Geographic Research and World Affairs

YEARBOOK OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PACIFIC COAST GEOGRAPHERS Volume 9 1947 GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND WORLD AFFAIRS* John B. Appleton Department of State, Washington, D. C. Geographic Research and the War Effort During the war a great deal of geographic research was concentrated upon work connected directly with military operations. Geographers served as regional or functional specialists in a number of government departments. Individually and collectively they prepared various types of reports : some more geographic in character than others, depending on the nature of the problems in hand. Some reports were highly specialized and technical, designed to provide the precise and detailed information on a limited area or situation required to meet a particular military need. These included studies of beaches, harbor facilities, transportation and communication facilities , urban areas, ports, water supply, and 'the qualities of terrain that affect land and air operations. Some dealt with the broad aspects of very large areas and were intended to provide background information to those responsible for deciding general strategy. Others dealt with natural resources , food supplies, labor, industrial development, and other conditions likely to have a bearing upon military operations and supply. In all this research precise quantitative and qualitative information was sought, though it was not always available. Most, if not all, of such studies required that several types of data be correlated. For example, studies of transportation involved minute analyses of routes and track profiles; of construction details of track, rails, bridges, and tunnels; of rolling stock, equipment, and maintenance facilities ; of capacity; and of strategic points or bottlenecks. In other words, a transportation study synthesized geographic, engineering, and economic data to give as complete information concerning a given railroad or railroad system as was possible, and of the transport facilities it provided. Similarly, water supply problems involved geologic, climatic, and engineering data. Resource studies covered the distribution of each type of resource , and analyzed the physical and economic factors affecting its exploitation , in order that an accurate estimate of its economic potential might be arrived at. Experience during the early months of the war showed that there were serious gaps in our information concerning other countries. Adequate geo-graphic and economic data on both allied and enemy countries were lacking, data essential to the war effort, to military and supply operations. Information concerning the Pacific theater was particularly scanty, but the * Presidential address before the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, Seattle, Washington, S'eptember 20, 1946. 4 Yearbook of the AssociationVol. 9 lack was also evident with reference to Africa, western and southern Europe, and Alaska. Such material as did exist was usually so scattered and so meager that months of intensive research were necessary if a modicum of information essential to the analysis of a problem was to be found. Even then such economic, geographic, physiographic, and geologic data as could be found were so generalized as to be almost worthless. Special missions to the field were required to fill in the gaps. This situation gave a tremendous impetus to systematic research and to expansion of research facilities in Washington. The Division of Military Intelligence, the Office of Naval Intelligence, and the Office of Strategic Services combed the country for people who had knowledge and experience that could be brought to bear upon the war effort. Research of the type needed requires people who have had systematic training and who have acquired a considerable body of exact information in their field of specialization. People who have experience of foreign countries, who know the language of their area of concentration, who know research techniques, and who have the ability to analyze a problem from all angles and present their findings in well organized, well Avritten reports are essential. These skills result from both training and experience. Many people possessing these skills were drawn from the universities and colleges , but there were not enough of them, especially geographers, to meet the demand. Consequently, it was necessary to carry on an intensive inservice training of both geographers and non-geographers for geographic work. In the early months of the war there was considerable duplication of effort among the various research agencies. Eventually, under directives issued by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the...