World War 2 Pacific Arena persuasive map. Richard Edes Harrison for Fortune 1942
£230
SKU: P-7-019947
'A Fortune Map. "Pacific Arena"'
Describing the Pacific as the most difficult of the Second World War's Theatres "to conceive and visualise as a whole", Richard Edes Harrison deploys an orthographic projection in this 1942 "persuasive" map. Chosen for its ability to bridge the three-dimensional globe and flat maps, this projection clarifies the Pacific’s vast geography, and emphasizes strategic routes and distances. The map highlights the "great circle" route linking Tokyo, Dutch Harbor in Alaska, and Seattle, underscoring its importance for supply lines and offensives. Harrison highlights the "great geopolitcal logic" of the protective barrier afforded to Japan by its territorial gains, which shield it from attacks on multiple fronts, including China, Siberia, and Alaska, while launching offensives against Japan, particularly from distant Australian bases, was logistically challenging due to vast distances. For the United States, in Harrison's view, the map underscores the strategic necessity of securing northern and Arctic routes to counter Japan’s defenses. He critiques the Mercator projection, which distorts polar regions, as unsuitable for global strategy. This map served as both a strategic wartime tool and a critique of conventional cartography, illustrating the Pacific’s pivotal role in World War II and the logistical complexities of the Allied fight against Japan.
Size 54 x 68 cm | 21.5 x 27.0 inches
Date Published: 1942
Type: Vintage colour map
Author: Harrison, Richard Edes
Publication: Fortune Magazine
Condition: Good |
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