1-150-628 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

Call Off the Dogs!, 1871. Paris is brought to her knees by the Dogs of War - Famine, Fire and Sword. In the background, King William of the newly unified Germany gives an instruction that the dogs should now be called off. This relates to the war that France declared on Prussia in July 1870. Since then, France had lost many battles, and Paris had been under siege. By now it was under continual bombardment and its people were suffering terribly from famine. The broken and bloody sword held by France symbolises her brave, but unsuccessful fight. From Punch, or the London Charivari, February 4, 1871.