Link: https://s.uconn.edu/geog-demers
Speaker: Dr. Michael N. DeMers, Professor - Emeritus, Department of Geography, New Mexico State University
Title: Geographers in the OSS (Geography in Defense of Democracy)
Abstract:
By Presidential order, on June 13, 1942 Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) whose purpose was to collect and analyze strategic information required by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Research and Analysis branch of the OSS, the more academic portion of the organization, was responsible for the accumulation, evaluation, and analysis of political, psychological, sociological, economic topographic and military information required for operations or requested by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the armed forces, and other authorized government agencies. The branch prepared hundreds of thousands of studies, maps, charts, and illustrations relating to this material. Their purpose was to secure all possible elements of intelligence from all available sources, to evaluate and compare them, to assess them against standard bases of measurement and, by analysis, to digest them into essentially new products. Such function played into the strengths of the geographer which necessarily required translation; that is, creating a new product by bringing together heterogeneous sources, making them work together. At that time geographers’ primary functions revolved around the creation of cartographic documents and qualitative analysis. Many cartographic innovations resulted, especially those related to developing 3-D models of terrain for battlefield logistics and mission planning. With time, the association of geographers with other social scientists, many of whom had begun to employ statistical analysis, resulted in their adoption of similar techniques. Eventually this culminated in a true quantitative revolution in geography. Moreover, the relevance of applied geography integrated well with the evolution of today’s intelligence agencies including the CIA, DIA, NSA, NGA, and the Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. At a time when such skill sets are now at their most relevance to the defense of our nation, geographers continue their efforts to promote and support the study of geography.
Date, Time, Location: Friday, November 18th | 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | WEBEX
For more information, contact: Katie Lamb at katie.lamb@uconn.edu