Cartoon analysis: Clemenceau the Vampire

Georges Clemenceau

Taking reparations from Germany

A weak Germany

Lloyd George and Wilson

Germany is vulnerable/can't defend itself.

Germany's army has been disbanded by the Treaty of Versailles.

This is the exam question: Study the cartoon. What is the cartoonist's message? Support your answer with details of the source.

What was happening at that time?

What conclusions can you draw after analysing the cartoon?

SAMPLE ANSWER

In my opinion the point of the cartoonist is to criticize the Treaty of Versailles as too harsh and the Big Three’s interest in damaging Germany as much as possible, especially Clemenceau’s. The fact that Clemenceau is depicted as an ugly vampire gives us the idea that he wanted to take as much as possible from Germany, especially related to reparations. This idea is also supported by the vampire’s physical appearance. He is shown as extremely skinny which represents the conditions under which France finished the war: lands damaged and lots of soldiers dead. It also shows France as extremely needed of Germany’s reparations. Lloyd George and Wilson are depicted as vampires waiting for their turn, which also gives us the idea that they want to rip Germany off. The idea of a hard treaty is supported by a weak woman lying on a bed, which gives the idea of the vulnerability of Germany as it wasn’t invited to negotiate the terms of the Treaty and it was disarmed as a result of it. This idea of vulnerability is also shown with the weapons lying aside, which represent Germany being defenseless after the military punishment; and by the open window, which allowed other countries to damage Germany.