EXAMPLE: Japan Ports of Greatest Shipping Activity 1934
Item
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Title
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EXAMPLE: Japan Ports of Greatest Shipping Activity 1934
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Description
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This colored map was produced by the OSS Research and Analysis Branch on September 1, 1945, and measures 42 × 31 cm. It vividly depicts Japan’s four main islands with carefully rendered geographic outlines, overlaid with circular pie charts that indicate shipping capacity at various ports. The map summarizes Japan’s 1934 port capacity by focusing on the gross shipping tonnage handled at key ports. It emphasizes a dramatic concentration of shipping activity along the western half of the Inland Sea, highlighting ports such as Moji, Kobe, Osaka, Shimonoseki, and Yokohama. Notably, the map omits any reference to Japan’s colonial empire—a significant exclusion considering the era’s aggressive imperial expansion and growing militarism. The pie charts, based on the British Moorsom system, offer insights into the maritime capabilities of these ports, reflecting the robustness of Japan’s shipping industry. Produced as Japan was transitioning from imperial ambitions to occupation, the map represents an critical moment in maritime history and remains a valuable document for understanding both Japan’s domestic infrastructure and its broader geopolitical context.
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Date
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September 1, 1945
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Contributor
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Cynthia Leng
Sarah Calhoun
Em Palencia
Ports