Except, of course, for those who hanged.
World War I & II topic
- Thread starter Forostar
- Start date
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
A MUST SEE:
"The most powerful interview I've witnessed"
"The best television I have ever seen"
"Incredibly moving story. What a hero"
"The moments of silence were the loudest"
Some of the reaction to our interview with Victor Gregg this morning. The 95 year old told us how he survived the raids while he was a prisoner of war in the #Dresdenbombings. Victor said it was evil and it took him 40 years to get over it. He didn't laugh once during those 40 years.
EDIT:
Most impressive indeed. Very moving.
I also admire the man for the way he condems the ones who gave the orders for those raids and how he emphasizes they tried to blame it on somebody else. Well done, well done Sir. I am glad millions and millions have seen this.
"The most powerful interview I've witnessed"
"The best television I have ever seen"
"Incredibly moving story. What a hero"
"The moments of silence were the loudest"
Some of the reaction to our interview with Victor Gregg this morning. The 95 year old told us how he survived the raids while he was a prisoner of war in the #Dresdenbombings. Victor said it was evil and it took him 40 years to get over it. He didn't laugh once during those 40 years.
EDIT:
Most impressive indeed. Very moving.
I also admire the man for the way he condems the ones who gave the orders for those raids and how he emphasizes they tried to blame it on somebody else. Well done, well done Sir. I am glad millions and millions have seen this.
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Searching for an image of something else and ran across this...
Classic.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
I just read that a Dutch war archeologist has discoverd a new mass grave in (former) concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. 16 x 4 meters. Found after info provided by ex-prisoners.
The mass grave is beneath a grass field. One of the descendents of one of the people who possibly lies there wants to have it opened, but that won't happen.
De memory center respects Jewish laws forbidding this. That's what I call a pity. :/
This Wednesday, the camp was liberated 70 years ago.
The mass grave is beneath a grass field. One of the descendents of one of the people who possibly lies there wants to have it opened, but that won't happen.
De memory center respects Jewish laws forbidding this. That's what I call a pity. :/
This Wednesday, the camp was liberated 70 years ago.
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The law sounds good to me. Unless someone has proof of something necessary being in there, have some respect for the dead and leave it alone.
Because if you dig in there ... do you want to get a poltergeist? Because that's how you get a poltergeist.
Because if you dig in there ... do you want to get a poltergeist? Because that's how you get a poltergeist.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Heh, well..
In some cases I rather have respect for the living. If someone wants to be sure if their family is in there, let them have a look. Besides, for sake of registration (historical value), I can understand it as well.
edit: the only proof there is, is a story from a comrade from the man (who is the grandfather of the researcher) who has buried him, with some others. This happened 2 weeks after the camp was liberated. The man in question died of typhus. The grave would be at the location of the cross (on top left corner).
In some cases I rather have respect for the living. If someone wants to be sure if their family is in there, let them have a look. Besides, for sake of registration (historical value), I can understand it as well.
edit: the only proof there is, is a story from a comrade from the man (who is the grandfather of the researcher) who has buried him, with some others. This happened 2 weeks after the camp was liberated. The man in question died of typhus. The grave would be at the location of the cross (on top left corner).
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The moral implications in this are interesting, to say the very least.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Extra info:
They measured the ground and know that it was disturbed once. There is no natural soil building (composition)? present anymore.
This is the article, it will be on TV here tonight.
http://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2029524-artikel.html?title=nieuw-massagraf-ontdekt-in-bergen-belsen
(There's a 44 second preview included where you only see the archeologist walking to the place and talking about it.)
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Perhaps it should not matter (a life is a life, whoever's it is) but the grandfather of the archeologist, who is probably in that grave is Jan Verschure, honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States of America. Jan Verschure was in the Dutch Resistance and saved hundreds of lives. Among other deeds he co-organized food aid and "in hiding" with a transport company.
They measured the ground and know that it was disturbed once. There is no natural soil building (composition)? present anymore.
This is the article, it will be on TV here tonight.
http://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/2029524-artikel.html?title=nieuw-massagraf-ontdekt-in-bergen-belsen
(There's a 44 second preview included where you only see the archeologist walking to the place and talking about it.)
edit:
Perhaps it should not matter (a life is a life, whoever's it is) but the grandfather of the archeologist, who is probably in that grave is Jan Verschure, honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States of America. Jan Verschure was in the Dutch Resistance and saved hundreds of lives. Among other deeds he co-organized food aid and "in hiding" with a transport company.
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Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Last week me and my family went to the province of Namur (Wallonia) and while going on a trip, we suddenly saw a group of dark green vehicles in a large grass field. Wait a minute, I thought, these are old cars! From WWII. I decided to make a stroll and took pictures of some of these vehicles.
