1943 Army Information Branch Newsmap Schematic of German Infantry

A curious 1943 World War II Newsmap prepared and distributed by the Army Orientation Course, set up by the Army Orientation Branch. This Newsmap was issued to educate American soldiers on German weapons and capabilities during the offensive drive northward through Italy.

A Closer Look

The World War II (1939 - 1945) view presents a hypothetical battlefield with U.S. troops attacking German units defending a ridgeline. The array of weapons available to the Germans is numbered in the view, corresponding to a list at bottom, which moves from close-quarters weapons like bayonets and pistols through rifles and machine guns to mortars and artillery. Information on each weapon type is provided, such as their range and rate of fire. This information was presented to U.S. troops during training to demonstrate the enemy's capabilities and develop effective countermeasures.

Historical Context

This Newsmap was most likely published in August 1943. U.S. and British troops had encountered the Afrika Korps in North Africa, an effective and well-led force but a small contingent compared to the regular Wehrmacht. However, in July 1943, the Allies invaded Sicily. This quick operation was followed by a more difficult slog up the Italian Peninsula, as Germans set up row after row of defensive lines cutting across the peninsula. It is thus no coincidence that the scene depicted here resembles the Italian countryside, with the Americans attacking uphill.

Publication History and Census

As noted in the margin, this Newsmap was printed by the Government Printing Office in 1943 for the Army Orientation Course. It also appeared on a two-sided Newsmap dated Monday, August 30, 1943 (Week of August 19 to August 26, 207th week of the war, 89th week of U.S. participation). The lack of content on the verso may indicate that it was an overseas edition of that particular Newsmap, but such overseas editions are generally marked as such. In any event, the two-sided Newsmap is noted among the holdings of some 15 institutions in the OCLC.