Winter Projection [Eastern Front]

Mapping one of the largest military operations of World War II.

This ‘Winter Projection’ uses a clever play on words to predict the Russian gains against the retreating Germans during the ongoing Battle of the Dnieper. Territory acquired since the summer is colored in black, while bright red arrows show the direction of advance eastward. The recent recapture of Kiev (Nov. 7) is notable, but the subsequent defense against German counterattacks is omitted from the image. Nearly 4 million troops were engaged along a front over 850 miles long, making the Battle of the Dnieper one of the largest engagements of World War II.

The map was designed by Robert M. Chapin, Jr. and published as a supplement for the November 22, 1943 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 version is listed in two examples in WorldCat as of May 2024 – Franklin & Marshall College and the New York Public Library. OCLC# 47735423.