On May 13th 2011, BBC News Magazine published an article on how they used 3D during World War II. “Operation Crossbow: How 3D glasses helped defeat Hitler” is written by Jon Kelly;
«The British always used 3D and the Germans didn’t,» he says. «What this meant was that the British could make enemy territory come to life.”
Allan Williams, curator of The National Collection of Aerial Photography goes on:
«Without this photographic intelligence – which was created at remarkable speed – the Germans could have launched potentially devastating attacks on Britain before D-Day that could have easily changed the outcome of the war.»
I am not much into war, or war history for that matter. But this article caught my interest. With today’s satellites and GPS this has become part of our everyday life. But 70 years ago this really was something.
It just strikes me how extremely important it is to understand the enemy’s territory and be able to interpret the photographs taken. If there is something going on, we need to understand it. And we probably need to be aware in our own area as well. How do things look? If we look carefully and put on the right eyeglasses will we be able to see something more? Something behind the surface even?
I think there might be things going on that we don’t always see at first glimpse. And then there is the interpretation; the way we read the pictures.
When the Israelites explored Canaan, leaders were sent to find out if the land was something they could possess. The reports they brought back were conflicting, but Caleb interpreted what he saw this way;
“We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
Which eyeglasses did he use?
Bible ref: Numbers 13,30