Tulagi. Solomon Islands. New York, 1942.

Sweeping The Enemy Away…

SZYK, Arthur. Solomon Islands. Signed and Dated “Arthur Szyk N.Y. ‘(19)42”. Pen and ink on paper. Sheet size: 9″ x 8 1/2″. Image size: measures approximately 7 1/2″ x 8″. Very Good condition.

By the summer of 1942, the war had solidly made a turn in the Allies’ favor. In August of that year, the United States forces landed on Guadalcanal and two other smaller islands (Tulagi and Kisca) in the Solomon Islands of the Pacific. This was the first offensive operation in what would turn into a long, grueling, and murderous road to Tokyo.

In this political cartoon. Szyk draws a giant American soldier sweeping the pesky Japanese off the Solomons. His face shows the grim determination of a warrior not about to relax until the job is done.

Publishing History: The Chicago Sun, August 16, 1942, p.22 [Titled: Mopping Up].