Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
of the United Kingdom opposite offers a different kind of retrospective view: the commem-
oration of past conflicts and the celebration of military successes.
It is common for maps that were originally created at one stage of the cycle of war and
peace to have been used or re-used at a different stage, perhaps during a subsequent conflict.
The British War Office retained many plans of fortifications and past battles to support the
planning and conduct of future campaigns. In a broader sense, this opportunity to re-exam-
ine historic military successes and failures through maps and other documentation continues
today through their preservation in the archives. One of the primary reasons for the existence
of archives is to allow people in the present and future to learn from the experiences of those
who lived and died in the past.