I was wondering, (I guess @LooseCannon knows this best), if the numbers that are featured on them can identify them and make me help finding a track record. Where have they been? Were these involved in Operation Overlord or other events such the Battle of the Bulge? Would be cool to make a route or something. I wonder if there's a database with all vehicles information.
In my impression the owners of these vehicles are volunteers (Belgian and French) who do these "events" more often together and I think they were trying to raise money for preservation.
On one flag I saw 101st ... (as if these cars belonged to the same division) and I forgot if it said 101st Cavalry Regiment or 101st Airborne Division or something else. Both make sense because they both were in the Battle of the Bulge which happened in this area.
I'll try to upload some pictures later, it looks like they are too big to attach.
I was wondering, (I guess @LooseCannon knows this best), if the numbers that are featured on them can identify them and make me help finding a track record. Where have they been? Were these involved in Operation Overlord or other events such the Battle of the Bulge? Would be cool to make a route or something. I wonder if there's a database with all vehicles information.
In my impression the owners of these vehicles are volunteers (Belgian and French) who do these "events" more often together and I think they were trying to raise money for preservation.
On one flag I saw 101st ... (as if these cars belonged to the same division) and I forgot if it said 101st Cavalry Regiment or 101st Airborne Division or something else. Both make sense because they both were in the Battle of the Bulge which happened in this area.
I'll try to upload some pictures later, it looks like they are too big to attach.
Yeah, if you link them, I can try to give you an ID. But keep in mind that if they are owned by re-enactors the original numbers may be lost to time and what you might be seeing are random ones painted back on to give the appearance of authenticity.
bearfan
Ancient Mariner
Speaking of restoration of WWII equipment, there is a place called Cavanaugh Flight Museum near us (in Addison, TX). They do an annual show called Warbirds over Addison, which is really cool.
http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/index.php/component/content/article/143
They have an excellent selection of planes, I rode in one of the N2S-4's once (a biplane trainer in and around WWII).
http://cavanaughflightmuseum.com/in...uncategorized/65-boeing-n2s-4-stearman-kaydet
http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/index.php/component/content/article/143
They have an excellent selection of planes, I rode in one of the N2S-4's once (a biplane trainer in and around WWII).
http://cavanaughflightmuseum.com/in...uncategorized/65-boeing-n2s-4-stearman-kaydet
The description for this video reads (translation by yours truly):
We could acquire a treasure trove of colour footage from the 1930s near Rostock.
One of the reels shows a boat tour in late summer 1939 on the Odra river. It begins in Ratibor and leads via Breslau to Stettin.
Stettin is reached by the paddlers on 31. August. It is deeply at peace. Only the big KDF steamboats in the harbour have been refitted to hospital ships, indicating that major events are about to happen.
Only a few hours later, on 1. September, the Second World War started.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33754932
Seventy years after the end of World War Two, the voices of revisionism in Japan are growing stronger and moving into the mainstream, particularly on the issue of comfort women, who were women forced to be sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during the war.
An excellent read, and a frightening happening. Germany has embraced their past and taught it, the Japanese seek to pretend it never happened.
Seventy years after the end of World War Two, the voices of revisionism in Japan are growing stronger and moving into the mainstream, particularly on the issue of comfort women, who were women forced to be sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during the war.
An excellent read, and a frightening happening. Germany has embraced their past and taught it, the Japanese seek to pretend it never happened.
FattyFooty
Trooper
Norway vs Germany - ww2
I guess alot here dont know to much about this one and i read alot about it. Here are some facts, keep in mind some of the wiki info, is not spot on with the books. Which most of theese are taken from.
- Its not 100% certain why Germany attacked Norway.
- Norway stood 62 days, the second longest in ww2 of the invaded lands by the axis. Sovijet stood longest.
- Blucher (Axis biggest ship) was sunk in Drøbak, over 1000 men sunk with it.
- Axis had between 100.000 and 400.000 soliders (different times)
- Norway about 20.000 at start of war, but could have been up to 119.000
- Germany lost Blucher but did hit out Norways cominication systems, which at the time gave Norway massive problems.
- Allies never attacked Norway.
- Before Germany and Norway went to war both sides (Axis and Allies) was uncertain where Norway really stood.
- Both Norway and Germany had massive losses, in fleet (germany) Terrrots, lands, (Norway)
- Still missing about 4000-6000 Germans, Most at sea outside Norway.
- Norway lost official about 9000 soldiers, Germany arounf 8000.
- All in all a bad strategic move from Germany since there fleet could helped the axis (Japan specially) against the USA.
- It started the 9th of April 1940.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Campaign
Some of the info is not 100% with the wiki but most is close or right.
I guess alot here dont know to much about this one and i read alot about it. Here are some facts, keep in mind some of the wiki info, is not spot on with the books. Which most of theese are taken from.
