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Early World War II Gum Cards
(1938-1941)

By Roy Nuhn

As seen in The Antique Shoppe Newspaper, August 2007

Many of the events leading up to our country's involvement in World War II, from the late 1930s to 1941, were dramatically depicted on the newest American fad, gum cards.

Insert cards picturing a variety of historical, fantasy and contemporary events were relatively new in 1939. Even though the gum card's ancestry can be traced back to the 19th century, when cards portraying actors, actresses and sporting heroes were inserted into packets of cigarettes, coffee - and even the earliest chewing gum, they are a modern phenomenon. Gum cards began in 1933 when Blatz Gum issued a Chicago World's Fair group of 32, World Gum, a 48-card set of "Sea Raiders"; and National Chicle, its "Sky Birds" series of 108.

Several different World War II gum card sets were marketed in the years leading up to the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

These depicted many of the happenings taking place in Europe, Asia and Africa. Most collectors consider the giant 288-card series, "Horrors of War" by Gum, Inc., to be far and away the very best. First issued in 1938, it remained on store shelves for several years afterward. The colorful illustrations pictured the bloody events taking place around the world as aggressive Japanese, German and Italian military forces pursued their goals of conquest.

The first card in the "Horrors of War" set is a scene of Chinese soldiers attempting to defend their homeland, at the Marco Polo Bridge, against an invading Japanese army attacking from Manchuria. The battles, civilian carnage and brutalities of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the Spanish Civil War, the Russo-Japanese confrontation in Manchuria, the Chinese-Japanese War, and the inexorable roll of events in Europe are all beautifully captured. The last card, No. 299, shows the President of Czechoslovakia announcing to his people that their nation no longer exists.

The "Horrors of War" gum packets were sold in small grocery stores, large five-and-dime stores, and in practically every other type of retail and dry goods business in America. For a penny, youngsters got a piece of gum and a card. All the kids loved the cards. They were hoarded, traded and constantly sorted. No one, however, ever chewed the gum. After purchasing a packet, eager hands would tear it open, throwaway the gum and examine the newest treasure, hoping against hope that the card would be a new one.

"World in Arms," by the same gum and candy manufacturer, came out the following year. Showcased were the military arsenals of the principal nations of the world - battleships of all types, all craft, and all sorts of armaments and weapons.

While just as colorful and artistic as the "Horrors of War" set, it did not draw the ire of parents and educators that "Horrors of War" did by its bloody, realistic drawings.

Immediately following the outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939, Gum, Inc., offered "War News Pictures," a group of 144 composed of photographs, reprints of all the illustrations from the "World In Arms" set, plus some original artwork. Another set released in 1939 was "Don't Let It Happen Over Here." These 24 cards, distributed by International Gum Co., illustrated fascist acts of terror in Europe and other parts of the world. With titles like "Death Rides the Skies," "Terror Stalks the Streets of Paris," and "Horror Camps in Naziland," the set displeased many parents. Similar cards, this time with an anti-Communist theme, wee sold in the 1950s at the height of the Korean War.

As the tides of war swept over most of the world and Americans came to realize it was only a matter of time before our turn came, some gum card sets began taking on a patriotic tone and emphasized the need for America to be prepared. Gum, Inc., in 1941, began inserting "Uncle Sam - Home Defense" (148 cards) and "Uncle Sam - Soldier" (96 card). Hobbyists look upon them as two halves of the same set.

The "Soldier" portion shows men of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Corps in training and conducting mock warfare. The "Home Defense" portion highlights home front activities, such as air raid wardens, first aid stations, defense against incendiary bombs, and school children dispersing in the event of an air attack. It also showcased such military complementary outfits as Home Guard, Office of Civilian Defense, women pilots ferryllng aircraft overseas to England, and the Auxiliary Coast Guard.

Gum cards continued to be publishing during the war years up to 1945, but not in great numbers due to restrictions on supplies and manpower.

The sets, though, published from 1938 to 1941, are among the best ever produced - from the viewpoints of patriotism, quality artwork, and creativity. Today, gum card collectors and others eagerly seek them out.