Postwar World: War's End

This week marked the 70th anniversary of V-J Day, so for Saluteback Saturday, another look through the cartoons of A Bird's Eye View of the Postwar World. Another cartoon by William Wenzel illustrates the anticipation of the war's end:

"Your third from the left postwar plan is home, baby!"

The anticipation of a return to a normal home life was not limited to seeing one's loved ones again. At least of the flesh and bones variety -- America's love affair with the car was about to shift into high gear.

A generation that had grown up with Depression Era and War Time austerity was eager for an end to shortages and rationing. Aside from failing to foresee the mobile home, cartoonist Harvey Johnson wasn't terribly far off the mark:

"This is my first postwar plan. Every day I'm gonna drive in and say 'Fill'er up!'"

The return to normalcy was, nevertheless, going to take some getting used to.

"Please don't salute me any more, your lordship -- I'm no longer a colonel, nor you a captain!"

(Cartoonist identified only as "Medill" in the book credits)

"I beg your pardon but this is an old sailor habit that keeps coming back to me!"

(Cartoonist William Wenzel, again -- some editor having decided to print a mirror image of the cartoon!)

Postwar World Salute to Service Members

While this is a departure from the topic where we last left off from A Bird's-Eye View of the Postwar World, it's Armed Services Day. So here's a salute to the man and women in uniform... with apologies that there are no cartoons about servicewomen in this 1945 booklet. *

"Well I'm home for good now, woman, and things are going to be different from now on!"

The cartoons are also about life after the war is over, so there are no Willie and Joe in the trenches cartoons, either.

The signature on the cartoon above is nearly cropped out, but it might be by William Wenzel (January 22, 1918 – May 12, 1987). This next cartoon is definitely Wenzel's, and it is much the same style -- but suggests that our returning Master Sergeant's wife may be more prepared for his return than he thinks:

"Sergeant Gilhooy will now tell us how to handle our men in the postwar world!"

* Well, almost none.