Collection Summary
Tasker Howard Bliss collection of World
War I maps and other related graphic materials 1815-1920
1815-1920
G5701.S65 coll .B5
Bliss, Tasker Howard, 1853-1930
270-plus pieces, chiefly maps : some colored ; various
sizes
English,
French,
German,
Italian
Turkish
Collection material in English,
French,
German,
Italian and Turkish
Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
The map collection was amassed by General
Tasker Howard Bliss (1853-1930) during his World War I military service and then as a
U.S. representative to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Bliss, Tasker Howard, 1853-1930.
Subjects
Ethnology--Europe--Maps.
Territory, National--Europe--History--Maps.
World War, 1914-1918--Territorial questions--Europe--Maps.
Places
Asia--Maps.
Asia.
Europe--History--1871-1918--Maps.
Europe--Maps.
Europe.
Turkey--Maps.
Turkey.
Form/Genre
Maps.
Provenance
The collection was acquired in 1937.
Processing History
In 2003, the collection was inventoried and placed in numbered folders by volunteer
Herb Gilder. In 2014, the collection was intellectually organized and described in a
finding aid by Ryan Moore.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright of the collection is governed by the Copyright Law of the
United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The collection is open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Geography
and Map Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and
advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:
Container number, Tasker Howard Bliss collection of World War I maps and other
related graphic materials, Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1853, Dec. 31
Born, Lewisburg, Pa.
1875
Graduated, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
1875
1902
Served in 1st U.S. Artillery
1882
Married Eleanora E. Anderson
1885
1888
Professor of military science, U.S. Naval War College
1897
1898
Military attaché, U.S. Legation, Madrid, Spain
1898
1902
Collector of customs, Havana, Cuba, and chief, Cuban Customs Service
1902
Appointed special envoy to Cuba to negotiate treaty of reciprocity between
Cuba and the U.S.
1903
Commandant, Army War College
1909
Member, Army General Staff, and president, Army War College
1909
1910
Assistant and then acting chief of staff, U. S. Army
1911
Commander, provisional brigade on Mexican border
1915
Appointed member, Army General Staff, and assistant chief of staff, U. S.
Army
1917
Member, Allied Council
1917
1918
Chief of staff, U.S. Army, with rank of general
1918
1919
Member, Supreme War Council and U.S. American Commission to Negotiate the
Peace
1930, Nov. 9
Died, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The collection primarily concerns maps from WWI, the Allied intervention in Russia, and
the Paris Peace conference of 1919. All maps were collected and/or used by General
Bliss.
Arrangement of the Collection
There are five series arranged by topic. The arrangement was imposed by G&M
Division.
-
[ Series I ](ser1),
Manuscript Pages from Bliss' Unpublished Book on Early Modern Warfare
-
[ Series II ](ser2),
Maps from Pre-War WWI Military Service
-
[ Series III ](ser3),
Maps from WWI Western Front and Other Theaters
-
[ Series IV ](ser4),
Maps from Peace of Paris
-
[ Series V ](ser5),
Maps from Allied Intervention in Russia 1919-1920
Container List
Container
Contents
Manuscript Pages from Bliss' Unpublished
Book on Early Modern Warfare
1
L'atlas du Congrès, contenant seize cartes,
dressées et éditées par.
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
2
Plate IX. Siege Operations, early seventeenth
century
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
3
Plate III. Siege Operations, middle sixteenth
century
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
4
Plate VII. The Battle of Luetzen, 1632
1632
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
5
Plate II. Development of Fortifications, from
the introduction of gunpowder to the Thirty Year's War
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
6
Plate IV. Order of Battle as proposed by
Machiavelli
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
7
Plate VI. Tactical Tables, sixteenth century
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
8
Plate V. Examples to arms batialle
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
9
Plate X. Siege Operations, Vauban system, end
of the seventeenth century
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
10
Plate XII. The Battle of Leuthen, 1757
1757
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
11
Plate VIII. The Battle of the Dunes, 1658
1658
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
12
Plate XI. March of an Army, eighteenth century
Manuscript pictorial map and text on reverse
Maps from Pre-War WWI Military Service
22
California Development Company File Map
Imperial Valley with handwritten annotations
23
Road Map Bexar County Texas
"Brig. Gen. Tasker H. Bliss Commanding So. Dept."
