which was potentially quite offensive to both Muslims and Hindus.

So...um...yeah. Maybe they were using it to grease cartridges? I don't know.
posted by Sticherbeast at 6:39 PM on March 6, 2012


If my annual tax bill was $13, I'd be stoked too.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:36 PM on March 6, 2012


If you like these cartoons, Disney actually released a full collection of them, including the full length Victory Through Air Power. I'm sure it's back in their vault but if you can track down a copy I highly recommend it!
posted by yellowbinder at 7:45 PM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


I think most of the Disney WWII cartoons are available on DVD. they were at one point, anyway. I once spent a very enjoyable/nerdy date watching Disney WWII propaganda films on the couch of a cute guy.
posted by mollymayhem at 8:11 PM on March 6, 2012


"The Thrifty Pig" was produced using the old cels from "The Three Little Pigs" so the Canadian government could afford their own propaganda animated short.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:29 PM on March 6, 2012


"Right Wing Radio Duck" is an awesome remix of multiple old Donald Duck cartoons (including the income tax one above) featuring Glenn Beck.
posted by lemuring at 10:37 PM on March 6, 2012


If they're not currently available on DVD, I think one can make a pretty good case for obtaining them from "alternative" sources, as they are presumably public domain, having been commissioned by the U.S. government. (these titles tend to show up in those cheapie VHS bins you used to see in stores, masquerading as "Disney cartoon collections")
posted by ShutterBun at 10:41 PM on March 6, 2012


Oh man, I can't wait to look into getting that DVD from the library. I love WWII propaganda films. They are such wonderful historical artifacts!
posted by sc114 at 4:13 AM on March 7, 2012


Wow, the Nazi dreaming one is pretty trippy... I think there's a sequence with anthromorphised shells giving a row of Donald Ducks a smackdown. With flashing colours, to boot.
posted by WalterMitty at 4:51 AM on March 7, 2012


The second half of the taxes one is pretty ominous. "guns! machine guns! anti-aircraft guns! long-range guns!" [Menichal laughter is soon to follow]
posted by Jon_Evil at 5:18 AM on March 7, 2012


Reminds me of this (which we should have had a lot more of) back in 2002.
posted by Aizkolari at 5:35 AM on March 7, 2012


Maybe they were using it to grease cartridges? I don't know.

"One of the ways in which Americans on the home front contributed directly to those fighting overseas was in the saving of bacon grease. Grease went into the manufacturing of glycerin, which was a key element in the making of munitions. Families would collect grease over time and then deliver it to a government collection office, where they would be issued an extra meat ration. Few understood how bacon grease from the kitchen table could in any way make a bullet, but collect it they did."
posted by Rangeboy at 6:49 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]


Also, I have that Disney DVD set, and it is indeed awesome. Check it out if you can find it.
posted by Rangeboy at 7:40 AM on March 7, 2012


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