Towards a New World Order, Part 2 (1940)

This map first appeared in a 1940 edition of the Japanese magazine Comrades and students on the front line, in the context of the Second World War.

Through various articles, this magazine sought to impose a persuasive narrative on young people, so that they would perceive the expansionist attitude of the Japanese Empire and the sacrifices of the army in a positive light.

This map, in particular, shows the situation of the Second World War in the area furthest from Japan. The illustration places special emphasis on praising the advances of Nazi Germany, both on the map itself, with the various arrows showing its progress, and at the bottom, where the images detail the German conquests from right to left: Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, France and the United Kingdom with a question mark.

American support for the United Kingdom is also clearly shown, with an arrow loaded with all kinds of weaponry, in an attempt to question the supposed neutrality of the United States. The red dot in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean refers to the presence of German submarines in its waters, implying that the aid that can be provided is limited.

In this article You can read in detail about the propaganda strategies used in the Japanese education system during the Second World War.