---
title: 'Reckless Defiance: France and Russia Against Britain'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/puck-reckless-defiance-transvaal-1900/
description: 'Puck centrefold: a diminutive French officer, fist raised and sword at his side, stands beside a huge Russian bear in uniform whose sword is marked…'
section: Collection
---

[Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/)

[![Reckless Defiance: France and Russia Against Britain](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/puck-reckless-defiance-transvaal-1900.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/puck-reckless-defiance-transvaal-1900.jpg)

# Reckless Defiance: France and Russia Against Britain

Puck centrefold: a diminutive French officer, fist raised and sword at his side, stands beside a huge Russian bear in uniform whose sword is marked "RUSSIA", daring a British soldier in a pith helmet across a battlefield marked "TRANSVAAL". The tell: France is drawn as a swaggering small figure sheltering behind a bigger ally, and the caption puts the taunt in his mouth (name-calling).

## Text on the object

Original (english) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
PUCK
RECKLESS DEFIANCE.
FRANCE.-You may be able to whip the Boers, but I dare you to tackle the Russian Bear!
[labels:] RUSSIA (on the sword); TRANSVAAL (in the smoke)
Copyright, 1900, by Keppler & Schwarzmann. J. OTTMANN LITHO. CO. PUCK BLDG. N.Y.
[signature:] J.S. Pughe
```

Read from the 1024 px LOC image.

[← The Speaker, 'The Carnival of Mafeking', 2 June 1900 (p. 241)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/speaker-carnival-of-mafeking-1900/) [A Two-Edged Record (Puck centerfold, 13 June 1900) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/puck-two-edged-record-1900/)

## Using the same techniques

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- [Passional Christi und Antichristi: the emperor kisses the pope's foot (leaf 'Antichristus')](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/passional-christi-antichristi-emperor-kisses-pope-1521/) (Electoral Saxony · 1521 · Name-calling, Card stacking)
- [Anacoana fut pendue sans raison (engraving in Le miroir de la cruelle et horrible tyrannie espagnole)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/anacoana-hanged-miroir-tyrannie-espagnole-1620/) (Dutch Republic · 1620 · Fear appeal, Name-calling). Content note: Engraving of a hanged, bare-breasted Taino woman, burning huts and people being killed by Spanish soldiers.
- [Ondersoeckt de Geesten, ofse van den Duyvel syn, of niet (the De Witt brothers as devils)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/ondersoeckt-de-geesten-de-witt-devils-1672/) (Dutch Republic · 1672 · Scapegoating, Name-calling)
- [The Highlanders Medley, or The Duke Triumphant (A Loyal Song)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/highlanders-medley-duke-triumphant-1746/) (Great Britain · 1746 · Name-calling, Transfer)
- [The North Briton, No. XLV, 23 April 1763 (John Wilkes), opening page](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/north-briton-no-45-wilkes-1763/) (Kingdom of Great Britain · Apr 23, 1763 · Name-calling)
- [The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/revere-bloody-massacre-king-street-1770/) (Province of Massachusetts Bay · Mar 1770 · Name-calling, Card stacking). Content note: Hand-coloured engraving of bloodied dead and wounded colonists after soldiers fired on a crowd.
- [Marche du Dom Quichotte moderne pour la deffence du Moulin des Abus (March of the Modern Don Quixote in Defence of the Mill of Abuses)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dom-quichotte-moulin-des-abus-1791/) (France · 1791 · Name-calling, Transfer)