1945 U.S. Army Map of the Philippines and the Philippine Campaign

Thematic map illustrating the events of the WWII Philippines Campaign of 1945.

This is an unusual 1945 thematic map of the Philippine Islands illustrating the events of the Philippine Campaign (1944 - 1945) during World War II. It is related to other World War II era unit route maps, but, given the differences in geography between the Philippine Archipelago and Western Europe, the movements of the Sixth Army and the Eighth Army are illustrated in a much different way.

A Closer Look

The map depicts the entirety of the Philippine archipelago with sinuous arrows indicating military activity. Blue arrows indicate operations undertaken by the Eighth Army, while green arrows highlight the operations of the Sixth Army, and little parachute drawings in either color represent airborne landing sites. The arrows are dated and U.S. Army map notations are used to identify specific divisions and regimental combat teams that undertook each action.

The Philippine Campaign

Launched on October 20, 1944, the Philippine Campaign was a joint American and Filipino military operation intended to liberate the Philippine Islands from occupying Imperial Japanese forces. The Japanese Army overran most of the Philippines during the first half of 1942 and occupied the country for the following 2 years. American General Douglas MacArthur began the campaign by announcing on Philippine radio 'This is the Voice of Freedom, General MacArthur speaking. People of the Philippines: I have returned.' The campaign progressed rapidly, driving the Japanese out of one island after another. Although by this time the Japanese were clearly losing the war, they gave no sign of capitulation and refused to surrender. During the campaign, Japan suffered nearly half a million casualties compared to only about 50,000 American casualties. The campaign continued until Japanese forces in the Philippines were ordered to surrender by Tokyo on August 15, 1945, after the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Publication History and Census

Three editions of this map were published in 1945 by the 67th Engineer Topographical Company in the South West Pacific Area. The present edition is unattributed and published using a 'Philippine Islands Sketch Map'. This sketch map provided much more geographic information, including some topographic information, than the base map used for the other edition. We are aware of one other example of the present edition. An edition that uses the same base map but does not include the title 'Philippine Islands Sketch Map' is part of the collection of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University. The third edition (which in our experience is more prevalent) was compiled by Sgt. James E. Applegate, designed by Sgt. Clyde J. Singer, and printed by the 67th Engineer Topo Company, SWPA (South West Pacific Area) in 1945.

Condition

Excellent. Light wear along original fold lines.

References

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library 11hd 1945D.

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