Judge — September 10, 1898 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine, September 10, 1898: "Spain—'War Is Hell'" This political cartoon satirizes the Spanish-American War (1898) through an allegorical scene. A large figure representing Spain appears overwhelmed and defeated, bent over amid chaos and destruction. Small demonic or grotesque figures swarm around—likely representing the consequences of war itself or American military forces. The caption "War Is Hell" sarcastically comments on Spain's military disaster. In 1898, Spain was decisively defeated by the United States in Cuba and the Philippines, marking the end of Spain's colonial empire and America's emergence as a global power. The cartoon mocks Spain's position, suggesting the nation brought this catastrophe upon itself through imperial overreach. The chaotic imagery emphasizes the brutality and futility the conflict exposed.