1941 Imperial Japanese Survey WWII Map of the Philippines (after invasion)

A rare large-format World War II era 1941 Japanese map of the Philippines and Northern Borneo issued just months before the Japanese invasion (December 7, 1941). The map was issued by the General Staff Headquarters (参謀本部) of the Japanese Imperial Land Survey Office (陸地測量部). Cartographically, the map's focus is on topography and transportation networks, noting roads, railroad routes, and shipping lanes while at the same time emphasizing the archipelago's rugged topography. The focus of the map is on aviation - which is why, other than transportation networks, the map is minimalist.

The Japanese Strategy in the Philippines

The capture and control of the Philippines was vital to the success of Japanese plans to dominate the Pacific. Not only was the archipelago rich in natural resources, including rubber, oil, mineral resources, and wood, it was also centrally located and well positioned for expansion into the East Indies. Moreover, wresting control of the Philippines from the United States would have effectively undermined the American ability to wage war in the region. The Japanese invasion of the Philippines commenced on December 8, 1941, one day after the December 7th, 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. While Japanese forces advanced quickly through the archipelago, like the Spanish before them, they promptly discovered that the hundreds of islands and limited infrastructure made the Philippines almost impossible to fully control. Nonetheless, the Japanese maintained a tenuous control of most of the Philippine Islands until 1944, when the U.S. led Allied Forces began an aggressive and bloody campaign to retake the islands. Allied forces successfully drove the Japanese out of the Philippines in 1945.

Publication History and Census

This rare map of the was issued by the General Staff Headquarters (参謀本部) of the Japanese Imperial Land Survey Office (陸地測量部) on August 16, Showa 16, or 1941. We are aware of just one other example.