Newsmap

Newsmap was a large, two-sided poster issued to the American military during World War II. It was designed to inform and boost the morale of the troops. It wasn’t a map in the traditional sense, though it often used maps as part of its layout. Instead, the Newsmap presented an assortment of news, photographs, maps, and graphics detailing the current state of the war and other related topics. The information was curated to provide soldiers with a broad overview of recent events both on the home front and in various theaters of war.

Produced by the Special Service Division of the U.S. War Department, the Newsmap was distributed weekly from 1942 to 1946. Each edition was tailored to the particular location and audience it was intended for, with different versions created for troops stationed domestically, abroad, and in specific theaters of operation.

The visual-heavy design of Newsmap made it easily digestible, and its format allowed it to be pinned up in barracks, hung in common areas, or spread out for group viewing. Through this medium, troops were kept informed about the broader context of the war they were fighting, reinforcing unity and purpose among the servicemen.