1. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
This cartoon was drawn by E.H. Shepard for the British magazine Punch, 1 October 1947.
This PowerPoint is based on the work of John Clare:

2. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
What do you see?
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
The building ‘Western Europe’ is about to fall down; the prop or support, ‘self help’, doesn’t appear strong enough to stop it.
What does that mean?
The rickety building suggests neglect and failure – Europe’s problems were its own fault.
Meaning
The war has ruined the Western democracies, which cannot get their economies going without help and are in danger of turning communist.

3. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
What do you see?
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
Marshall, sleeves rolled up, is lifting the huge prop labelled ‘American Aid’.
What does that mean?
‘sleeves rolled up’ = making an effort and an attitude of determination.
Meaning
Marshall’s proposals would pump into the European economy the billions of dollars necessary to get it going again.

4. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
What do you see?
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
Uncle Sam is sitting on the prop smoking a cigarette.
What does that mean?
Resting = doesn’t want to work.
Sitting on the prop = trying to stop Marshall from doing any work.
Meaning
Many Americans were isolationist and did not see why they should give away American taxpayers’ money, and so they opposed the Marshall Aid.

5. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
What do you see?
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
Compared with the European housing, the American house is rich and has lots of tools.
What does that mean?
Reminds us of Churchill’s request during the war: “give us the tools and we will finish the job”.
Meaning
ONLY the USA has the wealth and economic strength to get the European economy going. The USA MUST intervene to stop a disaster.

6. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
What do you see?
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
The house ‘Western Europe’ is about to fall on the wealthy house next door.
What does that mean?
It is in the rich people’s self-interest to mend the house next door!
Meaning
Shepard is saying that, if Western Europe falls to communism, America will be next (i.e. this is an early version of the ‘domino theory’).

7. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
What do you see?
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
Marshall is saying: “It’s up to us AGAIN.”
What does that mean?
A reference to the American belief that, by entering the war, THEY had ‘saved’ the world and democratic principles.
Meaning
Shepard is ’flattering’ the Americans, appealing to their vanity and self-congratulation. It is a VERY pro-American cartoon.

8. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
What do you see?
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
The house next door is 'WESTERN' Europe.
What does that mean?
Originally, the Marshall Plan was for ALL Europe, but Stalin had made the Iron Curtain countries pull out.
Meaning
The cartoon shows how, by October 1947, the British public had come to see that the Iron Curtain and Cold War were unchangeable realities.

9. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
Date
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
1 October 1947.
Significance
Four months after the Marshall Plan, when there was a real chance that Congress was going to reject it.
Shepard is warning people that without Marshall Aid there will be an economic and political disaster in Western Europe.
This cartoon of 1 October 1947 drawn by EH Shepard for the British magazine Punch shows Marshall (on the left) telling 'Uncle Sam' : 'Come on Sam! It's up to us again'.

10. “Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
Origin
“Come on Sam! It’s up to us again.”
The British cartoonist EH Shepard, who was a very knowledgeable and perceptive commentator.
Significance
This cartoon is aimed at the people in the USA as much as the British public – it is an appeal (“Please help!”) as much as a comment.
This cartoon of 1 October 1947 drawn by EH Shepard for the British magazine Punch shows Marshall (on the left) telling 'Uncle Sam' : 'Come on Sam! It's up to us again'.