Comments on: (Nearly) a century of circles http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/ Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:25:56 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-113396 Brett Holman Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:53:06 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-113396 I think you're right. From Pyongyang to Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei is not far short of 4000km. From Pyongyang to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy in the opposite direction is a thousand km shorter, yet both cities are roughly on the edge of the circle. But I'd say ignorance was the cause here -- I can't see any political advantage to be gained from a distortion (since the mapmaker was trying to scare more people rather than less). I think you’re right. From Pyongyang to Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei is not far short of 4000km. From Pyongyang to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy in the opposite direction is a thousand km shorter, yet both cities are roughly on the edge of the circle. But I’d say ignorance was the cause here — I can’t see any political advantage to be gained from a distortion (since the mapmaker was trying to scare more people rather than less).

]]> By: Californian http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-112590 Californian Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:42:25 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-112590 The Korean missile threat map is grossly distorted. It uses the antiquated Mercator projection, and I cannot help but wonder if the missiles could actually reach the Philippines, and if so, shouldn't the circle encompass the Arctic Ocean coast? The Korean missile threat map is grossly distorted. It uses the antiquated Mercator projection, and I cannot help but wonder if the missiles could actually reach the Philippines, and if so, shouldn’t the circle encompass the Arctic Ocean coast?

]]> By: 265 - Olympic Rings of Fear: Japan’s Air Raid Angst (1938) « Strange Maps http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-72750 265 - Olympic Rings of Fear: Japan’s Air Raid Angst (1938) « Strange Maps Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:20:36 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-72750 [...] From one niche blog to another, passing by like (air)ships in the night: good-bye and good luck! This post (a follow-up of a previous post about air raid posters) has this Japanese poster, and several [...] [...] From one niche blog to another, passing by like (air)ships in the night: good-bye and good luck! This post (a follow-up of a previous post about air raid posters) has this Japanese poster, and several [...]

]]> By: Airminded · Ein kleinstaat bedroht Deutschland http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-31771 Airminded · Ein kleinstaat bedroht Deutschland Fri, 05 Jan 2007 08:49:32 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-31771 [...] The provenance of the map is not clear — it’s labelled in German “A small state threatens Germany”, but under that is another label in English explaining that it was ‘published in Germany in 1934 to create fear of Czech bombing’, so who knows when or where it was published in English, or even if it was ever actually published in German. My guesses would be 1938-40, a British newspaper, and yes, but the online source, again at the British Library, doesn’t say and the accompanying video stream (by Stephen Dorril) seems to have disappeared. Anyway, plotting the range of aircraft in order to demonstrate the threat of bombing was common enough by this time, as I’ve previously discussed. [...] [...] The provenance of the map is not clear — it’s labelled in German “A small state threatens Germany”, but under that is another label in English explaining that it was ‘published in Germany in 1934 to create fear of Czech bombing’, so who knows when or where it was published in English, or even if it was ever actually published in German. My guesses would be 1938-40, a British newspaper, and yes, but the online source, again at the British Library, doesn’t say and the accompanying video stream (by Stephen Dorril) seems to have disappeared. Anyway, plotting the range of aircraft in order to demonstrate the threat of bombing was common enough by this time, as I’ve previously discussed. [...]

]]> By: Christine Keeler http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-16827 Christine Keeler Thu, 14 Dec 2006 09:40:22 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-16827 Well it just goes to show, doesn't it. All that unpleasantness between 1937-45 could have been avoided if only they'd had their eye on the real threats from Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Anguirus, Gorosaurus, Kumonga, Minilla, Baragon, Manda, and Varan. Well it just goes to show, doesn’t it. All that unpleasantness between 1937-45 could have been avoided if only they’d had their eye on the real threats from Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, Anguirus, Gorosaurus, Kumonga, Minilla, Baragon, Manda, and Varan.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-16039 Brett Holman Thu, 14 Dec 2006 02:59:07 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-16039 Thanks, Rick! I think I did look in my atlas for any islands there, but it must be too crappy to show the Bonins. It does undercut the urgency somewhat, since they were Japanese possessions and so couldn't be used immediately to attack Japan. Doing some googling, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichi-jima" rel="nofollow">Chichi-jima</a> is indeed "Father Island" and one of the Bonins, which it turns out are also called the Ogasawara Islands, AKA <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsterland_and_Monster_Island" rel="nofollow">Monster Island</a>! Thanks, Rick! I think I did look in my atlas for any islands there, but it must be too crappy to show the Bonins. It does undercut the urgency somewhat, since they were Japanese possessions and so couldn’t be used immediately to attack Japan.

