Talking about plans (1944)

This map, created by the Nazi Party, was dropped as a leaflet on American troops during the Battle of Montecassino in May 1944.

American troops began their invasion of the Italian peninsula at Salerno in September 1943. By the end of May 1944, the troops had only reached Montecassino, where they had been stuck since the battle began in January of that year.

This propaganda pamphlet questions the slow progress of the southern offensive. As the map shows, in eight months they had barely advanced 123 kilometres. Extrapolating that speed, according to the skeleton's calculations, the Allied troops would not reach Berlin until 1952.

The aim was to sow doubt among American soldiers, to the point where they would question whether it was really worth fighting for so many years. This pamphlet alone may seem naive, but it was part of a larger strategy that included, among other things, radio programmes featuring American women who played on homesickness by talking about everything the soldiers were missing by being away from their country and their families.

You can find more information about this type of propaganda in this article on leaflets.

Sources

• Speaking of Timetables