Food Will Win the War

Educational Shorts by Walt Disney

* = Created for Canada to sell their war bonds.

** = CIAA films (Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs) created to combat the German Nazy influence that was widespread in Latin American in the early 1940s.

1941
THE THRIFTY PIG * - animation from Three Little Pigs cartoon adapted, with the Big Bad Wolf wearing a Nazi hat and armband.
THE SEVEN WISE DWARFS * - animation from Snow White adapted to show dwarfs buying war bonds.

1942
DONALD'S DECISION * - uses animation from 1938 Donald Duck cartoons "Donald's Better Self" and "Self Control" to convince Donald to buy war bonds.
ALL TOGETHER * - uses animation from several sources, including The Band Concert (1935) and Mickey's Amateurs (1937) to show several Disney characters in a parade to sell war bonds.
THE NEW SPIRIT - Donald is encouraged to pay his income tax to help the war effort.
FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR - Stresses the importance of farmers to the war effort. Includes the Three Little Pigs leading a long line of pigs.
OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRING LINE - Minnie & Pluto star in an effort to show how important it was for housewives to save kitchen fats and greases for the war effort.

1943
THE GRAIN THAT BUILT A HEMISPHERE ** - Tells the history of corn and its importance to the world.
THE SPIRIT OF '43 - Donald Duck resists Nazi propaganda and pays his taxes to support the war effort.
WHE WINGED SCOURGE ** - The Seven Dwarfs point out ways to defeat the malaria-carrying mosquito.
DEFENSE AGAINST INVASION ** - Shows the human body's ability to fight off germs through vaccination.

1945
CLEANLINESS BRINGS HEALTH ** - The difference between the Clean Family that is happy and healthy and the Careless Family that is unhappy and unhealthy.
WHAT IS DISEASE ** - Shows what causes disease and how to protect against disease.

1946
PLANNING FOR GOOD EATING ** - Careless Charlie is used to teach a family about good dietary habits.

Disney Wartime Images

This illustration appeared in the September 1942 issue of Coronet magazine. Disney artist Hank Porter created this piece and the art is one of my favorite Disney wartime images. The legend identified the characters as follows:

A Bambi Squirrel represents the importance of food in winning the war. (Coincidentally Disney released a film titled Food Will Win the War in the summer of 1942)

Donald Duck as a Marine leads the parade. He symbolizes the adage that today the pen is equal to the sword. Flower is a member of the Chemical Warfare Service. Thumper is a member of the Signal Corps. Owl is an officer in the Army's Communications Section. The fighting spirit of the U.S. eagle represents the nation's mood. Dopey does his bit by buying war bonds. Two of the Three Little Pigs shoulder their muskets as members of the Home Guard. Practical Pig carries the tools of industry into battle. Minnie Mouse is a member of the Red Cross. Bambi is a member of the Radio Section. Doc is a member of the Medical Corps. Mickey Mouse heads the Tank Corps. The Flying Tiger and Mosquito Fleet insignia were designed by Disney artists.

Grow Your Own

This 1943 cartoon shows a patriotic householder.

We'll Make Our Own Victory Garden, Boys!

Synopsis:

Donald is trying his best to establish a victory garden but the crows are giving him a hard time.

Comments:
During World War 2 it was common for families in many countries - especially occupied ones - to grow vegetables wherever they could find a suitable strip of land. This was done in an attempt to be at least partly self-sufficient in greens. In the USA these gardens were commonly known as Victory Gardens.

Other stories:
During the first half of the war Barks was employed in the Disney Studios where he - foremost as a story director - contributed to several films carrying war themes. Some of the released animated shorts were Donald Gets Drafted and The Vanishing Private. Furthermore, Barks worked on shelved films such as Madame XX and Donald's Tank. All 4 films are from 1942 and more details can be seen Here.

Barney Bear’s Victory Garden

I just can’t get enough of the great Victory Garden material made over 60 years ago! This 1942 Barney Bear’s Cartoon was directed by Rudolf Ising. Barney unsuccessfully attempts to keep a mole out of his Victory Garden.

World's Finest Comics

World’s Finest Conics #11 (DC 1943) The World’s Finest team of Superman, Batman, and Robin bring in a bumper crop in this World War II “victory garden” cover illustration, by Jack Burnley. Those pint-sized defenders of freedom, the Boy Commandos are featured inside, with art by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Other features include a Batman story by Jerry Robinson, and appearances by Green Arrow and Zatara.

1. The City of Hate (Superman) -- 2. The Land That Wasn't There (Star Spangled Kid and Stripesy) -- 3. A Day In Africa (Drafty) -- 4. Coupons of Cutthroats (Zatara) -- 5. Sand Dunes of Death (Boy Commandos) -- 6. The Man Who Came Back (Flight Control Command) -- 7. The Criminal Who Reversed Time (Green Arrow) -- 8. A Thief In Time (Batman & Robin)

"AIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE - - !"
"A grisly fate, but one that he deserved."
"Right, Batman! Let's go for ice cream."
"Ice cream is not good for young, healthy boys, Robin. Instead, let's have some 100% American steaks served with vegetables from our Victory Garden."

Warner Brothers Victory Garden cartoon references

In both World Wars, Americans were encouraged to plant vegetable gardens to assist in stretching food supplies, which millions in fact did. Thus, the jokes about Victory Gardens in Jack Wabbit and the Beanstalk (Freleng, 1943, where the Giant catches Bugs using an axe to chop down a giant carrot), A Tale of Two Kitties (Clampett, 1942, in which Babbit is seen watering a Victory Garden), and Buckaroo Bugs (Clampett, 1944, where Bugs has pinched all the carrots from the Victory Garden maintained in a small San Fernando Alley town) would have registered with audiences. A Victory Garden, fueled by horse manure, is also seen in the Private Snafu short The Home Front (Tashlin, 1943).
"Our story begins when the west was young and early pioneers settle down to never more roam and make the San Fernnando Valley their home. Masked murader strikes again. There he goes. Catch him. He got away with everything. What he get? All the money from the bank. No! All the carrots from the Victory Garden! The side-wind'n-bushwacker." Bugs Bunny, Buckaroo Bugs

This was Bugs Bunny's second appearance in the Looney Tunes series. His first was a short cameo in Porky Pig's Feat, but was not a starring role, therefore making Buckaroo Bugs Bugs' first starring role in a Looney Tunes short.