Re: The Pages of Punch
1938: Foreigners!
With the benefit of hindsight we all know what in 1938 was waiting for the Punch community in the fairly near future, namely the outbreak of World War Two. This could not be known at the time. Some people, I am sure, had a good idea of what was to come. Most people preferred not to think about it.
The two Brits holidaying in what is clearly meant to represent Fascist Italy can’t help getting some awareness of the situation. They are not locals and so they are quite safe in not joining the saluting mob. Even if they expressed opposition they would not be molested. At worst there would be some angry shouting and an earlier than planned return to Britain. But the whole point of the drawing is that they are keeping well out of it.
I can’t help wondering if there is message here which says ‘keep out and we’ll be safe.’ This would have been quite typical of the time, however erroneous that would have been. Fascist dictatorships were spreading. Apart from Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy Franco’s conquest of Spain was nearing completion. In addition in Eastern Europe various ‘strong men’ were emerging. The danger was increasing and Punch is accurately reflecting the public mood at the time.
When war did break out Britain was far less prepared than Germany. Hitler’s early lightning successes were due in part to innovative and ruthless tactics but also to this serious military deficit in Britain (and France as well.)