Doing some googling, Chichi-jima is indeed “Father Island” and one of the Bonins, which it turns out are also called the Ogasawara Islands, AKA Monster Island!

]]> By: Rick Westera http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-15675 Rick Westera Wed, 13 Dec 2006 23:41:00 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-15675 The blue circle on the Japanese map is not from a carrier borne plane but presumably outlines the danger a loss of the Bonin Islands would create. The kanji reads "Father Island" (Fudao in Chinese, but I'm uncertain as to the Japanese - something-jima, probably Chichijima (though definitely not Iwo jima!)) The blue circle on the Japanese map is not from a carrier borne plane but presumably outlines the danger a loss of the Bonin Islands would create. The kanji reads “Father Island” (Fudao in Chinese, but I’m uncertain as to the Japanese – something-jima, probably Chichijima (though definitely not Iwo jima!))

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-348 Brett Holman Thu, 16 Feb 2006 10:45:44 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-348 Yes, the Japanese poster could definitely be used to suggest that -- though I couldn't be sure without learning Japanese :) The originating website seems to suggest that the posters had something to do with the Japanese Red Cross, so perhaps it was simply meant to convince civilians to take the threat of air attack seriously. On the perceived Polish threat to Germany, you might be interested in an <a href="http://airminded.org/2005/11/22/is-that-war/" rel="nofollow">earlier post</a> I wrote, though it's about the days just after the war started. Yes, the Japanese poster could definitely be used to suggest that — though I couldn’t be sure without learning Japanese :) The originating website seems to suggest that the posters had something to do with the Japanese Red Cross, so perhaps it was simply meant to convince civilians to take the threat of air attack seriously.

On the perceived Polish threat to Germany, you might be interested in an earlier post I wrote, though it’s about the days just after the war started.

]]> By: Paul Gilster http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-347 Paul Gilster Wed, 15 Feb 2006 20:14:15 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-347 Yes, I think the psychology is quite potent. It's interesting to consider the Japanese perspective in this era -- the poster seems to be building the case that an expansionist Japan is the only alternative to blackmail from foreign powers whose bombers are within range. I'd be curious as to whether there are any German posters like this from the 1938 period. There was considerable talk at the time of the 'threat' from Poland, later used to justify the attack in September of '39. Yes, I think the psychology is quite potent. It’s interesting to consider the Japanese perspective in this era — the poster seems to be building the case that an expansionist Japan is the only alternative to blackmail from foreign powers whose bombers are within range. I’d be curious as to whether there are any German posters like this from the 1938 period. There was considerable talk at the time of the ‘threat’ from Poland, later used to justify the attack in September of ‘39.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/comment-page-1/#comment-346 Brett Holman Wed, 15 Feb 2006 07:55:39 +0000 http://airminded.org/2006/02/15/nearly-a-century-of-circles/#comment-346 I apologise for any mental anguish I may have caused! But that's interesting; it shows that beyond their pure informational value, these sorts of maps can have a psychological effect, which is why they are useful for propaganda (and why else would such a map be entitled 'The black shadow of the airship'?) I apologise for any mental anguish I may have caused! But that’s interesting; it shows that beyond their pure informational value, these sorts of maps can have a psychological effect, which is why they are useful for propaganda (and why else would such a map be entitled ‘The black shadow of the airship’?)

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