Original Item: Only One Available. All Newsmap (posters) were dated on Mondays. The front of each poster depicts the progress of fighting on the war fronts. The reverse side is typically a poster on a war-related topic. This Newsmap poster is dated for Monday February 15, 1943. The war related topic during that week was “German Army Uniforms And Insignia” and the reverse side of this poster shows illustrations on two different uniform types; 2nd Lieutenant Artillery Field Uniform and Lance Corporal Afrika Korps Uniform.

This double-sided 48” x 36” poster shows German Army Uniforms and Insignia. The two examples of uniforms are an Artillery Officer and an Afrika Korps Lance Corporal. To the left of the German officer there are examples of Commissioned Officer Collar Tabs with Shoulder Straps listed below them, all with illustrations. To the right of the Lance Corporal you will find the same illustration style as the Officers, Collar Tabs and Shoulder Straps. In the center of the poster and along the top is Headgear examples with National Emblems in the center including helmet decals. Below the National Emblems section you will find examples titled “Additional Rank Insignia” with illustrations depicting a Sergeant all the way to a Field Marshall.

The newsmap side is Volume 1, No. 43, for the week of February 5 to February 15, 1943. Below the world map there are paragraphs and sections giving updates on the ongoing campaigns that are already underway. They talk about Command briefings and updates, The Solomons, North Africa, New Guinea and Russia. There are also pictures located throughout showing soldiers in these locations as well as a water supply for the 8th Army in Africa.

This is truly an incredible piece of history. Comes ready to display!

"Newsmap" was a weekly issuance by the U.S. Army, distributed to members of the military to provide news about the progress of World War II. Each measuring 36 by 48 inches. Each issue generally had information on the obverse and reverse sides. They featured text, photographs, illustrations, and maps. The reverse is usually a poster. The publications were designed for posting on bulletin boards or other display areas. The obverse side would have been displayed during the week the publication was issued and on the following week the back was displayed.

The Army produced several versions of Newsmaps. The large posters such as this example were distributed to military installations in the United States. Smaller versions were sent to units overseas. An industrial version was also published for display in war production facilities. The production ran from April 1942 until March 1946.

At the beginning of the program these large, two-sided posters were meant to provide American servicemembers with news on the progress of the war in the various theaters of conflict and expose them to information on both enemy and friendly equipment and tactics.

In 1943, many posters had short snippets of wartime news with accompanying photographs and maps on one side, and a large map of a region or nation on the reverse. Others had full-size advertisements or lay-outs on one side. Later the scope of the content of the newsmaps changed, from strategic and tactical war material to information looking forward beyond the war, such as information about the GI Bill, post-military life, U.S. occupation policies, and other matters of interest and importance that would occur after the war, related to the World War II fight and those who fought it at home and abroad.

Among the events highlighted in the publications are raids on the Japanese mainland, air offensives in 1943, Allied action in Italy, and Soviet Union action on the Eastern front. They also included Information on how to prevent disease, how to avoid unexploded ordnance and display of the layout of a German infantry regiment. Examples of some of the posters are "Know Your Enemies: The NSDAP Army", "Italian Navy Uniforms and Insignia", "Learn to Recognize These Vehicles", and "That Home of Your Own May Be Just a Dream Now...But It's a Dream that Can Come True if You'll Save Some of Your Hard Earned Pay!"

The volume one and two issues were prepared by the Army Orientation Course, Special Service Division, Army Service Forces. The volumes three, four, and five issues were prepared by the Army Information Branch, Army Service Forces.