24
Panoramic View of Naco, Sonora and Naco,
Arizona and Distribution of U.S. Troops 1915
1915
"Prepared under the direction of Brig. Gen. Tasker H. Bliss Commanding
Southern Dept."
233
Map of Maryland Showing State Road System...,
1925
1925
234
Map of the Permanent System of Highways
District of Columbia..., 1914
1914
235
Railroad Map of Wisconsin,
1881
1881
240
Sketch of Naco and Vicinity, 1914
1914
Shows military base plans
247
[Map of Massachusetts, 1:62,500], 1909
1909
Shows road map
Maps from WWI Western Front and Other
Theaters
13
L'Illustration Journal Universal, 1919
1919
French language publication
14
Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper,
1919
1919
"The War in Pictures"
17
...de la Defense Nationale vous Aiderez nos
Heroiques Soldats, 1919
1919
Disbound page
20
[Mimeograph of Allied Troop
Positions]
Depicts British, French and Italian troop positions on the Western Front
27
[Troop dispositions on the Italian Front],
1918
1918
10 maps
Created by Italian High Command
28
Western Theater of War,
1915
1915
Includes hand-drawn red line showing front line
30
Beauvais, 1832
1832
Shows front lines at Antheuil, France
40
Sketch I. French Concentration,
1914
1914
Shows disposition of French forces
41
Sketch 2. French Concentration,
1914
1914
"Schlieffen Plan"
43
Stellungskarte der Armee-Abteilung C.,
1918
1918
Annotations in German; shows "Wilhelmzone"
49
M.T. Circuit Map,
1918
1918
Shows roadways for military transport
50
[Allied Occupation of Germany]
Annotations; shows Allied advance into Germany
53
Extract of Metz-Commercy
1918
1918
Annotations; shows St. Mihiel Offensive
54
Montdidier
55
Verdun, 1918
1918
Annotations; shows front line positions
56
Extract of Meziers-Verdun-Metz-Longwy
1918
1918
Shows Meuse-Argonne Offensive
57
Order of Battle on Western Front 11 A.M., Nov.
11, 1918
Annotations; shows status of Allied and German units on Armistice Day
58
Carte Routiere pour Automobile and Cyclists -
Environs de Paris...
59
Frontiere Nord de L'Alsace,
1815
1815
60
Buddecke, Taktische Entschluesse u. Befehle
Annotations; shows "tactical decisions and command"
61
Uebersichtsblatt Generalkarte von Mitteleuropa
14 maps
Annotations; shows Romania
168
Road Map Compiled From French Sources,
1919
1919
Shows roads in Luxembourg and Germany
173
Political Europe End of February 1919
Shows Allied occupation of Europe
190
[Allied Occupation of the Balkans],
1918
1918
3 maps
Annotations
194
The Balkans, 1915
1915
Shows railroads, fortified towns and forts
199
Carte de France, 1:6,000,000, 1918
1918
Shows battle lines in Western Europe
202
Map Showing Allied Progress on the Western
Front (1:25,000) from the Sea to Reims 1917
1917
203
Carte de Francais et des Frontieres, 1:200,000,
Nancy, 1918
1918
204
Carte de Francais et des Frontieres, 1:200,000,
Metz, 1918
1918
205
Carte de Francais et des Frontieres, 1:200,000,
1912 - Chalons, 1918
1918
206
Carte de Francais et des Frontieres, 1:200,000,
1912 - Troyes, 1918
1918
207
Carte des Environs de Paris, 1:50,000
208
[Battle Lines of the Italian Army]
Disbound atlas pages
239
Cartes Michelin: La France, 1:2,400,000
241
[Coblenz Area - Road Map]
"Compiled from French sources"
242
Carte de France et des Frontieres, 1:200,000 -
Metz, 1918
1918
Road map; shows Alsace Lorraine border
244
Les Bords du Rhine-Mayence a Strasbourg
245
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Est de la
France - Nord, 1918
1918
246
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Environs
de Paris - Nord-Ouest, 1918
1918
248
Reims, 1:80,000
Annotated; shows battle lines
249
France, 1:100,00 - Beauvais, 1916
1916
"For Official Use Only"
250
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...La
Bretagnie et Normandie, 1916
1916
251
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Pyrennes,
1917
1917
252
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Pyrennes
- Ouest, 1915
1915
253
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Sud-Est
Auvergne, 1918
1918
254
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Bordeaux
Toulouse, 1917
1917
255
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Belgique
- Ouest, 1917
1917
256
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...
