World War II in the virtual age: Project imitates Google Maps and immerses you in the conflict

This project not only seeks to make known the most outstanding events of the Second World Warbut rather aims to immerse its users in each of the events, places and moments that marked one of the worst conflicts of the 20th century.

It is called KilRoy Trip and works like a new Google Maps, but for war. The open project is presented as a “virtual guide for memory tourism,” says the Xataka website.

The site is run by a French organisation and can be accessed via a link or by downloading the app for Android or iOS.

The aim of the application is to promote the memory of places linked to the Second World War. It works with 88 active collaborators and has almost 3,400 points of interest with photos and descriptions, as well as 13 categories.

Xataka points out that the project has been developed using OpenStreetMap. To perform searches, you can select the point of interest or you can browse the map to select one of the categories.

Once you have selected a point of interest, you can view detailed photos, videos and even navigate on Google Maps. On this page you can find information on the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, Norway, North Africa, Austria, Stalingrad, the Eastern Front, the United States, Italy or Japan.

On the other hand, they also point out in the report that there is another similar page called World War Timeline Experiences belonging to the American Battle Monuments Commission. It is a kind of virtual world map, called World War Timeline Experiences.

This page offers a more concise overview of historical facts. Although it is in English, a translation can be done through Google to make it easier to read. It also has information and a video for each option.

This is how interactive maps can become an option to learn about history and visit remote places from another time.