World Island

Unique projection of the Eastern Hemisphere published during WWII.

Richard Edes Harrison designed a series of maps using an orthographic projection for supplemental publication in Fortune Magazine. As explained via text and a comparison map in the lower right, the more commonly used Mercator projection was insufficient to show proper scale in a worldwide conflict involving diesel warships and long distance bombers.

The image is colored coded by each country’s affinity for Axis or Allied powers, and shows the capitulation of France and early Japanese gains in the South Pacific. Nearly complete Nazi control of Europe is visibly offset by the vast swathes of red splashed across the map, reflecting the enormous advantage in landmass the Allies enjoyed throughout the war.

A scale along the left hand side of the page was intended to be cut out and used to measure distances from various points, allowing armchair generals at home to speculate on geopolitical strategy. Published in New York in 1943 as a supplement to Fortune Magazine.