Life — August 8, 1918 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page shows a surreal black and white illustration featuring dismembered hands emerging from dark water around wooden logs or debris. The image is credited to "Otto Fischer" (visible at bottom). The partial text "ptain e Submarine" (likely "Captain" and "Submarine") suggests this relates to submarine warfare. Given Life magazine's satirical nature, this appears to be commentary on submarine combat, possibly depicting the aftermath of naval warfare or a submarine attack. The grotesque imagery of disembodied hands reaching upward creates a haunting, nightmarish quality—likely intending to critique the horrors or moral dimensions of submarine warfare. However, without the complete caption or article text, I cannot definitively identify the specific historical event, military figure, or political message being satirized.