New exhibition explores Disney's role during World War II

The special exhibition is on view through Sep. 10 at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum.

Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Walt Disney received a call about the United States military moving into The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.

“The military didn't give them a choice about whether or not they were going to take over the Studios. But he was an enthusiastic yes,” said Mary Pat Higgins, CEO and President of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. “This was a way that they could really participate and help. I think he's so creative that once the army was on site and he saw what they were doing, he started thinking ‘How can we work with them?  How can we be supportive? How can I keep my all of my employees on the payroll?’”

The Walt Disney Studios and World War II, a special exhibition now on view at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum through September 10, features more than 500 objects, artwork and film clips, showing how Walt Disney used the creative power within his company to support the war effort. Disney’s wartime work was done at cost and 90% of its output at that time supported the war effort.

The exhibition highlights the change in Disney’s workforce with illustrators being drafted and women taking on new roles.

“Women were only allowed to paint once the drawings had been done. They would sort of color in,
and because so many of the men that had the jobs illustrating were drafted, it gave women an opportunity to do new things and to prove what they could do,” Higgins said.

The internment of Japanese immigrants had a direct impact on Disney employees and Disney reacted with kindness and encouragement.

“I think he cared very greatly about his employees, and it's important to note that there were Japanese Americans working at Disney. It was integrated at least to that degree and there's history of him showing compassion and concern,” Higgins said.

Gyo Fujikawa, a Japanese American illustrator whose family was incarcerated at the Jerome War Relocation Center in Arkansas, sought Disney’s advice after being asked about her heritage.

“She said, ‘I don't know what to say when people ask what I am,’ and he said, ‘Say you're an American,'" Higgins said.

The Walt Disney Studios specialized in morale boosting throughout the war. The staff created insignias featuring Disney characters for specific military branches and associated groups. The exhibition features letters from commanders and lieutenant colonels requesting these insignias with specific ideas for the designs. The Studios even received a request from prisoners of war. By the end of the war, the Studios had created more 1,200 insignias.

“And they gave them away without charging for the rights of characters. So, it's all those famous Disney characters that these men were able to put on their planes or on their jackets,” Higgins said. “It was something that could lighten the mood, that could help identify them as a group and really create camaraderie and the sense of being a team, an identifiable team.”

The Studios also crafted cartoons, posters, publications and films designed to engage the American public. Visitors can see drafts of these works, the final designs and watch the same film clips Americans would have seen during the war years.

“They're using their characters to help encourage people to do things to help the war effort. Buying war bonds. File your taxes. It was really important. It was a way that our government was financing the war,” Higgins said. “Share your car because they had to ration gasoline. So, Goofy and Mickey and Donald are hitchhiking. I think it gave citizens across the country a way to feel like they were participating and doing their part. And this made it fun, but it was a reminder of what they needed to be doing.”

 One of the most beloved Disney characters led by example.

“Having Donald Duck go to the draft office is a way to make light of something that people were nervous about,” Higgins said.

“The Disney staff used their storytelling ability and animation to make it easy to learn how to use a bombsight,” Higgins said. “It wasn't just that they were providing morale-boosting films and insignia, which is all really important too, but they were a critical part of teaching these new soldiers how to do their job.”

The Walt Disney Studios created training films for recently drafted soldiers on how to use weapon systems.  Visitors can watch the restricted training film Walt Disney Studios created for the Norden Bombsight, top secret equipment used for precision bombing.

This exhibition is family friendly, even with some of the serious messages of the films including the Academy Award-winning short film, Der Fuehrer’s Face.

“There's a lot of content for adults, but the kids will enjoy it too. They can watch this film Der Fuehrer’s Face that's pretty hard-hitting satire, and the kids will think it's funny, and the parents will understand the message that it was conveying. I think parents can bring children here, and you'll see Donald Duck and Goofy and Mickey Mouse,” Higgins said. “We're excited to have something that families can come and do together.”

Learn more: Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum