The Counterattack [Pacific Theater]

Commemorating American success in the Pacific shortly after V-J Day.

This large map presents an easy-to-understand overview of the successful Allied counterattack across the Pacific, after initial Japanese invasions during WWII. From bases on Tarawa and Guadalcanal, the island hopping campaign is represented by large red arrows that envelope subsequent targets like Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The darkness representing the extent of Japan’s postwar empire was rolled back across the conquered territory. Other (obviously less impressive) attacks are shown in Indonesia and Manchuria.

The map was designed by Robert M. Chapin, Jr. and published as a supplement for the August 20, 1945 issue of TIME Magazine. Chapin was a professionally trained architect who found jobs to be in low demand during the Great Depression. He took a job in the photo department at Newsweek in 1933, where he apparently picked up a knack for cartographic design. By 1937, he was hired by Time (a rival of Newsweek) as the head of the cartography department, a position he would hold until his retirement in 1970. During his long tenure at Time, Chapin’s prolific output helped establish a pattern for 20th-century newsroom cartography.

The use of bold colors, uncluttered design, and legible typography was immensely popular, and the maps were reprinted for distribution in classrooms and public spaces throughout the country. Despite their widespread appeal, the maps are uncommon on the market and often overlooked in institutional collections. This example is listed in four examples in WorldCat as of May 2024 – Franklin & Marshall College, Yale University, the University of Southern Maine, and the University of Arizona. OCLC# 320453341