Life — April 7, 1921 — page 27: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon by W. J. Wright depicting an absurd scene in Guantanamo Bay. The caption sarcastically suggests "shooting flying fish with the aid of trained sharks"—an impossible scenario. The cartoon appears to mock American imperial attitudes toward Cuba, particularly around the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. The ridiculous premise—using sharks to hunt flying fish—likely satirizes American military presence in Cuba as similarly nonsensical or wasteful. Soldiers are shown in small boats firing guns at flying fish while sharks circle below, a surreal image emphasizing the pointlessness of the enterprise. This was published during a period when American intervention in Cuban affairs was controversial. The cartoon's title, treating Cuba as something to "give a thought to," suggests criticism of how casually Americans viewed Cuban sovereignty while maintaining their military foothold.