When studying the events of world history, we often turn to books, articles, and documents as the main mode of historical storytelling. This sets pulls together maps from our collection to track the tensions, conflicts, and actors of World War II. Like any source, we must carefully consider the perspective, position, and bias of each respective creator and author of the maps we display.
Introduction
Disclaimer: Position, Perspective, and Bias
Rising Tensions
Global Division
Wartime
U.S. Entry
Japan
Germany
Battle Maps
Post War
"Permanent Peace"
Created by: mnally@leventhalmap.org
Table of Contents
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Introduction
- Disclaimer: Position, Perspective, and Bias 1
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Rising Tensions
- Global Division 2
-
Wartime
- U.S. Entry 3
- Japan 4
- Germany 5
- Battle Maps 6
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Post War
- "Permanent Peace" 7
Disclaimer: Position, Perspective, and Bias Introduction
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Global Division Rising Tensions
This map appeared in the very first issue of Ken magazine, from 1938. Ken was founded as a glossy, richly illustrated current-affairs bimonthly featuring prominent literary figures and journalists.
Employing color and illustrative elements, this map uses black and gray to show a world threatened by a “new Black Plague.” Black areas show nations with “dictatorial control of the agencies of public communication,” with gray “varying degrees of control,” and yellow “relative freedom.”
William Henry, David A. Smart, and Arnold, "Carriers of the new black plague," ([Chicago]; Ken Magazine: 1938).
Employing color and illustrative elements, this map uses black and gray to show a world threatened by a “new Black Plague.” Black areas show nations with “dictatorial control of the agencies of public communication,” with gray “varying degrees of control,” and yellow “relative freedom.”
William Henry, David A. Smart, and Arnold, "Carriers of the new black plague," ([Chicago]; Ken Magazine: 1938).
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U.S. Entry Wartime
A reoccurring theme in the work of mid-20th century cartographer Richard Harrison was the close proximity of North America to the Eurasian land mass by crossing over the North Pole. This was an important and urgent message to convey to the American public at the beginning of World War II. Many believed that the apparent isolation offered by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as portrayed on most conventional maps, provided security from the military conflicts in central Europe and eastern Asia. By using a map projection centered on the North Pole, Harrison demonstrated that the shortest distance from the major North American cities to Europe and Asia was across Canada and the northern polar region. With the advent of the airplane during the first half of the 20th century, attack from the North by air appeared to be a real threat.
Published in 1941, Richard Edes Harrison sent an even stronger message of global proximity in this map published by Fortune Magazine.
Richard Edes Harrison, "Great Circle Airways," (New York : Time, Inc.: [1943]).
Published in 1941, Richard Edes Harrison sent an even stronger message of global proximity in this map published by Fortune Magazine.
Richard Edes Harrison, "Great Circle Airways," (New York : Time, Inc.: [1943]).
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Japan Wartime
Published by Ernest Dudley Chase in 1943, this pictorial map encircles Japan with a bullseye-like formation of roughly 40 aircrafts. It fills Japanese possessions with the color yellow and labels respective population size. More importantly, this map declares the status of Japan as "Japan, the Target."
Ernest Dudley Chase, "Japan, the target : a pictorial Jap-map," (Winchester, Massachusetts : Ernest Dudley Chase: [1943]).
Ernest Dudley Chase, "Japan, the target : a pictorial Jap-map," (Winchester, Massachusetts : Ernest Dudley Chase: [1943]).
This 27 December, 1943 edition of Newsmap features a globe centered on Japan, drawn by the influential cartographer Richard Edes Harrison.
In “Land of the Setting Sun,” Harrison’s globe uses red shaded areas to show the territorial extent of the expanding Japanese control of the western Pacific. Along the right side is a timelapse series of the Japanese Empire’s expanding reach into the Pacific; this kind of device to show change over time is sometimes called small multiples. These maps, taken together, were meant to show that the Japanese Empire was a greedy devourer of nearly half the globe—and Harrison's global projection, with Alaska in clear sight and northern Canada peeking over the North Pole, was meant to show that the threat was a real one for the United States.
If this map made choices to make Japanese power seem threatening and formidable, it also set American readers at ease about the strength of the Allied forces, by promising the eventual “setting” of the Japanese sun. Noting that “the three great Allies […] covet no gain for themselves and have no thought of territorial expansion,” this map tells both domestic and foreign readers that the United States is a principled fighter, and casts Japan as the villain deserving of punishment.
Richard Edes Harrison, "Newsmap : week of December 16 to December 22, 224th week of the war, 106th week of U.S. Participation. Monday, December 27, 1943," (Washington, D.C. : Army Service Forces, War Dept. ; Army Air Forces distribution by Publications Division, Air Adjutant General, H.Q., A.A.F. ; Navy distribution by Educational Services Section, BuPers, Navy Dept.: 1943).
In “Land of the Setting Sun,” Harrison’s globe uses red shaded areas to show the territorial extent of the expanding Japanese control of the western Pacific. Along the right side is a timelapse series of the Japanese Empire’s expanding reach into the Pacific; this kind of device to show change over time is sometimes called small multiples. These maps, taken together, were meant to show that the Japanese Empire was a greedy devourer of nearly half the globe—and Harrison's global projection, with Alaska in clear sight and northern Canada peeking over the North Pole, was meant to show that the threat was a real one for the United States.
