Wounded Rat at the Hands of Vengeful Cats

This cartoon represents the post-war situation in Europe, as hungry cats labeled “Peace Conference” and “Foch” peer down fiercely at a wounded rat labeled “Germany.” Marshall Foch was the commander of the French and Allied armies still at the front lines as the peace conference got underway. The French demanded that Germany admit its war guilt and be stripped of its economic resources. America and Britain favored a more conciliatory plan with a rebuilt economy that would enable Germany to pay off its debt and thrive in the post-war era.

This cartoon appeared alongside an article calling for America to shed its post-war foreign entanglements, suggesting Germany should fend for itself. The Treaty of Versailles, signed six months later, placed harsh terms on Germany including the acceptance of a war-guilt clause and the payment of massive reparations.

This cartoon was drawn by Clifford Berryman, one of Washington, DC's best-known cartoonists in the early to mid-1900s. Berryman drew for the Washington Post and Evening Star newspapers. His cartoons touched on a variety of subjects including politics, elections, and both World Wars.

This cartoon is featured in America and the World: Foreign Affairs in Political Cartoons, 1898–1940, a free PDF book from the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives.