d their com-
ng targets in
rget through
arget on the
ry for target
r to another
Ich the posi-
ig the target
h on the re-
d if ground
ing distance,
laces on the
rom one tar-
narked, they
he following
, and a note
ay, the offi-
of the shots
isier for him
t been under
: has already
n landmarks
inated scale.
' been taken
posed in the
e fighting.
a number of
Ns are given
in a suitable
IS tO use ca-
he exposure,
he base used
fterwards be
he degree of
in which it
ances cannot
ie things for
(683)
which stereo-photos are of special value. An abandoned enemy tank, standing
on the battle-field, can be studied in detail and have its measurements taken in
this way on the stereo-photos. Other kinds of war material taken from the ene-
my in action, but which, for some reason or another, cannot be transported to
the rear for examination, can be stereoscopically photographed and afterwards
measured in a corresponding way. Examples are manifold.
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION FOR AMPHIBIOUS
OPERATIONS
by
W. B. Cubby and C. G. Coleman.
Introduction.
The study of coasts and beaches for military purposes provides a particular
challenge to the aerial photographic interpreter. While amphibious operations
have been made in many wars since Caesar invaded Britain, it was not until
World War II that the
analysis of coastal are-
as for military pur-
poses became a major
intelligence factor.
In 1942 it became
apparent that the am-
phibious operation was
going to become one
of our principal weap-
ons against the Axis
powers. It further be-
came apparent that we
needed to know a great
deal about the physical
characteristics of an aa
enemy-held coastal area before we could land a modern combat division with
a reasonable chance for success. Aerial photography was the most important
single source of such information.
In a paper prepared in 1948 (1), Coleman listed three reasons why aerial
photography was especially important as a collecting medium for amphibious
warfare in World War II:
*(1) There was a dearth of other sources of detailed information about the
physical characteristics of specific beaches and coastal areas. Except in resort
areas, or in the vicinity of cities, coastal areas were lightly populated and in-
frequently used. There were no ground photographs, few references in geograph-
ic literature, and meager and often inaccurate representation on the best avai-
lable maps and charts. It is generally true that, as Williams (2) states, ’both maps
and charts tend to regard beaches as a kind of “No man’s land” with which
neither is greatly concerned.’
Fig. 1. A typical invasion scene.
