1938 Sparland Braodsheet Pictorial Map of Africa

This is a 1938 Sparland pictorial map of Africa relating to events leading up to World War II. The map depicts the continent of Africa from the Mediterranean Sea to the Cape of Good Hope and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Peninsula. Published just before the outbreak of World War II, the tension engulfing Europe has spread to the African continent. Europe's coming war will be fought in the colonies as well, with Italy's grand desire for Empire playing a key role in the upcoming hostilities. Germany, which was forced to forfeit its colonial territories in Africa following World War I, also demanded the return of its former colonies from Britain and France. The information included above the map concisely summarizes the current state of international relations and states that no one, other than Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler know whether diplomatic solutions (now called appeasement) would be able to avoid war.

A highly informative map, each colony is labeled and the European power currently ruling each colony is also included in parentheses. Former German colonies are labeled with swastikas. Cities across the continent, including Algiers, Casablanca, Alexandria, Cairo, Tripoli, Addis Ababa, Brazzaville, and Cape Town are labeled, while mineral deposits and other natural resources (one of the main attractions for European colonialism in Africa) are highlighted throughout. Illustrations of African animals, such as hippos, elephants, lions, and ostriches, are included, along with numerous captions explaining different aspects of the current situation on the continent.

This map was drawn by O. Sparland and, although the publisher is not immediately apparent, we think it was published by the Knickerbocker News of Albany, New York. We have been unable to locate any other known examples.