Commies, H-Bombs and the National Security State: the Cold War in The
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Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® History Faculty Publications History 1997 Commies, H-Bombs and the National Security State: The oldC War in the Comics Anthony Harkins Western Kentucky University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/history_fac_pubs Part of the American Popular Culture Commons, Cultural History Commons, and the Political History Commons Recommended Citation Anthony Harkins, “Commies, H-Bombs and the National Security State: The oC ld War in the Comics” in Gail W. Pieper and Kenneth D. Nordin, eds., Understanding the Funnies: Critical Interpretations of Comic Strips (Lisle, IL: Procopian Press, 1997): 12-36. This Contribution to Book is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Harkins 13 , In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the U.S. government into the key components of what later historians would dub the "national securi ty state." The National Security Act of 1947 established a of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Council. The secret "NSC-68" document of 1950 advocated the development of hydrogen bomb, the rapid buildup of conventional forces, a worldwide sys tem of alliances with anti-Communist governments, and the unpn~ce'Clent€~CI mobilization of American society. That document became a blueprint for waging the cold war over the next twenty years. These years also saw the pas sage of the McCarran Internal Security Act (requiring all Communist organizations and their members to register with the government) and the n the era of Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich, some look back upon the rise of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his virulent but unsubstantiated charges 1950s as "a age of innocence and simplicity" (Miller and Nowak of Communists in the federal government. 5). It was a in America by astounding economic growth and strong values; and clear and political distinctions-a time when many people's concern was staying abreast of the latest fads of hula hoops and coonskin or stuffing as many as possible into telephone booths. Yet as numerous his,tOl~laI1S have Not surprisingly, this new cold war atmosphere was most evident in shown, the 1950s was more an era of fear than fun. It was a decade domi the adventure strips with foreign settings (predominantly in Asia). The story nated the cold war and Americans' fears about the of lines of strips such as George Wunder's Terry and the Pirates and Milton (particularly in Asia), nuclear bombs later missiles) and Caniff's Steve Canyon had long been tied to current political events, and their the issue of radioactivity, and the threat of domestic Communist episodes during the early 1950s were no exception.3 Because both Lee subversion in the government and in society at This essay examines and Steve Canyon are Air Force pilots, these two strips featured both the both the direct the more subtle references to each of these three issues in most literal and most consistent portrayals of the American the comic of the early 19508 and to what extent these the international Communism. Terry and the Pirates had been based in China general atmosphere of fear and suspicion.! since it first appeared in 1935. Almost from its inception, the heroes of the The cold war and the dangers associated with it did not dominate the strip supported the Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek against the comic pages; most strips with domestic settings included only occasional Japanese invaders. With the victory of Mao Tse-tung Communists in 1949, passing references to the topic. This general absence of cold war themes is not Terry and his cohorts maintain their support for Nationalist forces, but their surprising given the syndicate and newspaper editors' strict policy of avoid- enemy switches from the Japanese to the Communist "usurpers" ing any controversial or political issues in the comic best 1950). Terry routinely undertakes dangerous missions on behalf of the by the 1949 King Features Syndicate's code, which upheld the Dragon Lady, a wealthy and seductive woman who runs a shadowy anti American family as the idea1.2 However, what is striking is not how few ref Communist network throughout China. In one episode, he erences to the cold war the comics of the 1950s contained, but how large quantity of gold captured by Communist forces. In another, many, in what ways the issues associated with the cold war discover the secret Communist military plan known as Twice Fortunate Dragon" (April 1950). Steve Canyon, too, fights the cold war in into the story lines of comic Harkins 13 , In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the U.S. government into the key components of what later historians would dub the "national securi ty state." The National Security Act of 1947 established a of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Council. The secret "NSC-68" document of 1950 advocated the development of hydrogen bomb, the rapid buildup of conventional forces, a worldwide sys tem of alliances with anti-Communist governments, and the unpn~ce'Clent€~CI mobilization of American society. That document became a blueprint for waging the cold war over the next twenty years. These years also saw the pas sage of the McCarran Internal Security Act (requiring all Communist organizations and their members to register with the government) and the n the era of Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich, some look back upon the rise of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his virulent but unsubstantiated charges 1950s as "a age of innocence and simplicity" (Miller and Nowak of Communists in the federal government. 5). It was a in America by astounding economic growth and strong values; and clear and political distinctions-a time when many people's concern was staying abreast of the latest fads of hula hoops and coonskin or stuffing as many as possible into telephone booths. Yet as numerous his,tOl~laI1S have Not surprisingly, this new cold war atmosphere was most evident in shown, the 1950s was more an era of fear than fun. It was a decade domi the adventure strips with foreign settings (predominantly in Asia). The story nated the cold war and Americans' fears about the of lines of strips such as George Wunder's Terry and the Pirates and Milton (particularly in Asia), nuclear bombs later missiles) and Caniff's Steve Canyon had long been tied to current political events, and their the issue of radioactivity, and the threat of domestic Communist episodes during the early 1950s were no exception.3 Because both Lee subversion in the government and in society at This essay examines and Steve Canyon are Air Force pilots, these two strips featured both the both the direct the more subtle references to each of these three issues in most literal and most consistent portrayals of the American the comic of the early 19508 and to what extent these the international Communism. Terry and the Pirates had been based in China general atmosphere of fear and suspicion.! since it first appeared in 1935. Almost from its inception, the heroes of the The cold war and the dangers associated with it did not dominate the strip supported the Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek against the comic pages; most strips with domestic settings included only occasional Japanese invaders. With the victory of Mao Tse-tung Communists in 1949, passing references to the topic. This general absence of cold war themes is not Terry and his cohorts maintain their support for Nationalist forces, but their surprising given the syndicate and newspaper editors' strict policy of avoid- enemy switches from the Japanese to the Communist "usurpers" ing any controversial or political issues in the comic best 1950). Terry routinely undertakes dangerous missions on behalf of the by the 1949 King Features Syndicate's code, which upheld the Dragon Lady, a wealthy and seductive woman who runs a shadowy anti American family as the idea1.2 However, what is striking is not how few ref Communist network throughout China. In one episode, he erences to the cold war the comics of the 1950s contained, but how large quantity of gold captured by Communist forces. In another, many, in what ways the issues associated with the cold war discover the secret Communist military plan known as Twice Fortunate Dragon" (April 1950). Steve Canyon, too, fights the cold war in into the story lines of comic 14 Harkins Harkins 15 Caniff portrayed his hero spying on both sides of the I~ a war-not as unpopular as but there was the same sense of it just not 1950 Canyon is disguised as a Soviet to infiltrate a RussIan going (Rifas 48). spy in Shanghai (April 1-30, 1950). In episode, he is ~ent t~ ~,o~g The lack of attention to the Korean War in the comics was Kong to find a Soviet "red woman submarine who he beheves IS SIZ- in the domestic Only Dixie Dugan even <:>I'I"-""'·HAllorlo-c.rII ing up the for use as a sub base in case the chinese [sic] r~ds try to take existence of the war and only from the relative safety of 1954. Despite the fact it!" (April 9, 1951). Still another story sends him to the Aleutian Islands. to that the war had been safely over an entire year, McEvoy and :::itr'let)eL ",,~........ ,,""'H an American weather station that is really an intelligence gathenng the creators, broached the After Dixie's friend tens coast line?" marvels Steve.