The Boot... Toe and Heel (De Gasperi, Italy)
A bespectacled man labelled 'De Gasperi' is being kicked off a map of Italy, 'the boot', clutching at its top. A fasces on the boot's heel is labelled 'Fascists' and a hammer and sickle on its toe is labelled 'Commies'. The cartoon argues that Italy's centre government is squeezed between two extremes, presenting both as threats to the same leader.
Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon
- Date
- July 30, 1953
- Period
- Cold War
- Made by
- Washington Evening Star (cartoonist Jim Berryman)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Cartoon
- Issuer type
- Media
- Regime
- Eisenhower Administration
- Leader
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Theme
- Elections and party politics
- Event
- 1953 Italian Politics
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), Records of the U.S. Senate, Jim Berryman Political Cartoons (NAID 5730852), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Jim Berryman, Washington Evening Star. National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the U.S. Senate, 5743181 (NAID 5743181).
Text on the object
ITALY DE GASPERI FASCISTS COMMIES Jim Berryman
