One of the interesting things about mapping all of the ships sunk during the Second World War are the spatial and temporal patterns they make. Mapping each shipwreck provides a simple outline of coastlines but creating an animated map that steps through the entire way day by day or month by month results in a map that shows the changing fortunes of war.

The map above shows the expansion of the war from European waters as the war progresses. By late 1941 the war had become a truly world war with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The German u-boat attacks along the east coast of the US and into the Gulf of Mexico become prominent in early 1942. What amazes me every time are the sheer number of Japanese vessels sunk by the end of the war in the western Pacific.

Enjoy!