1943 Arabic Propaganda Poster, Axis Ships Sunk in Mediterranean

A vibrant c. 1943 chromolithographed Arabic-language propaganda poster, cheering the Allied war effort and celebrating the sinking of Axis ships in the Mediterranean.

A Closer Look

Displaying the 'Central Mediterranean,' running roughly from Genoa, Corsica, Sardinia, and Tunisia in the west to the coasts of Anatolia and northern Egypt in the east, this map details types of Axis ships (cruiser, destroyer, or supply ship) and their fate (sunk, damaged, or captured) according to the legend at top-right. U-boat losses are not included, perhaps because their number was unknown or due to wartime secrecy. Major countries, islands, and bodies of water are labeled throughout.

Battle of the Mediterranean

The Battle of the Mediterranean is the name given to the collective naval warfare operations that took place in that sea during the Second World War. Although less well-known than the large naval battles in the Pacific Theater, the Mediterranean nevertheless saw consistent warfare aimed particularly at degrading supply lines, including during the most acute period of fighting in the North Africa Campaign. The Kriegsmarine contributed dozens of vessels, including some 60 U-boats, to the fight over the course of the war, though roughly a third of these U-boats were sunk or damaged in trying to pass through the Straits of Gibraltar. Much of the fighting on the Axis side in the Mediterranean was undertaken by the Italian Regia Marina until the fall of Mussolini's government in 1943 (most of the French fleet, controlled by the Vichy government, was scuttled when the Germans tried to seize it in 1942). Particularly intense naval warfare occurred around Malta, the headquarters of the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography, sometimes called oleography, is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process involved using multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Oftentimes, the process would start with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors were layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired product. Chromolithograph color could also be effectively blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it emerged as the dominant method of color printing. The vivid color of chromolithography made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda imagery.

Publication History and Census

This poster was designed and printed by Chromoworks Ltd. in England. It is undated, but from context (the tonnage of Axis ships sunk), it likely dates to 1943, the year of the Armistice of Cassibile between the Allies and the Kingdom of Italy. The poster was printed in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, Dutch, Greek, and Arabic. These are all quite rare today, especially the non-English editions, and Arabic editions are only held by the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and the Imperial War Museum.