Jap Drive into India perils entire Allied strategy in Pacific

Los Angeles.: Los Angeles Examiner.. April 31944.. Colour pictorial map on a single newspaper leaf 37 x 50 cms; 41.5 x 54.6 cms (sheet), unrelated text on the verso (although with an interesting account from a soldier's letter about an air raid in China), toning, more marked at the central fold (two small splits, no loss to the map), edge wear with several small marginal edge tears neatly repaired on the verso with archival washi (map unaffected), in good condition. A dynamic map prepared and illustrated by the Examiner's art critic and editor Howard Burke, covering the area surrounding India and Central Asia showing Japanese conquered territory in Malaya, Thailand, Indo-China and Burma; and in India British-controlled states and native feudal and protected states.

Text boxes and pictographs give an overview of the geopolitical situation, from the Allied perspective. One box notes "Chanda Bose has many adherents and fanatical followers in Bengal. They may prove to be a powerful fifth column in India". Text at lower edge opines "The situation in India is critical and has grown more so as the all-out offensive against Japan has been delayed. If the Allies do not act at once, and with great force, all our gains may be wiped out and the war in the Pacific prolonged indefinitely."

The decisive and devastating bombings that were to signal such an end were four months away.

Rare on the market. .