All Reactionaries Are Paper Tigers 1946 Vintage Men's T-Shirt
$29.95
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Design description, product details, and sizing information
Design description, product details, and sizing information
Design Description
Mao Zedong introduced many Americans to his concept of the “paper tiger” during a 1946 interview with American journalist Anna Louise Strong. Discussing the power of the United States and its newly developed atomic bomb, Mao argued that frightening appearances did not necessarily translate into lasting strength. He described the atomic bomb as “a paper tiger,” acknowledging its tremendous destructive power while maintaining that wars were ultimately decided by people rather than by any single weapon. Mao broadened the metaphor to his political enemies in general, arguing that although reactionary powers might appear terrifying, their underlying strength was far less formidable than it seemed. When Strong interviewed Mao again a decade later, he returned to the same imagery. Something could appear as powerful and threatening as a tiger, he explained, yet actually be made of paper and therefore incapable of surviving “the wind and the rain.” The metaphor became one of Mao’s best-known political expressions and entered wider international usage as shorthand for an opponent, institution, or threat that appears intimidating and powerful but proves far weaker or more vulnerable upon closer examination.
Product Details
Like all our designs, this one is treated with our signature ‘relic-ing’ process which includes our own secret recipe of hand-painted chipping, cracking, fading, and just the right touch of yellowing to ensure that it looks the part of a true vintage imprint.** We lay these works of art down on premium Bella+Canvas 3001 Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tees, one of the softest, best-wearing t-shirts available today, via state of the art direct to garment (DTG) printing which allows us to create a vintage effect that simply can’t be accomplished with other printing methods. In short, these shirts are everything you’ve dreamed of and more – it feels soft and lightweight with just the right amount of stretch, making it comfortable and flattering for both men and women.*Heather CVC Colors: 52% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 48% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. Athletic Heather and Black Heather CVC: 90% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. Heather Prism Colors: 99% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 1% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. Heather Prism Blue: 90% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. **Due to the nature of the printing process and different sizes of shirts offered, imprint position and scale may vary slightly from the product images, but we do our best to be as accurate as possible. Screen colors may vary due to differences in screens. Due to the natural nature of cotton, whites may appear off-white rather than bright white. Size Chart
Not sure what size is your best fit? We recommend taking one of your current t-shirts, laying it flat and measuring it. The measurements in the chart below are taken with the shirt laying on a flat surface. To get the length, measure from the high shoulder point down to the bottom of the shirt. To get the width, measure approximately 1-inch below the armhole, across the chest, from seam to seam. While our tees are all made using premium, pre-shrunk, ring-spun cotton, there can be some shrinkage depending on your personal wash and dry cycles. With that said, if you’re on the fence, we always suggest going up a size.
All sizes are provided in inches! Please note that variations in sizing of up to 1.5 inches are possible.
Mao Zedong introduced many Americans to his concept of the “paper tiger” during a 1946 interview with American journalist Anna Louise Strong. Discussing the power of the United States and its newly developed atomic bomb, Mao argued that frightening appearances did not necessarily translate into lasting strength. He described the atomic bomb as “a paper tiger,” acknowledging its tremendous destructive power while maintaining that wars were ultimately decided by people rather than by any single weapon. Mao broadened the metaphor to his political enemies in general, arguing that although reactionary powers might appear terrifying, their underlying strength was far less formidable than it seemed. When Strong interviewed Mao again a decade later, he returned to the same imagery. Something could appear as powerful and threatening as a tiger, he explained, yet actually be made of paper and therefore incapable of surviving “the wind and the rain.” The metaphor became one of Mao’s best-known political expressions and entered wider international usage as shorthand for an opponent, institution, or threat that appears intimidating and powerful but proves far weaker or more vulnerable upon closer examination.
Product Details
Like all our designs, this one is treated with our signature ‘relic-ing’ process which includes our own secret recipe of hand-painted chipping, cracking, fading, and just the right touch of yellowing to ensure that it looks the part of a true vintage imprint.** We lay these works of art down on premium Bella+Canvas 3001 Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tees, one of the softest, best-wearing t-shirts available today, via state of the art direct to garment (DTG) printing which allows us to create a vintage effect that simply can’t be accomplished with other printing methods. In short, these shirts are everything you’ve dreamed of and more – it feels soft and lightweight with just the right amount of stretch, making it comfortable and flattering for both men and women.
- 100% combed and ring-spun cotton*
- Fabric weight: 4.2 oz (142 g/m2)
- 32 singles for a softer hand
- Dyed and cut in the USA
- Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
- Side-seamed construction
- Tear-away label
- Modern retail fit
- Runs true to size
*Heather CVC Colors: 52% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 48% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. Athletic Heather and Black Heather CVC: 90% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. Heather Prism Colors: 99% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 1% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. Heather Prism Blue: 90% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester, 32 singles, 4.2 oz. **Due to the nature of the printing process and different sizes of shirts offered, imprint position and scale may vary slightly from the product images, but we do our best to be as accurate as possible. Screen colors may vary due to differences in screens. Due to the natural nature of cotton, whites may appear off-white rather than bright white. Size Chart
Not sure what size is your best fit? We recommend taking one of your current t-shirts, laying it flat and measuring it. The measurements in the chart below are taken with the shirt laying on a flat surface. To get the length, measure from the high shoulder point down to the bottom of the shirt. To get the width, measure approximately 1-inch below the armhole, across the chest, from seam to seam. While our tees are all made using premium, pre-shrunk, ring-spun cotton, there can be some shrinkage depending on your personal wash and dry cycles. With that said, if you’re on the fence, we always suggest going up a size.
All sizes are provided in inches! Please note that variations in sizing of up to 1.5 inches are possible.
