Maurice Gomberg is either a nut or some kind of future predicting genius. Ever seen that octopus that has predicted every single Super Bowl victor since the 1980s? Yeah, he’s one of those.
No really. Hear us out on this one.
Maurice Gomberg made a map. “Post War New World Map” outlines the future state of affairs once World War Two comes to a close. Predictably, the United States comes out on top, while the evil Axis powers are crushed, and the USSR becomes increasingly larger. What was so interesting to discover was that the map wascreated in 1941. By an American cartographer. Before the United States had anything to do with World War Two. Nothing is known about Gomberg himself, except for the fact that he hails from Philadelphia. So this leaves analysts of his maps at a disadvantage. If society knew that Gomberg was a cartographer commissioned by the American Department of Defense, the map would be critiqued with a little more weight than if we discovered that Maurice was actually a fry cook at McDonald’s. Stripped of its author, the map instead becomes the site of many different interpretations.
At the foot of the map, one can find its inspiration: the “Four Freedom Speech” given by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. These four freedoms call for a global standard of freedom in speech and religion, an economic condition that is universally beneficial, and a stable political structure in which “war” is non-existent. From these points, Gomberg outlines 41 policies that will make this new world possible. But these policies call The conspicuous champion of World War II is, you guess it, the United States of America. Not only have we leaped from having 50 to now 80 states (encompassing all of Canada and Central America), but also we have what Gomberg calls “Peace-Security Bases” all over of the globe. All other countries have unified into nations, such as the “United States of South America” or the “Union of African Republic”, and they are completely demilitarized to ensure that no one (except the US of course) has any power to disrupt the global harmony.
One can argue that the map seems just a tad too idealistic. Is it possible that Gomberg intended for this map to be satire? Proponents of this theory turn to the imperialism bashing section of the map. The policy section of the map clearly calls for an end to the horrors of imperialism, while also giving the US, Great Britain, and the USSR highly imperialistic qualities. The ferocity with which Gomberg “defends” FDR’s four freedoms also seems satirical at a second glance. However, class discussion yielded an anti-satire argument as well: Gomberg’s map is so detailed that is it feasible that he would put so much work into it with the intention that it not be taken seriously? Food for thought.
Sincerely, S.M. Abel and D.R. Edmonds