Description

RARE collectible original-colour pictorial map printed in a newspaper broadsheet, “Pacific Island Stepping Stones to
Japan” issued by the Chicago Daily Tribune on September 28, 1944. It features detailed depictions of the Palau Islands, Guam, and Saipan, with an inset location map situating them within the wider Pacific and specially showing the Philippines as one of the main target areas for the Allied’s Recovery of Territory. Published during World War II, shortly after U.S. and Allied landings in the Marianas and Palau, the map reflects the Allied “island-hopping” strategy—capturing strategically important islands while bypassing heavily fortified positions to establish forward bases and advance toward Japan. [The National WWII Museum, New Orleans]. Verso includes articles, cartoons, and an ad for Mary Meade, home economics editor of the Tribune. As a tangible artifact from the era, it provides a direct connection to the events of World War II, making it a valuable addition to any collection of vintage newspapers or military memorabilia.