Disney Movie on Anti-tank Rifle

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Fun movie. Seen it before.

Sure Disney would do this type of film again...and certainly under similar circumstances. One way to preserve Disney animators during the war is by becoming a critical part of the war effort and by making their jobs critical on the home front to helping the soldiers on the front lines. Disney was part of a LOT of war training films, especially when parts included the need for animation.
 
"One way to preserve Disney animators during the war "


Bearing in mind that this really means "one way to avoid having them drafted as cannon-fodder and then shot someplace in the mud"... (bearing in mind that this would have been very bad for business post-war).

Disney also did nose art for airplanes and was otherwise involved with all sorts of graphic art projects during the war. As was much of Hollywood and the balance of the graphic arts industry.


Excellent film. Easy to watch, entertaining, and educational. What better combination for the education of marginally literate 18 year old kids right off the farm?


Willie

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Walt himself, from everything I've ever read about him, was quite patriotic and a man who absolutely LOVED the United States of America; if I was a betting man, I'd bet he's rolling over in his grave.

Sam
 
twofifty said:
I've a hunch that many Boys rifles were only shot once... :(
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Anti tank rifles were really popular during inter-war years and every European nation issued them. There were very few anti-armor weapons available in the early war and infantry had to make do with anything available, especially after Europe fell and the Brits left most of their heavy materiel at Dunkirk. They worked against light armor and vehicles, but the German Blitzkrieg introduced a new manner of warfare that static defenses did not work against.
 
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I have actually shot a Boys Anti-tank rifle a couple of times.

Not as bad as you might think it is.
But not fun & games all day either!

Still, between getting your butt kicked with a Boys, and getting your butt kicked by a German tank?

Not a hard choice to make at all!

rc
 
I understand that one of the guys in Carlson's Raiders used a Boys to shoot up and disable the seaplanes the Japanese were using to evacuate from Makin island. Vague recollection. Correct me, please?
 
My late father-in-law was a Navy surgeon attached to a Marine Air Group (MAG-15) in the Pacific during WWII.
They wore this Disney-designed patch:
PatchUSMC.015.MAG15.v1.jpg

I also have the receipt he signed for his issued M1 Carbine.
No paperwork for a turn-in...hmm, I guess I should check through the old duffel bags in the attic of my in-laws house.;)

Tinpig
 
The American equivalent was the .50 M2 Browning machine gun, which was originally developed at the behest of General Pershing as an anti-tank weapon. The BMG was more powerful and versatile, and is still in service.
 
The Marines did use the Boys a/t rifle in small numbers for a short time.
I have fired one, and while it's a good solid shove it's not insupportable. One needs good hearing protection though. I also fired one converted to .50BMG without a muzzle brake. Too much gun.
 
I have read some articles with interviews with Japanese pilots regarding their thoughts about the first time they saw American bombers and fighters emblazoned with nose art featuring naked ladies. It apparently freaked them out quite a bit. I always thought it was a GREAT idea regardless of what the Pentagon clowns thought about it.
 
Sort of related, Dr. Seuss drew cartoons for the war effort. I found a book in the bookstore once.
 
Anti tank rifles were really popular during inter-war years and every European nation issued them. There were very few anti-armor weapons available in the early war and infantry had to make do with anything available, especially after Europe fell and the Brits left most of their heavy materiel at Dunkirk. They worked against light armor and vehicles, but the German Blitzkrieg introduced a new manner of warfare that static defenses did not work against.
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While the USA didn't really employ them, the anti tank rifles actually were quite effective until the up-armored Panzer IV and Tiger I emerged in '43, which were simply too thick. They could still be penetrated (especially by very potent 14.5mm soviet rifles; ~1,000 grain bullets at 3,300 FPS), though only at key points. But the earlier tanks only had 20-40mm armor, which the anti-tank rifles easily defeated at close range (under 300 yards).

Even after the tanks became too heavily armored, though, the AT rifles were still quite effective against APCs, self propelled guns, machine gun emplacements and other more lightly armored equipment or positions. Of course, ma deuce was king of the hill for those uses :D
 
Sort of related, Dr. Seuss drew cartoons for the war effort. I found a book in the bookstore once.
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Theodore Geisel ("Dr. Seuss") was a political cartoonist in Chicago. The book you mention is probably Dr. Seuss Goes to War.

There is one cartoon showing a long column of people with leering oriental expressions snaking across the state of California, passing a booth where a man -- also with a leering oriental expression -- is handing out blocks labeled "TNT."

That cartoon was made in support of forced internment of the Neisi -- US-Born citizens of Japanese descent. The Army recruited soldiers from those internment camps, and the resulting unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team -- was the most decorated regiment of WWII. In 1944, they were ordered to attack to break through and rescue a battalion of the 141st Infantry, Texas National Guard. Unable to make headway, they launched a screaming banzai charge, overran the Germans and rescued the Texans. The Neisi dead in that attack outnumbered the Texans they rescued.

And a stay-at-home cartoonist mocked them and accused them of treachery!

After seeing that cartoon, I lost all respect for Dr. Seuss.
 
And a stay-at-home cartoonist mocked them and accused them of treachery!

After seeing that cartoon, I lost all respect for Dr. Seuss.
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Yep, he had the same fear as a lot of Americans at the time. It was easy to fear the Japanese who looked different than typical Anglo Americans. Such a view was not atypical in the day.

Disney made racist cartoons. Warner Bros. did as well. Implied stereotypes generally were not favorable.
 
An odd phenomena is that though we have the intellectual tools to see WW2 propaganda for what it was, we have difficulty seeing contemporary propaganda for what it is.

With America being somewhat less of an Euro-centric society than it once was, it will take very sophisticated propaganda the next time government feels that some ethnicity or another needs to be interned.
 
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