Dated Events Invasion Map of Fortress Europe

Double sided map in the Dated Events War Map Series showing Fortress Europe and the Pacific Theater.

The Dated Events War Map Series was first introduced in 1942 as a collaboration between artist Stanley Turner and the C.C. Petersen Advertising Firm of Toronto. Audiences on the homefront were eager for information about the major battles, strategic locations, and important leaders of World War II – especially as their loved ones began deployment overseas in large numbers. The brightly colored images were regularly re-issued with new information on the global conflict, with nearly 30 different serialized editions and numerous variants.

This is a nice example of an unnumbered edition, likely published in mid-1944 shortly after the Allied invasion of Normandy. One side is boldly colored and details the military bases, critical infrastructure, and topography of “Fortress Europe.” Text boxes in the negative space provide dates for specific events, while bright red and pink shades denote the advance into Axis territory (though it is lagging behind, since Rome is still shown in Italian hands). Inset maps of southern Greece and Scandinavia are also provided and show similar information.

The verso of the sheet is designed in a similar style but is focused on the Pacific Theater and is entirely in black and white. It lists a litany of Japanese offenses in the region and notes a few instances where the Allies had been able to strike back, though it makes no reference to either the Battle of the Philippine Sea or the end of the Burma campaign, helping to date the map. Land ownership is denoted with flags, since no color has been applied. There are also a number of interesting historical references included, perhaps to fill empty space or soften the blow of so many regional defeats. For more information on Dated Events War Maps, check out my blog post here.