Life — September 26, 1918 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Cover, September 26, 1918 This cover satirizes German military ambitions during World War I's final weeks. The figure, drawn by Norman Rockwell, depicts a German soldier or official holding a map labeled "Berlin," looking skyward with an exaggerated, almost manic expression. The title "So This Is Berlin!" suggests ironic commentary on German expectations versus reality. Published in late September 1918, when Germany faced imminent defeat, the cartoon mocks German confidence or delusion about their position. The soldier's gleeful expression contrasts with the deteriorating military situation. The accompanying article "On-To-Berlin Number" likely discusses Allied advances toward Germany itself—a prospect unthinkable years earlier—making the German's optimistic pose darkly comic to American readers experiencing the war's endgame.