Sud-Ouest, 1917
1917
257
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Vendee,
1917
1917
258
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Frontiere
- Nord-Ouest, 1917
1917
259
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Est de la
France - Nord, 1918
1918
260
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Frontiere
- Nord-Est, 1918
1918
261
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Centre de
la France - Est, 1917
1917
262
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Est de la
France - Sud,
1917
1917
263
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Centre de
la France - Sud-Ouest
Annotated in pencil
264
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes..., Lyonnais
1917
1917
265
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Bretagne
- Sud, 1917
1917
266
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Centre de
la France - Ouest, 1916
1916
267
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Environs
de Paris - Nord-Est, 1918
1918
268
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Environs
de Paris - Sud-Est
269
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Environs
de Paris - Sud-Ouest, 1917
1917
270
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes...Environs
de Paris - Nord-Ouest, 1918
1918
271
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Midi de
la France - Languedoc
272
Carte Routiere pour Automobilistes... Midi de
la France - Est
Maps from Peace of Paris
1919
15
Baltic Bulletin: News of Lithuania, Latvia and
Estonia, 1923
1923
16
Le Pelerin: Revue Illustree de la Semaine,
1919
1919
General Tasker Bliss on cover
18
"A Marchel Foch Generalissimo des Armees
Alliees presente par des Amis Americains...," 1919
1919
Disbound page
19
An Ethnological Map Illustrating Hellenism in
the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor, 1918
1918
Text accompanies map
21
Bartholomew's Map of Asia Minor, Egypt,
Mesopotamia and Persia
Annotations of proposed territorial separations from the Ottoman Empire,
including Armenia
25
Republique Tchecoslovaque
Annotations focusing on Czech/Polish border
26
Hongrie, 1919
1919
Border questions
29
Allemagne Ouest
31
Carte Ethnographique de L'Europe
Shows location of ethnic groups
32
Roumaine 1919
1919
Annotations; border questions
33
Krakau, 1916
1916
Annotations; border questions; Hungary
34
Vilayet de Monastir
Annotations; border questions; Greece and Serbia
35
Ethnographic Map of Central and South Eastern
Europe, 1916
1916
Locations of ethnic groups
36
Carte de France
French borders 1814, 1815
39
New Frontiers in Central Europe and Danubian
Territory
Border questions; proposed international railroads
42
Zones of Influence or Territorial Acquisitions
in Western Asia
Inquiry 611
44
Repartition des Reserves en Houille et
Lignite..
Border questions (Silesia); Poland and Czechoslovakia
45
Silesie Exportation du charbon en quantite et
en direction...
Border questions (Silesia); Poland and Czechoslovakia
46
[Eastern Europe and Balkans Ethnic Groups]
8 maps
47
Les Pays Tcheques...
