“Vincere!”

Description

It’s 1943 and the war is turning in favor of the Allies, but you wouldn’t know it when looking at this superb Italian propaganda map. The title says it all: “Vincere!” (“Win!”); the title box itself is flanked on either side by the Fascist motto and symbolism, and the three flags of the Tripartite Pact powers: the Kingdom of Italy, Nazi Germany, and the Empire of Japan.

The rest of the space is devoted to two theater of war maps, each with its own associated text. The top map presents the state of the conflict in Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. France is occupied, Poland is divided, and the Stalin Line has been overrun. The focus of the map is the inevitable German conquest of England, with large red arrows depicting the invasion and the British Isles surrounded by a prominent blockade.

The text accompanying this map runs along the left side. It gives basic information about Europe and includes the map’s legend. Interestingly, there is also a significant section devoted to the Suez Canal. In September 1940, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini sent Italian forces stationed in Libya to launch an invasion into British-held Egypt. One of its aims was the capture of the strategically important Suez Canal. The Italians were driven out by a British counter-offensive, and Axis forces would be unsuccessful there despite several attempts in the ensuing years.

The bottom map concerns the Empire of Japan and the theater of the war in the Pacific. Japanese strength is highlighted, with myriad flags illustrating its domination over Southeast Asia. The text on the right side of the map gives information about Japan and its war with America, the overall effect being to emphasize the global power of the Tripartite.

A rare and exceptional persuasive World War II map.