The United Nations War Atlas

“DANGER SPOTS IN ASIA – FIRES OVER AFRICA – ALL THE WORLD IN FULL COLOR”

“For the first time in history, men are fighting the same battles throughout the length and breadth of the world. This War Atlas shows where the conflict rages, from the struggle for the Pacific, around the globe to Russia, China and Egypt. It presents the war as a global struggle. It includes both simple strategy maps and colored plates of important countries involved in the war.”

This fascinating WWII atlas was published by Consolidated Book Publishers, Inc. in 1942, shortly after America entered into the war but before any major offensive operations in the Pacific or North Africa. It was designed to inform the U.S. homefront about the diverse array of nations involved in the global conflict, many of which were unfamiliar to the soldiers and their families alike.

The atlas contains an interesting variety of both thematic and political maps, with accompanying interpretative commentary. Optimism appears frequently within the covers, such as with a map titled ‘Targets in Japan for U.S. Bombers’ that implies dive bombers can be used to attack Japanese industry.