Population/border questions
48
[Traced Map of the Balkans Showing the
Locations of Ethnic Groups]
Annotated; border questions; Balkans
77,78,79
[Maps of the Saarland]
Annotated; border questions; Germany
90-98
Europe, 1:100,000
8 maps
Moscow and other sheets
99-108
Europe, 1:100,000
10 maps
Rome and other sheets
109-118
Europe, 1:100,000
Annotated map of Hungary; other sheets
119-124
Europe, 1:100,000
6 maps
125
Poland, 1:200,00,
1919
1919
Shows border questions
126
Historical Map of Poland,
1918
1918
Shows border questions
127
empty
128
Poland: Racial Distribution,
1919
1919
Shows ethnic groups
129
The Political Subdivision of the Polish
Territory Before the War and Its Linguistic Areas
Shows border questions; ethnic groups
130
Partitions of Poland,
1919
1919
Shows changes in Polish borders 1772, 1793, 1795
131
The Proposed Frontiers Poland
Shows border questions; ethnic groups
132
[Poland Provisional Boundary]
Shows border questions
133
[Poland Railroad Map]
1919
1919
134
[Map of Poland]
Annotated border lines
135
Carte de la Roumanie et pays Limitrophes -
Lemberg, 1912
1912
Romanian border with Serbia
136
[Map of Swiss Railroads],
1920
1920
137
Map of Eastern Turkey in Asia, Syria and
Western Persia (Ethnographic ), 1917
1917
Ethnic groups
138
[Map of the Middle East]
Shows Turkey
139
Turkey: Language
Shows ethnic groups
140
Turkey: Population Density; Railroads (white);
Cities (black)
Shows British, French and Italian spheres of influence; shows natural
resources
141
Caucasia, 1:100,000
Shows Russian and Persian border
142
Stanford's Useful Maps: Asia
"Outline series"
143
[Asie Occidentale]
Disbound page; maps front and back
144
Epire du Nord Thrace Asie Mineure,
1919
1919
Shows ethnic groups
145
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Tabriz,
1916
1916
146
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Erzerum,
1916
1916
147
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Izmir (Smyrna),
1916
1916
148
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Tehran,
1916
1916
149
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Baghdad,
1916
1916
150
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Konia,
1916
1916
151
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Esh Sham (Damascus),
1916
1916
152
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Beirut,
1916
1916
153
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Basra,
1916
1916
154
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - El Djauf,
1918
1918
155
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Cairo,
1916
1916
156
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Batum,
1916
1916
157
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Baku,
1916
1916
158
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Tiflis,
1916
1916
159
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Sinob,
1916
1916
160
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Resht,
1917
1917
161
Asia, 1:1,000,000 - Istanbul (Constantinople),
1916
1916
Annotations showing proposed Italian and British-French demarcation lines
for Greek and Italian occupation
162
The World Prepared Especially for the National
Geographic Magazine... Showing Political Divisions, including those established
after the World War
163
Oppression economique des Russes en Galicie
Shows ethnic groups
164
Allemagne et Autriche
1919
1919
Shows border questions
165
Allemagne Est
Shows German border questions
166
Germany, 1:1,500,000,
1918
1918
Ordinance survey of Germany
167
Allemagne Ouest
Shows German border questions
169
Frontieres Nord-Ouest de L'Allemagne,
1919
1919
Shows French-German border questions
170
Vilayet d'Andrinople
Shows ethnic groups
172
Nouvelle Carte de l' Europe Centrale
Shows roads and bike routes
174
Map of Europe Showing Countries as Established
by the Peace Conference at Paris
Printed by National Geographic
175
Europe, 1:6,000,000,
1919
1919
Annotations; shows borders for Czechoslovakia, Italian sphere of influence,
Yugoslavia, others.
176
Europe, 1:3,000,000,
1919
1919
Annotations; shows historic migration patterns in Europe
177
Europe, 1:3,000,000,
1919
1919
"With boundaries proposed at unascertained date"
178
Europe Propositions March 31, 1919
Annotations; shows border questions
179
Ethnographic Map of Central and South Eastern
Europe, 1919
1919
Shows border questions (appears to be duplicate of 35)
180
Europe Central, 1:2,000,000,
1919
1919
"Traite de Paix" and shows areas undergoing plebiscites
181
Albania, 1:1,000,000,
1918
1918
Shows border questions between Greece and Albania
182
Austria-Hungary Population
Density...
