Dallas exhibit shows how Disney helped the U.S. military during World War II
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On the left, a poster titled "Remember Pearl Harbor." On the right, a Dumbo illustration made for a squadron in Fresno, California. Images: Courtesy of Kent Ramsey and the Walt Disney Archives
The Allied powers got help from Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Dumbo to rally the troops during World War II.
Why it matters: A new exhibit at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum examines how Walt Disney Studios helped boost morale among American civilians and troops more than 80 years ago.
Flashback: The Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California, temporarily served as an Army anti-aircraft base after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor.
What they did: 90% of the studio's output during that time was original artwork for the war effort.
- Disney characters regularly appeared on insignia and posters and in animated short films and instructional materials during the war.
- The work was deemed so important, U.S. troops guarded the wartime production around the clock.
Reality check: World War II was a racially charged time in American history.
- While the majority of Disney's training and educational videos were uplifting and patriotic, some stereotyped and demonized the other side, per Smithsonian magazine.
The intrigue: Disney now has a strong presence in the countries that were once Allied enemies.
- Tokyo Disneyland, open since 1983, was Disney's first theme park built outside the U.S. Tokyo DisneySea opened in 2001.
- The company's Rhine River Cruise features stops in Germany. And Florida's EPCOT has a Germany Gazebo that showcases the country's music and culture.
What they're saying: The Holocaust museum's exhibit tells "a powerful story of creativity, resilience, and courage during one of the most challenging times in history," the museum's CEO, Mary Pat Higgins, said in a news release.
If you go: The exhibit is on display through Sept. 10. Museum admission is $19, and discounts are available.