Random conversation in Matt McGrath’s office a couple years ago after reading Nick Chrisman’s book we all knew

Military and Civil State Topographic Services completes 1:100,000 topographic map of the entire Soviet Union

• Military and Civil State Topographic Services completes 1:100,000 topographic map of the entire Soviet Union

• Decreed as first priority by Stalin following WWII
• Very difficult, brutal task in Siberia and Russian Far East
• Considered a state secret
• Maps for consumers were at 1:2,500,000
• G. A. Ginzburg at the Central Research Institute created a special projection that led to implementing random distortions of coordinates, distances, and directions