‘Highly Civilized, yet Very Simple’: Images of the Czechoslovak State and Nation at Interwar World’s Fairs

How does a newly formed state and its newly created nation present itself at world’s fairs? This article focuses on the interwar period and the impact of the political restructuring of Central Europe in order to examine the strategies and motivations of Czechoslovakia for participation in exhibitions around the globe. It takes Czechoslovakia as an example of a country, created in 1918, that constructed and displayed its image in a comprehensible and uncomplicated way to international audiences. World’s fairs that were primarily organized to promote trade relationships thus gave the opportunity to countries like Czechoslovakia to validate its existence, internal composition, and domestic politics through carefully crafted narratives that were showcased. The article primarily addresses the question of who creates these narratives and why, while scrutinizing the transfer of domestic politics into international displays.

Walter Darcy Ryan and His Electric Scintillator

In order to publicize the capabilities of General Electric’s lighting department and to solicit more contracts, lead engineer Walter Darcy Ryan came up with a spectacular lighting effect. He called it the “Scintillator.” It was showcased at Wonderland, a local amusement park and to illuminate Niagara Falls, and then appeared at international exhibitions and World’s Fairs in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and elsewhere for the next quarter of a century. It was also used atop some buildings, and helped inspire the “searchlight” motif in Art Deco depictions of cities. Wanter Darcy Ryan had effectively invented the light show.

Amusements Made to Save Man

This chapter re-introduces the idea of roller coasters as moral machines and morality mechanisms, as they were designed to rid mankind of immoral entertainment, and traces their ability to spread American culture via themed entertainment from World's Fairs to Disneyland and beyond. It features an analysis of two Chinese themed rides, one of which has been developed with American cultural constructs and one of which begins to develop a new form of Chinese historical theme park. Through these examples, it suggests the potential for themed amusements to spread not just American morality and culture, but to provide sites of cultural exchange.