Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 30, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 29, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 28, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 27, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 26, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 25, 1944

Views of the late and lamented Bullock's downtown department store from 1942, 1940 and 1951, respectively. The 1906 building as it is today can be seen here.

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 24, 1944

The Los Angeles Times for Nov. 24, 1944 reported:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 (Friday.) (U.P.)—A force of perhaps 100 B-29 Superfortress planes, mightiest in the world, bombed Tokyo by broad daylight today, opening a planned two-way aerial offensive from the Marianas Islands and China aimed at softening the heart of the Japanese homeland for the final American invasion.



[See a Universal newsreel here.]

The attack was made by the new 21st Bomber Command of the 20th Air Force by planes based on Saipan in the Marianas Islands 1550 miles south-southeast of Tokyo.



It was the first attack on Tokyo since Gen. James Doolittle's flyers bombed it more than two years ago.



"The battle for Japan has been joined,'' Gen. Henry H. Arnold, commander-in-chief of the global 20th Air Force and chieftain of all Army Air Forces, said in a special report to President Roosevelt.



"This operation is in no sense a hit-and-run raid. It is a calculated extension of our air power ... No part of the Japanese Empire is now out of our range, no war factory too remote to feel our bombs . . .





Hit City at Noon



"The systematic demolition of Japan's war production, begun six months ago from China bases, henceforth will be carried out with decisive vigor, softening up the Japanese heart for the ultimate invasion by combined United Nations land, sea and air forces."



It was noon Tokyo time when the giant Superforts, capable of carrying a 10-ton bomb load, roared in over the sprawling, flimsily built enemy capital, heart of the enemy spider web which had spread its now disintegrating network over a vast area from the Central Pacific to equatorial Southeast Asia.



The Superforts hit at war industry targets, plotted in advance.



Tokyo Version on Raid



Some four hours after the attack Japan acknowledged that a strong force of Superfortresses had dropped bombs on Tokyo.



Tokyo radio said the Superfortresses "failed to attain any tangible results" due to "effective interceptions."



The broadcast said the bombers appeared shortly after noon, Tokyo time, "in ten odd groups, each comprising several bombers."



The broadcast acknowledged that bombs and incendiaries were dropped in the southern and northern outskirts of the capital city. "Residential sections, including one hospital" were slightly damaged, the enemy broadcast asserted.



[...]



Industries Blasted



The communique issued by Gen. Arnold in his capacity of commanding general of the 20th Air Force said:



"A sizable task force of B-29 aircraft of the 20th Air Force today attacked industrial targets in Tokyo.



"The mission was a daylight operation by the newly established 21st Bomber Command under command of Brig. Gen. H. S. Hansell Jr., from bases on Saipan.



"A communique covering this operation will be issued when further details are available."



Rock Heart of Japan



Besides the communique and his report to the President, Gen. Arnold issued the following statement:



"The 20th Air Force today rocked the heart of Japan with bombs from a mighty new task force of B-29 aircraft based on Saipan.



''The mission was accomplished by Gen. Hansell's 21st Bomber Command. Its vigor should be convincing proof that these far Pacific Islands, captured by our Army and Navy at great cost in men and materiel, have been put to the greatest possible use. Tokyo's war industries have been badly hurt by a blow made possible by the Americans who fought and died for the Marianas.



"Now, as our American factories feed the voracious appetite of our B-29's with replacements and bombs, we will pound Japan's war machine out of existence."



Double Blow Seen



"With Gen Le May's 20th Bomber Command in China and Hansell's 21st Bomber Command on Saipan, we may now strike at Japan from two directions, and sustain the attack until the destructlon of her war industries has been completed.



"No matter where the Japanese may try to hide their factories, we will seek them out and destroy them. We are going to do just that. Japan has sowed the wind, now let it reap the whirlwind."



The work of building the air fields in the Marianas was started at almost the moment the last organized enemy resistance ceased in those islands now held by the United States. Saipan was secured on July 8 and Guam a few weeks later.



The 21st Bomber Command was activated on March 8 this year and started training at Smoky Hill Alr Base, Salina, Kansas, a few weeks later.



In addition to the shortened distance for operations against Japan the new bases in the Marianas have a great logistics advantage over operatlons from the China bases.



One of the big handicaps that had to be overcome in operating from China was supply—all fuel bombs and other material had to be flown in from India until extension of an oil line into Burma shortened some of the supply route.



[...]

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 23, 1944

Thanksgiving Day, 1944, was also the release date of the Academy Award winning "Mouse Trouble." This one pretty much has it all.











There's violence in literature...

... an off-screen pummeling, a mallet whacking, broken teeth ...

...injury to the eye ...

... a gunshot wound that, oddly for a cartoon, hasn't healed by the next scene...

...forcing Tom to wear a ridiculous toupee throughout the rest of the picture (except for one brief moment.)

There's also an ill-fated romance ...

... a magic trick gone horribly wrong...

... and a huge stockpile of explosives, resulting in complete destruction and, finally, death.

What more could you ask of seven minutes of film?

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 22, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 21, 1944

In an upcoming drawing a character very similar to the one laughing here is identified as Claude Smith.  Then again, it also could be Michael Lah.

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 20, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 19, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 18, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 17, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 16, 1944

This "news bulletin" likely refers to Japanese losses in actions taking place the previous weekend. A naval communique of November 14th reports 16 ships believed to be damaged or sunk (later confirmed as 16 sunk in the communique of the 16th) and 130-140 airplanes strafed on airstrips. What the figure of 637 that Spence cites refers to is uncertain, as is the number of Japanese casualities. It may include reports from the ongoing battle for the island of Leyte, which wasn't secured until late December.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf, the greatest and the final naval battle of the war, began October 23, 1944 and allowed for Gen. MacArthur's return to the Philippines.

Much more here.

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 15, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 14, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 13, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 12, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 11, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 10, 1944

What the "big news" was exactly is unclear. The speech impediment depicted suggests it is Quimby speaking to Avery about a
job "they" are asking the MGM cartoon studio to undertake. The work apparently originated at Fox and was contracted to Hugh Harman. Possibly Harman is passing it on to MGM or Fox is looking to replace Harman. It does raise a question about the ability the animation studio had to operate independently of MGM. What the job was and whether or not it was ever actually done is also uncertain.

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 9, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 8, 1944

The presidential election of 1944 is considered, by one guy at least, to be among the top ten least important elections in U.S. history. It did feature, and not for the last time, a politician delivering a speech defending his dog.

The '44 election is represented in this 1945 film explaining American democracy to the recently liberated. Directed the old-fashioned way by John Houseman and featuring animation by John Hubley.

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 7, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 6, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 5, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 4, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 3, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 2, 1944

Irv Spence's Cartoon Diary: November 1, 1944