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REPORT OF COMMISSION VII 75
It is also important that photo-interpretation reports with their annotated
photos, etc., can be sent to the staffs and headquarters coricerned by wire, and
at the same time be very well reproduced as regards both their tone scales and
photo details. Experiments with easily transportable telephoto apparatus for
speedy forwarding of such reports, have given good results. Improved equip-
ment of this kind is, however, desirable.
TEACHING
A well known saying from World War II is: “Lack of reconnaissance can
lose the battle.” That is certainly very true, but the situation can become just
as disastrous for forces which lack well trained and skilled photo-interpreters.
Great stress must therefore be laid on teaching photo-interpretation.
A first demand for methodical training is that before the start, the pupils
should be proficient in reading not only topographical maps, but also photo
maps and air photographs of various kinds. In other words, they should have a
solid foundation to build upon, before the photo-interpretation is commenced.
To make possible all categories of personnel of the Swedish armed forces
receiving fundamental training of this kind, I took the initiative, in the
spring of 1951, in starting special correspondence courses in map reading and
air photo reading at the Defence Correspondence Institute. In this way, even
the ordinary private has the possibility of finding his way about in terrain in
an appropriate way with the help of an air photograph, and also of making out
a report on the basis of this photograph. At the same time, I naturally counted
on the fact, that in this way, we should get a more plentiful supply of persons,
both male and female, suitable for training in photo-interpretation.
Besides the desirability of finding candidates for such training sufficiently
proficient in map reading and air photo reading, one must check, by testing,
that all have the ability of being able to see stereo relief (effect). But it is per-
haps still more important that they have what is called a photographic memory,
i.e. a sight memory. The better their photographic memory, the greater their
qualifications for becoming skilled photo-interpreters.
The object of the teaching varies in the different branches of the armed
forces, depending on whether the interpretation and study is intended for acquir-
ing intelligence from an army, naval or air force operative point of view.
The elementary teaching is first and foremost intended to impart to the
pupils the technique of interpretation and intimate knowledge of types of enemy
equipment, such as tanks and other vehicles, standardized field fortifications,
various ships and their armament, aircraft and airfields, communication con-
structions, methods of camouflage and decoys, etc. They must be taught to
identify the various objects, both in ground and air photographs of different
types—verticals and obliques—single photographs as well as stereo photos.
In conjunction with this the pupils should receive special training in two-
dimensional measurings in the pictures, which in practice often occurs in the
analysis of large and medium scale verticals used to obtain detailed intelligence
for tactical purposes. Three-dimensional analysis takes longer and, therefore,
there is seldom time for it when the tactical situation is changed quickly. In many
cases, measuring the height of the objects is quite unnecessary, but is required,
among other things, for topographical intelligence, such as the assessing of
beach gradients, heights of banks, etc. A study of the objects and the terrain
in three-dimensional pictures, i.e. in stereoscopic relief, however, greatly facili-
tates the interpretation and should always be pursued. In ground photo recon-
naissance, unfortunately, only single photographs are all too often procurable.
In considering the necessity for speed, particularly in tactical reconnaissance