Keep this map! It shows the theatre of war (1939)

This map by Charles H. Owens appeared in the Los Angeles Times on 10 September 1939, just over a week after Germany invaded Poland and World War II began.

The representation does not show Germany's advances in the early days, but rather the situation in Europe in general, highlighting what many experts at the time considered key to the future of the conflict:

Multiple areas on the map are marked as strategic for the conduct of the war:
- Suez Canal.
- Dardanelles Strait.
- Malta, as it is a British military base.
- Tolón, as the base of the French navy.
- Gibraltar, as it is the base from which the United Kingdom controls the Mediterranean Sea.
- Kiel Canal.
- The Polish runner.
Czechoslovakia and Austria no longer appear as independent countries, but as a natural part of Germany.
The lower left corner of the map highlights the possibility that the Germans had a secret base in the Canary Islands, which would explain the presence of German submarines throughout the Atlantic Ocean.
Ceuta is marked as the city from which Germany could be controlling the Strait of Gibraltar.
Russia appears with a note highlighting its great access to resources and soldiers, but it is also noted that there is a non-aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin that could be key.
Three lines are drawn from Berlin showing the distance by air to Warsaw, Paris and London, which is considered important due to the possibility of bombing.
The maritime blockade established by the United Kingdom in the North Sea, the English Channel, the Skagerrak Strait and between Scotland and Norway is highlighted.
Norway, Sweden and Russia are identified as the key countries for supplying resources to Germany, including food, iron, steel and nitrates.
An arrow appears in the Skagerrak Strait, marking the possible route for the United Kingdom to liberate the city of Danzig.