Shows border questions between Italy and Austria
183
Austria-Hungary, 1:3,000,000, Language
Shows border questions
184
Sketch Map of Distribution of Languages in
Austria-Hungary, 1910
1910
Shows ethnic groups
185
Austria-Hungary, 1:1,000,000
Shows border questions
186
Tyrol, 1:500,000
Shows border questions
187
Carte Ethnographique du Banat de Temesvar...,
1919
1919
Shows border questions between Hungary and the Balkans
188
Ethnographic Map of the Balkan Peninsula,
1918
1918
Shows ethnic groups
189
Zones of Civilization of the Balkan Peninsula,
1918
1918
Shows ethnic groups
191
The Balkans Population Density...
Shows Turkish border questions
192
The Balkans, 1:3,000,000
193
Balkan Peninsula, 1:3,000,000,
1918
1918
195
Balkan Peninsula, 1:1,000,000,
1914
1914
Shows border questions
196
Bartholomew's Map of Italy and the Balkan
States
Annotations; shows border questions amongst Bulgaria, Serbia, and Albania
197
Frontiere Ethnographique
Italo-Yugoslavo-Allemande
Annotations; shows border questions
198
[Italian Irredentist and Other Land Claims],
1919
1919
Shows border questions and ethnic groups
200
Frontieres Francaises du Nord et du Nord-Est en
1792, 1801, 1815, 1871
Shows border questions; France
201
[French Road Map, 1:1,000,000]
209
Northeast Africa
210
Maroc, 1:1,500,000, les Etapes de L'Occupation
Francaise, 1918
1918
Shows French occupation of Morocco
211
Map of Africa and Adjoining Portions of Europe
and Asia
National Geographic map
212
Peking, 1903
1903
City map; German language
222
Asia Minor - Denizili,
1916
1916
223
Asia Minor - Akashehr ,
1916
1916
224
Asia Minor - Simav, 1916
1916
226
Asia Minor - Aiden,
1915
1915
227
Asia Minor - Smyrna,
1915
1915
228
Asia Minor - Aivalik,
1915
1915
229
The Balkans
230
[The Balkans and Austria-Hungary]
231
Balkan Peninsula, 1:2,000,000
Shows borders as of 1914
232
The Balkans Languages
Shows border questions and ethnic groups
236
Vilayet de Jannina Carte des Ecoles et des
Eglises Chretiennes
Shows border questions amongst Greece, Albania, and Serbia
237
Plan de Paris par Arrondissement
Map book of Paris
238
Plan de Paris Metropolitain
Subway map
Maps from Allied Intervention in Russia
1919-1920
37
Europe Oriential et Asia
1918
1918
Shows Allied intervention in Russia
38
Bolshevist and opposing Forces
52
Itinerary, Chaumont to Coblenz
Annotations; shows road tour of Occupied Germany
80-89
Europe, 1:100,000
10 maps
Annotated; shows Allied military intervention near Archangel
171
Eastern Europe Ports and Waterways
1919
1919
"Bolshevist and Opposing Forces." Russian Rumanian Section.
213
Russia, 1:3,000,000
214
Map of the Russian Empire
215
Russia Languages
Shows ethnic groups and border questions
216
Siberia, 1:5,000,000
217
Map of Russia in Europe
Shows ethnic groups; by R. Martens and Co. Ltd., London
218
Situation in Russia and Siberia from
information received to 3rd Feb. 1919
Shows disposition of forces during Russian intervention
219
Bolshevist and opposing Forces August 1st,
1919, Russian and Rumanian Section
Annotations; shows territorial changes due to fighting
220
Russian Population Density, Railroads, Cities
Shows ethnic groups and border questions
221
Russia "Situation Threatening Armenians" May 1
to August 15, 1919
Annotations; "Red advances and anti-Red advances"
242
Situation in Russia from Information Received
up to April 2nd 1919
Shows disposition of Allied and Communist forces