1943 F. Donald Blake Pictorial Propaganda Map Europe during World War II

This is a 1943 F. Donald Blake French-language pictorial propaganda map of Great Britain and continental Europe at the height of World War II (1939 - 1945). The map's message is clear: the tide of war has turned, and British RAF forces are taking a heavy toll on Nazi-dominated Europe.

A Closer Look

Coverange embraces the British Isles and continental Europe from Ireland to Danzig. Royal Air Force bring destruction to Nazi Europe, bombing factories, airfields, railroads, bridges, and cities. Cities and war infrastructure throughout are in flames, but Paris remains unharmed. An inset along the bottom border focuses on northern Italy, where Turin, Milan, and Genoa burn. Meanwhile, in Britain, factories build tanks, airplanes, ships, and artillery. Coastal batteries guard the British coast, and the air defense fleet fans across the North Sea, the Atlantic, and the English Channel. Convoys of aid from the U.S. and Canada arrive in Britain from the upper left. At this point in the war, Britain had become the fer de lance de l'attaque [spearhead of attack].

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by Frederick Donald Blake and published in 1943. We note cataloged examples of the present edition as being part of Persuasive Maps: The PJ Mode Collection at Cornell University and the Princeton University Poster Collection at the National Museum of American History. The National Museum of American History also holds editions published in Italian, Arabic, and Persian. An English edition was also published. All editions are rare to the market.