Judge — May 21, 1898 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes American military action against Spain, likely referencing the Spanish-American War (1898). The central image shows a large bomb or explosive device decorated with stars and stripes (American flag imagery) being held aloft—symbolizing American military power. The title "Liberty and Patriotism in Every Shot That Smashes the Spanish Navy" uses ironic, jingoistic language typical of pro-war propaganda. The cartoon appears to mock the way American patriotic rhetoric wrapped military aggression in noble language. The figures at the bottom (appearing to include military or political figures) seem to celebrate this weaponized "patriotism." The satire suggests Judge viewed such patriotic justifications for war as hollow or cynical rhetoric masking imperial ambitions—a critical perspective on American expansionism and the Spanish-American War.