1940 LIFE Magazine Map of an Ideal Nazi Invasion of the United Kingdom

Speculating a WWII Nazi invasion of the United Kingdom.

Published in mid-July 1940, less than a month after France signed an armistice with Germany, this 1940 LIFE Magazine map of England speculates on how a Nazi invasion of the United Kingdom might unfold. Although the present map is speculative, in July 1940, the prospect of a German invasion of England was feared as not just possible, but inevitable.

A Closer Look - The Ideal Fictional Invasion

LIFE detailing British defenses, this map imagines how such an invasion would unfold. Aerial attacks come from all sides: from Ireland, France, Scandinavia, and Germany. Paratroopers land in several places across the United Kingdom. The German Navy blockades both entrances to the English Channel with mines and submarines. Speedboats clear the way for the cross-Channel amphibious invasion, with the invading forces following behind on gigantic barges. The only British defense illustrated here is a phalanx of barrage balloons encircling London. While this feels fanciful, in the summer of 1940, after France fell to Germany in six weeks, such an invasion was widely feared and expected.

The Real History

In the summer of 1940, after France signed an armistice with Nazi Germany on June 22, 1940, the world began to speculate about when the Nazis would invade England. Only a few months later, on September 7, 1940, the Battle of Britain began in the skies over the United Kingdom. The Battle of Britain raged until May 16, 1941, eight months of daylight and nighttime bombing raids by the German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, which the Royal Air Force and anti-aircraft defenses repelled the attacks as best they could; more than 40,000 British civilians died in the bombing raids. The morale of the British public never wavered, and the bombing raids forced British industry to disperse the production of key war materials (aircraft, spare parts, etc.). The British never relinquished air superiority over the United Kingdom, which made it impossible for Germany to invade the United Kingdom successfully. In response, Nazi Germany turned its eyes east, to the Soviet Union. A decision that, in hindsight, sealed its defeat.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by an unknown artist and originally published as an illustration for an article in the July 15, 1940, issue of LIFE Magazine. Some examples of this map were issued with a pastedown with the text 'Enlargement of Original Map Drawn for Life' in the upper-right corner. We note a cataloged example with the pastedown in the upper-right corner in OCLC, which is part of the collection at the University of Washington. Another example with the pastedown has appeared on the private market. This is the only known cataloged example without the pastedown.

Condition

Very good. Light wear along original fold lines.

References

'The Defense of Britain Rouses its People for a Life-And-Death Fight', LIFE MagazineVol 9, No. 3. July 15, 1940. OCLC 1102677858.