1972 Lazaro Abreu Cuban Anti-War Vietnam War Propaganda Map of Southeast Asia

This is a 1972 Lázaro Abreu Patrón and Organization of Solidarity of the Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America Vietnam War propaganda map of Southeast Asia decrying 'Nixon's Peace'. This likely refers to the Nixon administration launching Operation Linebacker II, a massive bombing campaign against North Vietnam in December 1972, as a way to force the North Vietnamese to remain at the negotiating table.

A Closer Look

This piece features a smiling (one could almost say gleeful) President Richard Nixon sitting on a B-52 bomber while holding a Nazi flag. A squadron of B-52s stretches into the distance and sticks of bombs fall from each aircraft. Red explosions stretch from Da Lat in the south north nearly to the Chinese border and also appear in Laos and Cambodia. Text in Spanish, French, English, and Arabic reading 'Nixon's Peace' occupies the lower right corner.

Historical Context

Published in 1972, this poster decries the violence of Operation Linebacker or Linebacker II, massive bombing campaigns conducted by the U.S. Air Force against targets in North Vietnam. Talk of a U.S. exit from Vietnam had begun in May 1972, with serious discussions beginning in October. Nixon used Operation Linebacker II in December 1972 to force the North Vietnamese to remain at the negotiating table and on January 15, 1973, Nixon announced a suspension of offensive actions. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, ending American involvement in Vietnam.

The Organization of Solidarity of the Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAAL)

The Organization of Solidarity of the Peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAAL) was founded in Havana, Cuba, in January 1966, following the Tricontinental Conference, a gathering of leaders from Asia, Africa, and Latin America that focused on anti-colonial and anti-imperial issues. OPSAAAL's stated purpose was to fight globalization, imperialism, neoliberalism, and to defend human rights. OSPAAAL formed relationships with international solidarity groups and trade unions and released statements concerning anti-colonial struggles. The organization strongly opposed the American War in Vietnam and President Richard Nixon's actions, calling him 'the unscrupulous assassin of millions of Vietnamese; he is as dangerous as the fascist Hitler of World War II'. Brightly colored propaganda posters were a central focus of many OSPAAAL campaigns from its founding until the mid-1980s, when ink shortages due to the U.S. embargo against Cuba and financial difficulties forced OSPAAAL to stop producing posters. Poster production was revived in 2000. OSPAAAL still operates today and still publishes TriContinental Magazine.

Publication History and Census

This map was created by Lázaro Abreu Patrón and published by the Organization of Solidarity with the people of Asia, Africa and Latin America (OSPAAL) in 1972. We note cataloged examples as being part of the collections at the Hoover Institution, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Oakland Museum of California, and the University of Kansas. It appears on the private market from time to time.