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Archive: 2016 (7 Posts)

Mapping World War I Sea Mines Off the British Isles

Posted by: Ryan Moore

During World War I, Germany laid more than 43,000 mines that claimed some 500 merchant vessels. The British Navy lost 44 warships and 225 auxiliaries to mines. The purpose was to interrupt the flow of supplies to Britain and to hamper the British fleet. Mines were most often set near harbors and inlets, as these …

Occasional Papers

New Paper on Philip Lee Phillips, the “King of Maps” for the Library of Congress

Posted by: Ryan Moore

The Philip Lee Phillips Map Society of the Library of Congress is pleased to announce its latest installment of The Occasional Papers: “The King of Maps: Philip Lee Phillips’ First Acquisitions Trips in the Deep South 1903 and Europe 1905.” The paper’s author, Cheryl Fox, is a Specialist in the Library’s Manuscript Division. Ms. Fox …

Approximative zones according to the secret Treaty of London, by Andria Radovitch. From the Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division collections. Call number, G6831.F2 1915 .R3 Vault.

The Secret Treaty of London

Posted by: Ryan Moore

In 1915, the deadlocked battleground on the Western Front in World War I forced England and France to rethink their strategy against the Central Powers. The Allies sought to elicit military support from a then neutral Italy. In exchange for opening a front in the Alps, Italy was promised substantial amounts land in Europe, Asia, …

A 1921 Japanese tourist map of Pyongyang, which they renamed Heijo. Library of Congress, Geography & Map Division.

North Korea’s Enigmatic Capital Pyongyang

Posted by: Ryan Moore

The North Korean capital city Pyongyang has both a storied and troubled history. Among the reasons it fascinates, plain curiosity rises to the top of list, because the North Korean government has largely closed off the country from the rest of world since the end of the Korean War in 1953. Correspondingly, accurate maps of …

Map of North Korea covered by text

North Korea Uncovered: The Crowd-Sourced Mapping of the World’s Most Secret State

Posted by: Ryan Moore

Today’s guest post is by Ryan Moore, a Cartographic Specialist in the Geography and Map Division. Mr. Moore earned a Master’s degree in History from Cleveland State University and a Master’s of Library Science from Kent State University. He is the chief editor and a contributor for the Division’s journal, The Occasional Papers. He teaches …