56 Proceedings of Indiana Academy of Science. 
GEOLOGY AND THE WAR. 
L. F. BENNETT. 
The geology of a country is one of the most important factors which 
determine the location of its cities, its various industries, its population 
both as to number and occupation, its political aspirations and possibili- 
ties, and its relation to the countries bounding: it. 
It is the geology of a country which determines its natural resources, 
and these have had a peculiar bearing upon the recent history of Ger- 
many. Very much of Germany’s iron and coal and her petroleum and 
potash deposits lie close to her frontiers. This has compelled her to 
strongly fortify these frontiers, especially next to France, and for this 
reason the giving back of Alsace and Lorraine to France will be a great 
economic blow to Germany. 
In the last analysis it was the geological factors that gave Germany 
her great commercial and political importance and which determined 
her plan of attack upon France and Russia. 
A glance at the geological map of northern France gives the reason 
why Germany was compelled to attack France through Belgium if she 
expected to reach Paris quickly. The series of escarpments to the east 
of Paris were the best of natural fortifications. They were practically 
impossible to scale when well protected by Frenchmen and French 
cannon. The immortal Verdun, one of the gateways into France, was 
made such by the steep slopes on the west and the outlying ridges which 
could be easily fortified by the defending army. The rocky barriers of 
northeastern France were too much for the wonderful military machine 
of Germany. The geological “stars in their courses’ were marshaled 
against the invading Huns and helped the gallant French. It was the 
geology of the region that made Paris so easily protected from the 
invading armies from the east. Its geological defenses are among the 
wonderful geological features of Europe. 
In western Russia the geological features are of glacial origin. There 
are numerous lakes, extensive marshes and morainic ridges. The area 
is easily defended by an army well supplied with means for defense. 
“The Germans could not get past the Russian troops so long as they 
formed heroic fighting units instead of radical debating societies.” 
The retreat of the Russians was masterful. Their various positions 
were determined by the rivers, and the lakes and marshes formed other 
barriers to their foe. 
