Advances in Military Geosciences – serie

This book is a collection of papers presented at the 9th International Conference of Military Geoscience that was held in 2011. The conference included discussion on a diverse range of geosciences, including military history, military geology, teaching geology from a military prospective, geological influence on the battlefield, and environmental and cultural issues related to management of military lands. Geology and geography have played a significant role in military history, from providing the stone for primitive tools and weapons, to the utilization of terrain in offensive and defensive strategies. Specific to this volume, deserts comprise nearly a third of the Earth’s surface and have been the site of numerous battles where the dust, heat, and a lack of food and water have provided challenges to military leaders and warriors.  This book examines the role of deserts in past and modern warfare, the problems and challenges in managing military lands in desert regions, and how desertenvironmental conditions can impact military equipment and personnel. This proceedings volume should be of interest to scholars, professionals, and those interested in military history, warfare, geology, geography, cultural resources, general science, and military operations.

This book is a collection of papers presented at the 9th International Conference of Military Geoscience that was held in 2011. The conference included discussion on a diverse range of geosciences, including military history, military geology, teaching geology from a military prospective, geological influence on the battlefield, and environmental and cultural issues related to management of military lands. Geology and geography have played a significant role in military history, from providing the stone for primitive tools and weapons, to the utilization of terrain in offensive and defensive strategies. Specific to this volume, deserts comprise nearly a third of the Earth’s surface and have been the site of numerous battles where the dust, heat, and a lack of food and water have provided challenges to military leaders and warriors.  This book examines the role of deserts in past and modern warfare, the problems and challenges in managing military lands in desert regions, and how desertenvironmental conditions can impact military equipment and personnel. This proceedings volume should be of interest to scholars, professionals, and those interested in military history, warfare, geology, geography, cultural resources, general science, and military operations.

This book discusses the relationship between geology and fighting during the American Civil War. Terrain was largely determined by the underlying rocks and how the rocks weathered. This book explores the difference in rock type between multiple battlegrounds and how these rocks influenced the combat, tactics, and strategies employed by the soldiers and their commanding officers at different scales.

The aim of this book is to demonstrate how environmental factors have caused an evolution in the landscape of national security since the end of the Cold War. Through relevant case studies, the scope of the problem on the national security landscape due to environmental stressors is illuminated, examined, and synthesized with climate-related data. Human variables such as governance, GDP, and vulnerability are taken into account, and are compared against environmental factors to more accurately determine the causative agents of regional conflicts which threaten national security. These case studies comprise the majority of the text, and they show how individual conflicts are uniquely influenced by environmental stress with variations from situation to situation. This book will be of interest to government and military professionals, and may serve as a resource for college courses in the areas of military geography, international affairs, and sustainability studies.

Drawing from military geography’s  spatial roots, its embrace of dynamic systems, and integration of human and biophysical environments, this book helps in understanding  the value of analyzing patterns, processes and systems, and cross-scale and multi-disciplinary ways of acting in a complex world, while making  the case for a resurgence of strategic and military geography in Australia.  Here, leading experts demonstrate that geography retains its relevance in clarifying the scale and dynamics of defense activities in assessments of the international, regional, national, and site impacts of changes in physical, cyber and human geographies. The cases presented show Australia contributing to a growing strategic and military geography.

This book is a collection of papers presented at the 11th International Conference of Military Geoscience that was held in 2015. The conference included discussion on a diverse range of geosciences, including military history, military geology, teaching geology from a military prospective, geological influence on the battlefield, and environmental and cultural issues related to management of military lands. Geology and geography have played a significant role in military history, from providing the stone for primitive tools and weapons, to the utilization of terrain in offensive and defensive strategies. Specific to this volume, deserts comprise nearly a third of the Earth’s surface and have been the site of numerous battles where the dust, heat, and a lack of food and water have provided challenges to military leaders and warriors. This book examines the role of deserts in past and modern warfare, the problems and challenges in managing military lands in desert regions, and how desert environmental conditions can impact military equipment and personnel. This proceedings volume should be of interest to scholars, professionals, and those interested in military history, warfare, geology, geography, cultural resources, general science, and military operations.

This book is a collection of papers presented at the 11th International Conference of Military Geoscience that was held in 2015. The conference included discussion on a diverse range of geosciences, including military history, military geology, teaching geology from a military prospective, geological influence on the battlefield, and environmental and cultural issues related to management of military lands. Geology and geography have played a significant role in military history, from providing the stone for primitive tools and weapons, to the utilization of terrain in offensive and defensive strategies. Specific to this volume, deserts comprise nearly a third of the Earth’s surface and have been the site of numerous battles where the dust, heat, and a lack of food and water have provided challenges to military leaders and warriors. This book examines the role of deserts in past and modern warfare, the problems and challenges in managing military lands in desert regions, and how desert environmental conditions can impact military equipment and personnel. This proceedings volume should be of interest to scholars, professionals, and those interested in military history, warfare, geology, geography, cultural resources, general science, and military operations.

