One volume containing 6 months of 25 double-sided color-printed informational posters published by the United States War Department, each poster folded once. Folio (18 x 15 7/8 inches, posters open to 18 x 23 1/2 inches). Cloth with gold-stamped title to front cover, posters mounted along left edge on paper stubs and separated by tissue paper guards. Some wear to binding, abrasions, a few small areas of cloth loss along right edge of front cover, old glue stain to front cover, posters with very minor soiling, toning, and general handling wear, overall very good. [Sydney, Australia]: Information and Education Section, United States Army Forces in the Far East, January-June 1944. Ink inscription "Lt. Col. Frank G. Clark Jr." to inside front cover.

During World War II and into the immediate post-war period, the US War Department published hundreds of weekly Newsmaps for distribution to the military, industrial centers, and political leaders. Each "newsmap" is a double-sided poster-sized sheet featuring maps, photographs of recent battles and campaigns, educational information, and infographics. The posters are colorful, with striking graphic design and interesting typography, and would have been effective methods of transmitting information and propaganda.

Although single newsmaps are not particularly scarce, this bound collection is much more unusual. It consists of a sequential run of 6 months of the newsmaps distributed by the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), in Sydney, Australia. According to our research, this command was first created in 1941 and consisted primarily of divisions of the Philippine Army, with a mixture of American units, all under the command of General MacArthur. It was reconstituted in Australia in 1943 with overall responsibility for execution of the campaign in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). The USAFFE was responsible for, among other thing, the invasion and recapture of the Philippines in 1944 and 1945. Many of these SWPA newsmaps are similar to or even copies of posters published stateside by the War Department. While they do cover events in all theaters of the war, generally at least half of the coverage on these particular newsmaps is dedicated to events in the Southwest Pacific. The first issue from this collection reads, "This is the first issue of the new SWPA NEWSMAP. NEWSMAP will be issued weekly, will carry news of the war in words, maps and pictures. It is designed to be posted on bulletin boards, or wherever a flat surface is available. Next week, turn this side over. There is a story on the reverse side." Some of the headlines ead as follows: "6 Fronts Face Japan"; "G.I. Lightning Hits Rabaul"; "No Rest for the Axis"; "Marshalls Invaded"; "Huon Peninsula Ours"; "New Woes for Tojo!"; "Japs' Bismarck Bases Doomed"; "End of Bismarck Campaign in Sight"; "Aussies and Yanks Close In on Bogadjim"; "SWPA Record Air Strike"; "We Invade Dutch New Guinea"; "Ground Troops Seize Wakde"; "The Battle of Mokmer Ridge"; "Allied Armies in World-Wide Offensive"; and many others. The educational posters from this collection of newsmaps cover topics including: "The Road Home: You can shorten it by Avoiding MALARIA"; "Lincoln Said It Best"; "The Aussies in New Guinea"; "Target Berlin"; "Battle Areas of Europe"; "What Would YOU Like to Study?"; "How Information Gets to the Enemy"; "Jap Army Uniforms"; "Malaria: Tojo's Silent Partner"; "Pilferage is Sabotage"; "WACS in SWPA"; and "Air Reconnaissance Helps to Win Battles". A visually stunning and historically invaluable collection; scarce institutionally. The first 25 out of 67 total Newsmaps published by the USAFFE between January 13, 1944 and April 13, 1945.

Book ID: 53496

Price: $9,500.00