If this map made choices to make Japanese power seem threatening and formidable, it also set American readers at ease about the strength of the Allied forces, by promising the eventual “setting” of the Japanese sun. Noting that “the three great Allies […] covet no gain for themselves and have no thought of territorial expansion,” this map tells both domestic and foreign readers that the United States is a principled fighter, and casts Japan as the villain deserving of punishment.
Richard Edes Harrison, "Newsmap : week of December 16 to December 22, 224th week of the war, 106th week of U.S. Participation. Monday, December 27, 1943," (Washington, D.C. : Army Service Forces, War Dept. ; Army Air Forces distribution by Publications Division, Air Adjutant General, H.Q., A.A.F. ; Navy distribution by Educational Services Section, BuPers, Navy Dept.: 1943).
4
Germany Wartime
This Newsmap was published on October 25, 1943, days before the first major allied air strike on Berlin. The globe is centered on the bullseye of the European Front campaign against Nazi Germany, with concentric circles radiating out from the city that create a target effect.
While the Newsmap publications were propaganda for the U.S. war effort, they also provided educational insight for viewers and would have been displayed in post offices, schools, and other public spaces. They taught Americans how to see both global threats as well as the expeditions of the U.S. military in terms of cartography and global geopolitics.
F. E. Manning, "Newsmap : week of October 14 to October 21, 215th week of the war, 97th week of U.S. participation. Monday, October 25, 1943," (Washington, D.C. : War Dept., Army Service Forces ; Army Air Forces distribution by Publications Division, Air Adjutant General, HQ., AAF ; Navy distribution by Educational Services Section, BuPers, Navy Dept.: 1943).
The Office of Strategic Services acted as the U.S. intelligence agency of the during World War II and published this map one year before the Nuremberg Trials began. Pulling from June 1944 data, the map shows red circles around the sites of known concentration camps. It also includes a table of other known camps (not labelled on the map), their approximate location, and suspected “No. of prisoners.”
United States. Office of Strategic Services. Research and Analysis Branch, "Germany, concentration camps (June -- 1944)," ([Washington, D.C.] : OSS : 1944).
5
Battle Maps Wartime
Published in 1941, this pictorial map by Ernest Dudley Chase cites itself as "A Battle Map, to set the stage for 'total war' on land and sea; And in the border, just a hint –– A prayer –– for total Victory!"
The map documents territorial possessions of Great Britain, the United States, Japan, and France while labelling naval bases, railroads, and pre-war boundaries. Added comments embedded in the map suggest a very clear position of the U.S. against Japan, reading, for example, "Note: This would be a good place to sink the Jap fleet!"
Ernest Dudley Chase, "Total war battle map," ([Winchester, Massachusetts] : [Ernest Dudley Chase] : 1942).
The map documents territorial possessions of Great Britain, the United States, Japan, and France while labelling naval bases, railroads, and pre-war boundaries. Added comments embedded in the map suggest a very clear position of the U.S. against Japan, reading, for example, "Note: This would be a good place to sink the Jap fleet!"
Ernest Dudley Chase, "Total war battle map," ([Winchester, Massachusetts] : [Ernest Dudley Chase] : 1942).
This 1941 pictorial map documents U.S. naval bases in areas of Europe and Northern Africa. Accompanied by an elaborate illustrative border, the map details Army, Navy, and Marine insignia.
Ernest Dudley Chase, "The victory war map," (Winchester, Massachusetts : Ernest Dudley Chase : 1941).
Ernest Dudley Chase, "The victory war map," (Winchester, Massachusetts : Ernest Dudley Chase : 1941).
6
"Permanent Peace" Post War
This 1944 pictorial map of the world celebrates "Peace on earth and goodwill to all men" under the "code of international friendship, law, and order." It applauds "organizations already at work on an international basis" and declares the "Right of All Humanity" as "Freedom of Religion," "Freedom of Speech," "Freedom from Fear," and "Freedom from Want."
Acknowledging an unavoidable interconnectedness, this map declares "Nations can no longer live unto themselves alone - therefore let us strive to find a system of law and order by which we can all abide," suggesting world peace as a result of railroads, radio, radar, telegram, telephone, and television.
Ernest Dudley Chase, "Mercator map of the world united : a pictorial history of transport and communications and paths to permanent peace," (Winchester, Massachusetts : Ernest Dudley Chase: [1944]).
Acknowledging an unavoidable interconnectedness, this map declares "Nations can no longer live unto themselves alone - therefore let us strive to find a system of law and order by which we can all abide," suggesting world peace as a result of railroads, radio, radar, telegram, telephone, and television.
Ernest Dudley Chase, "Mercator map of the world united : a pictorial history of transport and communications and paths to permanent peace," (Winchester, Massachusetts : Ernest Dudley Chase: [1944]).
This map closely resembles the map above, but with a very crucial and distinctive note that reads "THE BOMBS THAT ENDED THE WAR" accompanied by "ATOMIC ENERGY CAN DESTROY, OR SAVE THE HUMAN RACE."
Ernest Dudley Chase, "Peace map of the world united : a pictorial history of transportation and communications from Jonah to the jet plane as paths to permanent peace," (Winchester, Mass. : Ernest Dudley Chase : [1944]).
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