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Propaganda Maps to Strike Fear, Inform, and Mobilize – A Special Collection in the Geography and Map Division

Posted by: Ryan Moore

Filled with heavy topics of war and occupation, War map: pictorial and propaganda map collection 1900-1950 contains maps and messages that frequently are pointed, unapologetic, and echo the anger and desperation of nations at war. The collection of 180 maps typifies how cartographs were used to influence popular opinion and garner support for military and political efforts …

Detail of coastal map with topography and military installations.

The Secret Maps of World War II Admiral Morton L. Deyo

Posted by: Ryan Moore

The Geography and Map Division has processed the map collection of an American vice admiral who served in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II. The Morton L. Deyo World War II map collection consists of maps related to Deyo’s role as a naval task force commander, and these once secret materials show …

Karachi Tramways (Kurrachee) Province of Scinde, India, no date. Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.

From Minor Village to World Metropolis: Karachi in Maps

Posted by: Ryan Moore

The former capital of Pakistan, Karachi is the most populous city in the country and the third most populous in the world. Before it was Karachi, the place was called Kolachi, a small village on the Arabian Sea. Kolachi was the surname of the founding fisher-woman, Lady Kolachi, according to local lore. The transformation from …

Inset map depicting the French Indochina administrative zones including Hue. OSS. Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.

U.S. Military Maps of Hue, Vietnam

Posted by: Ryan Moore

Hue is a city in central Vietnam, which most Americans may know from the 1968 Battle of Hue, one of the longest and bloodiest battles in the Vietnam War. However, less is known about America’s involvement with the city during World War II. This blog post will present an American military intelligence map from each …

Detail of Lincoln Highway from Omaha to Chicago and Philadelphia, about 1921. Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.

1920s Road Trip: The Lincoln Highway in Strip Maps

Posted by: Ryan Moore

The “strip maps” published by the Automobile Club of Southern California are considered a collector’s item in some circles of map enthusiasts. Strip maps once helped drivers navigate major routes and often included a list of “approved” hotels, restaurants, and auto repair stations. Their name likely stems from the narrow rectangular paper strip upon which …

Photomosaic map of Italian coast at Gulf of Salerno noting Axis defense positions and coastal features.

Photomosaic Maps of the Allied Invasion of Italy

Posted by: Ryan Moore

In World War II, the Allies opened an offensive against Fascist Italy in 1943 after successfully defeating German and Italian forces in North Africa. The Allies first captured Sicily and then launched Operation Avalanche, a plan devised to seize the port of Naples, thus ensuring the Allies could resupply, and then to cut across to …

Map of distribution of Japanese Nationals in the Americas, with data by country

FBI Maps of Japanese Nationals and Economic Interests in the 1930s

Posted by: Ryan Moore

Following World War I, the United States and the Empire of Japan competed for power and prestige in Southeast Asia. Both nations had secured islands from the defeated German Empire in the South Pacific and had established interests elsewhere in Asia, such as the Japanese occupation of Korea and Manchuria and the American presence in …