Judge — February 27, 1904 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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# "In a Bad Fix" — Judge Magazine, February 27, 1904 This political cartoon depicts **China** (labeled on his clothing, standing center) caught between two aggressive military powers represented as caricatured sailors or soldiers. The figure on the left appears to be **Japan**, while the one on the right is likely **Russia** — both countries were competing for dominance in East Asia during this period. China's caption — "Oh my! Now that they have come to blows, it looks as if I'll be blown to pieces" — expresses anxiety about being caught in the **Russo-Japanese War** (1904-1905), which threatened to devastate Chinese territory as a battlefield. The satire illustrates China's helplessness as a weak nation surrounded by imperial powers fighting over regional control.