Today's moment of WTH? -- A late 1980s Soviet map of DFW

[Blue_Tires]

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. I've seen one for DC too. The link was from DCist.com.

I'll look for it.

ETA: here you go.

Note: Architect of the Capital, not Architect of the Capitol. The latter is a government office. The former is a website.

AUGUST 21, 2016

Hyper Detailed Soviet Maps Of Washington

By Elliot Carter

This detailed map of Washington, DC was compiled by a secret USSR mapmaking program during the Cold War. Wired published an amazing 6,000 word article on the topic, which you should read in full here.

"The maps were part of one of the most ambitious cartographic enterprises ever undertaken. During the Cold War, the Soviet military mapped the entire world, parts of it down to the level of individual buildings. The Soviet maps of US and European cities have details that aren’t on domestic maps made around the same time, things like the precise width of roads, the load-bearing capacity of bridges, and the types of factories. They’re the kinds of things that would come in handy if you’re planning a tank invasion. Or an occupation."

The DC map was obtained by John Davies, who first discovered the Soviet maps in Latvia in the early 2000's and runs a comprehensive website on the topic.

[hlthe2b]

2. Soviet military map of Denver just sold on Ebay not long ago

from someone in Latvia

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Russian-Soviet-Military-Topographic-Maps-DENVER-USA-1-1000000-ed-1950-/112503228190


We were all targeted then... as are we now.

[DFW]

3. Frankly, I don't think it looks a thing like me.

A very poor likeness even for back then..........

[Kaleva]

5. You can see the resemblence if you eat a bunch of the right mushrooms

And you have a fantastic singing voice!!!

[DFW]

9. For me to have a fantastic singing voice

Those had better be SOME kind of special mushrooms to overlook glass shattering and wild animals fleeing when I sing.

[Major Nikon]

6. Evidently expressionism isn't your strong suit

[DFW]

8. More like Soviet Realism

Art in general was never my strong suit.......

[elleng]

7. :-)

[gratuitous]

4. The Soviets used to print inaccurate maps

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was deathly afraid of being invaded, even though Napoleon and Hitler had both broken their armies trying to invade. The fear of losing territory, though, overrode a lot of other considerations. To that end, the Soviets used to make maps that showed cities closer than they actually were, or more distant. The idea being that an invading force might need to consult local maps as they moved through the territory. The hope was that an invader might get frustrated by an unexpectedly long trek or decline to go to the next city if they thought it was too far away.

Looks like the Soviets didn't trust Americans to print accurate maps, either.

[jmowreader]

10. The Soviets had more than one set of maps

In the USSR, any map with more than a certain level of detail was classified. And the more detailed it was, the more classified it was. The secret Soviet maps were more accurate than the ones the US had, because their projection of the world was better.

The Soviets mapped the US (and we the USSR) because when you're an invading army, you can't exactly stop off at a benzokolonka and ask for a karta, now can you?