WW2 poster on concentration camp atrocities & war map declaring German surrender

$ 66.0

Series: Progress of the war Publisher: Army Services Forces and Navy Educational Service Section Country: United States Publication Name: Newsmap for the Armed Forces City: Washington DC Item Weight: 3-4 ounces Language: English Features: Folding Map, Illustrated, Poster Subject: World War 2 Item Height: 1 sheet of poster paper Author: US Army Information Branch Item Width: 34.5 inches Region: Europe Type: War information map and poster Number of Pages: 1 Publication Year: 1945 Map Scale: Varies: battle, campaign, region, continent, globe Country/Region of Manufacture: United States Item Length: 46.5 inches Personalized: No Format: Fold out poster and map

Description

This poster is the only one we are aware of that conveyed the horror of the concentration camps that were revealed by the Allied advance. There was as yet not a full understanding of the holocaust genocide, but these photos were a terrible shock for the soldiers and civilian population. They served to underscore the ideological nature of the war, and also to prepare the soldiers and their families for the unfinished business. That unfinished business was not the occupation of Europe but the unconcluded war against Japan. The war map declares victory in Europe but doesn't really celebrate it. The massive arrow implies the shift of focus, men, and resources toward the Japanese theater. All in all, this is one of the most dramatic poster and map combinations of the war. It is a one-of-a-kind item whose rarity is matched by its excellent condition.