- Its not 100% certain why Germany attacked Norway.
- Norway stood 62 days, the second longest in ww2 of the invaded lands by the axis. Sovijet stood longest.
- Blucher (Axis biggest ship) was sunk in Drøbak, over 1000 men sunk with it.
- Axis had between 100.000 and 400.000 soliders (different times)
- Norway about 20.000 at start of war, but could have been up to 119.000
- Germany lost Blucher but did hit out Norways cominication systems, which at the time gave Norway massive problems.
- Allies never attacked Norway.
- Before Germany and Norway went to war both sides (Axis and Allies) was uncertain where Norway really stood.
- Both Norway and Germany had massive losses, in fleet (germany) Terrrots, lands, (Norway)
- Still missing about 4000-6000 Germans, Most at sea outside Norway.
- Norway lost official about 9000 soldiers, Germany arounf 8000.
- All in all a bad strategic move from Germany since there fleet could helped the axis (Japan specially) against the USA.
- It started the 9th of April 1940.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Campaign
Some of the info is not 100% with the wiki but most is close or right.
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Forostar
Ancient Mariner
In the German invasion of Norway and Denmark, there was a (relatively) tiny active deployment of forces: just 0,04 man-months (millions).
The Finnish campaign of 1939-40, when 300,000 Fins and 1,2 million Soviets fought each other for 6 months has a figure of 9 million man-months.
This dismisses Soviet claims that this was some sort of a border skirmish, or that the Soviet Union was a neutral observer of the war before June 1941.
Poland September 1939: 2,56 man-months.
Here's how that's calculated: 800,000 Polish soldiers pitted against 1,25 million German soldiers for 5 weeks: 800,000 x 1,25 or 1 million man-months for the Poles, 1,25 x 1,25 or 1,56 million for the Germans, and a total of 2,56 million man-months for both sides.
The Finnish campaign of 1939-40, when 300,000 Fins and 1,2 million Soviets fought each other for 6 months has a figure of 9 million man-months.
This dismisses Soviet claims that this was some sort of a border skirmish, or that the Soviet Union was a neutral observer of the war before June 1941.
Poland September 1939: 2,56 man-months.
Here's how that's calculated: 800,000 Polish soldiers pitted against 1,25 million German soldiers for 5 weeks: 800,000 x 1,25 or 1 million man-months for the Poles, 1,25 x 1,25 or 1,56 million for the Germans, and a total of 2,56 million man-months for both sides.
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Foro, you're forgetting someone from your Poland calculus - the Soviets that conquered the east.
@FattyFooty, I have some issues with what you're saying.
As a piece of interest, five Axis warships were eventually built that surpassed the Littorio in displacement - Bismarck and her sister Tirpitz, of course, as well as the Yamato and Musashi. But the largest ship, weighing in at a massive 69,151 metric tonnes, is the Shinano, originally a sister to the Yamato that was converted to an aircraft carrier. She would have embarked 167 aircraft and by today's standards would be considered a supercarrier.
Besides, by 1945, the United States Navy was the largest navy that ever existed, and had greater force projection power than every other WW2 navy at their height combined. You can thank the Essex-class carriers for that fact.
@FattyFooty, I have some issues with what you're saying.
Egypt was invaded before the USSR and didn't fall. Greece also lasted longer than 62 days (Oct 28, 1940 - April 30, 1941). But you're forgetting the biggest country that held out against the Axis - China. Japan's invasion of China started in 1937, and the country never fell.
The largest German warship was the Bismarck-class battleship, though the lead ship of the class was not launched until 1941. However, in April of 1940, the largest Axis ship was not the Blücher - it was the Italian battleship Littorio, which displaced 45,236 tonnes. Blücher was the largest German ship at the time, but it was not even close to the largest Axis ship.
As a piece of interest, five Axis warships were eventually built that surpassed the Littorio in displacement - Bismarck and her sister Tirpitz, of course, as well as the Yamato and Musashi. But the largest ship, weighing in at a massive 69,151 metric tonnes, is the Shinano, originally a sister to the Yamato that was converted to an aircraft carrier. She would have embarked 167 aircraft and by today's standards would be considered a supercarrier.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. The Royal Navy had sufficient strength to contain the entire German fleet, even if all lost ships could have been deployed when the German Navy was at its height. Even with the lost ships, the RN would have been able to face both the Germans and the Italians at the same time. The German navy could never have reached the Japanese to assist (where would they stop to fuel on the way?), and the Americans had nothing but escorts and slow battleships (and the USS Ranger) in the Atlantic.
Besides, by 1945, the United States Navy was the largest navy that ever existed, and had greater force projection power than every other WW2 navy at their height combined. You can thank the Essex-class carriers for that fact.