Results of publishing work on Volume II of the Great Soviet World Atlas

Summary

This article summarizes the editorial and production work on Volume II of the Great Soviet World Atlas. The author first reviews the shortcomings of Volume I, such as the use of multiple originals leading to registration errors and an excessive number of colors. The article then details the technological improvements implemented for Volume II, dividing the maps into two main categories. For general reference and physical maps, separate originals for base, contours, and lettering were prepared, with a combined copy process for the outline, and finer screen rulings were introduced to improve tonal quality. For political-administrative, economic, and civil war history maps, all line elements were consolidated onto a single original printed in black, and screens were widely applied to reduce the number of colors. These measures effectively decreased print waste and enhanced map quality. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of teamwork and the training of young specialists, expressing confidence in the future publication of Volume III.