This map depicts what one map maker visualized the world looking like after the conclusion of World War Two. Maurice Gomberg hailed from Philadelphia, PA, “The City of Brotherly Love.” Him being an American puts a political spin on his projection because chances are he wanted to win the war, so any land that he gave or took away from varying countries on the map would coincide with the Allied forces, of which America was a member of. The map shows what countries would expand their territories after the war from the lost land of the losing countries i.e. the Axis Powers. The Axis powers were labeled as “quarantined states” and are outlined in a thick black border and were fostered into the neighboring territories. Other than borders and newfoundland, some details were given showing the Burma Road the Ural Mountains to expand the power of the Allies. They were significant functions during the war. Given the title, the map was created to show a “New World”, one without conflict or violence because the enemy would’ve been defeated in it’s entirety. “New World” gives way to the conspiracy theory of “The New World Order” which is a theory that all of the world reign would eventually come through one all powerful totalitarian government. In extinguishing its enemies and giving more power to already powerful countries, the name seems to fit.
During the presentation, we had asked a few questions that the class had answered.
Q: Why is it odd an American made a post war map prior to 1942?
A: America wasn’t directly involved in the war yet because this map was created before the attacks on Pearl Harbor which ultimately drew the US into the war, but this map was still produced as propaganda and foreshadowed which side the US would enter into upon entering the war. This showed an idea of what the world would look like compare to what it actually looked like at the time creating a difference between ideology and reality.
Q: How would you identify national identity and American power?
A: Looking at the map title, you can see who in the world is being regarded as a leading power in the New World Order of which the US was spearheading. Also, when looking a the map, the US has military outreach in the Pacific Ocean and serves as protection of those territories.
The class showed interest and input and came out with the same responses to the questions that we had originally predispositioned.
Team Members: Rong Bao & Noah Yuro
Instructor: Dr. Barney