The Satirical Cartoon in War Propaganda: The Case of the Greco-Italian War (1940-1941)

Abstract

This paper highlights the use of satirical cartoons in war propaganda as a method to persuade and influence public opinion, through the case study of the Greco-Italian War (1940-1941), which represents one of the most important events in late modern Greek history. Based on visual, contextual and semiotic analysis, the paper examines representative samples of Greek and British satirical cartoons selected from a comprehensive primary and secondary dataset published in Greek and British newspapers during the Greco-Italian War (1940-1941). I aim to show that Greek cartoonists cleverly used humour to mock the enemy and strengthen national identity, while sharing themes, motifs and propaganda objectives with British cartoonists. The selected cartoons, marked by their adaptability and recurring motifs, played a pivotal role in war propaganda, served as a valuable source of information for the public, and played a significant role in shaping collective consciousness about the war.

Keywords

• visual propaganda
• cartoons
• greco-italian war 1940-1941
• second world war
• satire