Britain – Spearhead of Attack

The jumping-off point for the assault on “Fortress Europe”

This eye-catching World War II propaganda poster highlights the enormous devastation wrought on the Third Reich by the heroic combined efforts of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. After turning the tide in the Battle of Britain, forces of the United Kingdom began to inflict heavy losses on German industrial capacity, shipping, and military infrastructure.

Successful missions like minelaying, resupplying, and destroyed cities are proudly labeled throughout the map, which omits most geographic information in favor of vibrant symbols. An apparently untouched Britain is abundant with resources. American, Canadian, and Soviet efforts are acknowledged by the convoy in the upper left, while text in the lower right celebrates the British military contributions.

The image was drawn by F. Donald Blake (signed in the lower left) and first published in 1943. The artist perhaps omitted his first name, Friedrich, because of its German origin. This example was issued by the British Information Services of New York. Variants were printed in several languages, including French, Arabic, Italian, and Persian.

Sources: David Rumsey Map Collection; Imperial War Museum; Cornell University Library;