An Operational Map of the Polish Coastal Front 1970

Abstract

The map of the Operational Plan for the Coastal Front, from Poland 1970 forms the basis for this paper. The map portraits the blueprint of the combined operational war plans for the Polish military in the late 1960’s and 70’s. It details the offensive against NATO countries and their forces in Northern Europe. As such, this map is clearly designed as an operational map produced to outline and regulate, not just the actual plan of the offensive, but also to produce a narrative about the Polish army as capable of undertaking such a massive enterprise. We argue, with a point of departure in this particular map, that the regional, operational scale of military maps can be understood as performative maps, outlining not just plans and structuring space, but often also narratives.