Life — May 17, 1917 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon from *Life* magazine (page 901) depicting "The Open Season for U-Boats Commences Off Long Island." The illustration is a chaotic, densely-packed scene showing submarine warfare activity near the American coast. The cartoon satirizes German U-boat (submarine) attacks on shipping off Long Island during World War I. The upper portion shows a beach resort scene with civilians enjoying leisure activities—swimming, boating, flying—seemingly oblivious to military danger. The lower half depicts underwater U-boat activity, suggesting the hidden threat beneath the surface. The satire critiques the contrast between American complacency about the war and the actual danger posed by German submarines attacking vessels near American shores. This likely dates to the period when U-boat attacks on merchant and passenger ships were escalating, creating public anxiety about home-front vulnerability.