This volume presents a selection of papers from the 13th International Conference on Military Geosciences (ICMG), held 24-28 June 2019 in Padua, Italy. It covers a wide range of subjects within the confines of military geoscience written by scientists with a variety of different backgrounds from many countries throughout the world. Many of the papers focus on subjects related to Italy and World War I, but additional subject areas include international perspectives in the military geosciences, international security, geospatial intelligence and remote sensing, subterranean and underground warfare, analyses of historical battlefields and fortifications, and military archaeology. The book will be of interest to academics (e.g., military historians, military archaeologists, military geographers and geologists), applied geoscientists (e.g., engineering geologists and geologists working in other areas of applied geology), professional geoscientists, and those with a general interest in military geoscience and history.

This volume presents a selection of papers from the 13th International Conference on Military Geosciences (ICMG), held 24-28 June 2019 in Padua, Italy. It covers a wide range of subjects within the confines of military geoscience written by scientists with a variety of different backgrounds from many countries throughout the world. Many of the papers focus on subjects related to Italy and World War I, but additional subject areas include international perspectives in the military geosciences, international security, geospatial intelligence and remote sensing, subterranean and underground warfare, analyses of historical battlefields and fortifications, and military archaeology. The book will be of interest to academics (e.g., military historians, military archaeologists, military geographers and geologists), applied geoscientists (e.g., engineering geologists and geologists working in other areas of applied geology), professional geoscientists, and those with a general interest in military geoscience and history.

This edited collection is mainly based off work presented at the 15th International Conference on Military Geosciences (ICMG24), hosted by the Faculty of Military Sciences at Stellenbosch University. The goal of this publication is to compile and expand upon the research and discussions presented at the event, highlighting the integration of geosciences into military strategy and historical and contemporary operations. The book aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers, practitioners and students engaged in the broad fields of geosciences, military studies, environmental science, historical geography, terrain analysis and related disciplines, offering a synthesis of current trends, methodologies, and applications critical to the advancement of military operations.The edited collection seeks to enhance the scholarly and operational discourse on military geosciences overall by providing an avenue for the latest research, case studies, and theoretical insights. It intends to stimulate further investigation and encourage the practical application of military studies and geoscientific knowledge in military planning and decision-making. The book details how geoscientific understanding informs strategic advantage, operational efficacy, and risk mitigation in military contexts. It emphasizes terrain analysis, environmental considerations, geospatial intelligence, resource management, and the pivotal role of historical-geographical insights in shaping contemporary military strategies and operations.By integrating authoritative research and analysis, this book contributes to the knowledge and professional development of its readers and prepares them to adeptly handle the intricacies of both present and future military challenges. Structured to document significant advancements, inspire cross-disciplinary collaboration, and enhance the application of geosciences in military contexts, it establishes itself as an essential educational resource, fostering a deeper comprehension and innovative application within the field.

This edited collection is mainly based off work presented at the 15th International Conference on Military Geosciences (ICMG24), hosted by the Faculty of Military Sciences at Stellenbosch University. The goal of this publication is to compile and expand upon the research and discussions presented at the event, highlighting the integration of geosciences into military strategy and historical and contemporary operations. The book aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers, practitioners and students engaged in the broad fields of geosciences, military studies, environmental science, historical geography, terrain analysis and related disciplines, offering a synthesis of current trends, methodologies, and applications critical to the advancement of military operations. The edited collection seeks to enhance the scholarly and operational discourse on military geosciences overall by providing an avenue for the latest research, case studies, and theoretical insights. It intends to stimulate further investigation and encourage the practical application of military studies and geoscientific knowledge in military planning and decision-making. The book details how geoscientific understanding informs strategic advantage, operational efficacy, and risk mitigation in military contexts. It emphasizes terrain analysis, environmental considerations, geospatial intelligence, resource management, and the pivotal role of historical-geographical insights in shaping contemporary military strategies and operations. By integrating authoritative research and analysis, this book contributes to the knowledge and professional development of its readers and prepares them to adeptly handle the intricacies of both present and future military challenges. Structured to document significant advancements, inspire cross-disciplinary collaboration, and enhance the application of geosciences in military contexts, it establishes itself as an essential educational resource, fostering a deeper comprehension and innovative application within the field.

This volume discusses how the German armed forces made effective use of military geologists to assist their fortification of the Channel Islands after their capture from the British in 1940. The book presents a unique case history of German geologist expertise applied to British terrain, intended to make the Islands into an impregnable fortress that postwar would remain a permanent outpost of the German state. In doing so, the book explains why the Channel Islands constitute a ‘classic’ location for British geology; how German armed forces made far greater military use of geologists than either their British or American opponents; and the legacy of fortifications that may conveniently be seen by tourists today – fortifications bypassed by Allied forces that liberated nearby Normandy after D-Day in June 1944, and surrendered intact at the end of the War in Europe in May 1945.

Drawing from military geography’s  spatial roots, its embrace of dynamic systems, and integration of human and biophysical environments, this book helps in understanding  the value of analyzing patterns, processes and systems, and cross-scale and multi-disciplinary ways of acting in a complex world, while making  the case for a resurgence of strategic and military geography in Australia.  Here, leading experts demonstrate that geography retains its relevance in clarifying the scale and dynamics of defense activities in assessments of the international, regional, national, and site impacts of changes in physical, cyber and human geographies. The cases presented show Australia contributing to a growing strategic and military geography.