Army Service Forces Manual M-101 Atlas of World Maps

Global overview used for Army officer training during World War II.

This wonderful compilation of thematic world maps was issued in November of 1943 by the Specialized Training Division of the Army Service Forces. Thirty maps in total are included, each accompanied by a brief text introduction at the beginning of the atlas.

These range from natural to political to economic – maps of ocean currents, the iron trade, the British Commonwealth of Nations, and global religions are a few examples indicative of the breadth of areas covered by the contents.

Even so, the preface warns, “the flat maps presented in this atlas afford only the practical means of understanding fundamental global realities…A globe should be constantly used, however, in conjunction with the Atlas in order to keep in mind continually the true picture of the global relation of the land and water areas of the world – and especially of the ‘World that Matters.'”