A basis for victory: the Allied Geographical Section 1942-1946

Abstract

In the annals of popular militar;z history, pride of place goes to the exploits of major combat units and formations, decisive battles and covert special operations forces. What is often overlooked in the recounting of events is the tireless contribution of a cast of thousands who are overshadowed, often unjustlv, bv the exploits of the combat elernents that prosecute the war. Success in battle is more often than not atlributed to factors such as good generalship, superior combat forces and the lethality of the rveaponry brought to bear against an enemy. selclom is much heard of the work of specialist planning staffs, members of smaller unique units, headquartered rnany miles, perhaps thousands of miles, rearward of the front line working painstakingly during the n'eeks and months leading up to that cataclysmic event when combat forces take to the field. It is the accuracv of their work that inevitably distinguishes victorv from defeat. This book examines a unique, yet largely forgotten, cornerstone intelligence organisation that played an important role in ensuring allied victorv in the war against Japan during the Second l4'orld War. This interservice and inter-allied unit, the Allied Geographical Section (AGS), was established b,v General Douglas MacArthur's Intelligence Chief, Colonel (later Major General) charles willoughbv, to address the paucity of even the most basic geographic, anthropologic and hydrographic intelligence available in the Southu'est Pacific Area (SWPA) of operations. Its task r,r'as so immense and its importance so great that not to record its achievements would be a travesW.