Life — June 20, 1918 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 984 **Top left cartoon**: "If George Washington Had Been a Prussian" depicts a Prussian military officer aggressively ordering around common laborers, contrasting with American democratic values. The satire suggests Prussian militarism is the opposite of Washington's gentlemanly leadership. **Top right cartoon** (1917): Shows a French landowner confronting an American officer about boxes on his property. The caption references "twelve thousand airplanes we Americans promised to deliver on this spot in 1918"—satirizing America's unfulfilled military promises during WWI. **Main article**: "Writers Needed in the Army" argues military orders must be clearly written by educated personnel so soldiers understand instructions. The bottom cartoon "Called Out" illustrates confusion from poorly communicated orders. The page criticizes military communication failures during World War I.