WW2 Discussion thread

[steve25805 126,149]

WW2 is fascinating of course,but i also am interested in Napoleonic era,American Civil War,WW1,and most military history in general.I guess WW2 most interesting as we still use a lot of the innovations nowadays,in modern weapons..like spaced armour on tanks,Automatic rifles,camouflage uniforms,(the Waffen-SS were the first to routinely issue this)nuclear weapons still haunt us dont they?

I like relatively modern military history. World War 2 is my top interest in this field, but World War 1 is my second favourite such topic. Am reading a history of WW1 right now. Incidentally, two days from now is the centenary of the start of the epic Battle of Verdun in that war. My third favourite has to be the American Civil War, my fourth favourite the Spanish Civil War. My fifth is the Napoleonic and French Revolutionary Wars which I think of as one prolonged war.

Most 19th and 20th century wars interest me to a large degree to be honest.

[Scot_Lover 1,877]

Have you ever seen The Battle of Chernobyl?

It's a documentary on the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, Gorbachev was interviewed later, and he said it scared the shit out of him, wanted to completely wipe nuclear weapons from the Soviet Arsenal. He never wanted anyone to go through that ever again. If the little known second explosion had of happened, half of Europe including the UK would have been rendered uninhabitable.

Look it up, think it's on youtube now, scariest 90 min I've ever seen.

[lordofcoatham1 179]

a good youtube chanel about WW1 with posts about that day or week 100 years ago https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar

a good documentary about the St.Nazaire raid [media]

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[F.W 5,734]

I like relatively modern military history. World War 2 is my top interest in this field, but World War 1 is my second favourite such topic. Am reading a history of WW1 right now. Incidentally, two days from now is the centenary of the start of the epic Battle of Verdun in that war. My third favourite has to be the American Civil War, my fourth favourite the Spanish Civil War. My fifth is the Napoleonic and French Revolutionary Wars which I think of as one prolonged war.

Most 19th and 20th century wars interest me to a large degree to be honest.

Of course this year,the 100th anniversary of Verdun(21st Feb) and the Somme(1st July).First ever use of tanks,(by Britain,ahem..)September.

[steve25805 126,149]

Of course this year,the 100th anniversary of Verdun(21st Feb) and the Somme(1st July).First ever use of tanks,(by Britain,ahem..)September.

Yes. It is also the centenary year of the only large scale naval fleet action of the war - the Battle of Jutland (May 31st-June 1st)

[steve25805 126,149]

I thought I would start adding "On this date in WW2" posts to this thread. And this is re-edited because I got the months mixed up earlier. It is February, not frigging January!

On this date in 1941, German and British patrols met for the first time in North Africa.

On this date in 1942, the Japanese invaded Timor.

On this date in 1943, German Panzers broke through the American defences at the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia.

[Scot_Lover 1,877]

Hmmm, I could have fun with this ....... I'll need to find the book, I'll get back to you.

[steve25805 126,149]

Steve 25805 ,

I have always been interested in the Naval battle of Jutland . As I know that the British prevent the German fleet from getting out into the Alantic , North Sea , in causing trouble in those areas .

Though how many British ships were sunk to that of the German fleet loses ?

The British lost six heavy cruisers or battlecruisers sunk, as well as eight destroyers.

The Germans lost one old, pre-dreadnought - and therefore obsolete - battleship and one battlecruiser, four light cruisers and five destroyers.

In terms of casualties, over 6000 British sailors lost their lives compared to just over 2500 Germans. So in terms of combat losses, the British came off worst, in large measure because their vessels' decks were less well armoured and thus more vulnerable to plunging German shot.

But it was the Germans who retreated, and never again dared venture out to challenge the British fleet. So the Allied blockade remained in place, and British naval supremacy was never seriously challenged thereafter.

In consequence of these facts, it has been said that for the British Jutland marked a tactical defeat for the Royal Navy but a strategic victory.

[steve25805 126,149]

Steve,

Has there ever been any under water research / footage of what those ships look like now. Like a Documentary made of that famous naval battle ?

Not to my knowedge, Kevin. Sorry.

But I have found this.....

http://news.sky.com/story/1503175/sunken-wrecks-of-epic-wwi-naval-battle-revealed

[steve25805 126,149]

On this date in 1940, General Falkenhorst was appointed to command the planned German invasion of Norway

On this date in 1945, US forces completed the liberation of the Bataan Peninsular on Luzon

[Scot_Lover 1,877]

On this date in 1940, General Falkenhorst was appointed to command the planned German invasion of Norway

On this date in 1942, Arthur Harris became the leader of RAF Bomber Command

On this date in 1945, US forces completed the liberation of the Bataan Peninsular on Luzon

Construction began on the Auschwitz concentration camp too, guess no one needs to remember this ........

[steve25805 126,149]

Construction began on the Auschwitz concentration camp too, guess no one needs to remember this ........

I think we all need to remember what actually happened there, and how it came to happen, as a reminder of where hate leads.....

Hmmm, I could have fun with this ....... I'll need to find the book, I'll get back to you.

I wonder if it's the same book that's helping me out sometimes? :wink: :laugh:

[Scot_Lover 1,877]

I think we all need to remember what actually happened there, and how it came to happen, as a reminder of where hate leads.....

I wonder if it's the same book that's helping me out sometimes? :wink: :laugh:

The Almanac of World War II, 1982. Think I picked it up at a rummage sale in Dumphries, name on the inside is a Mr Colin Murphy.

[steve25805 126,149]

The Almanac of World War II, 1982. Think I picked it up at a rummage sale in Dumphries, name on the inside is a Mr Colin Murphy.

Oh OK. Mine is World War 2 Day by Day, 1989

[steve25805 126,149]

On February 22nd in 1940, Soviet forces began to occupy the Finnish islands in the Gulf of Finland

In 1942, Arthur Harris became the leader of RAF Bomber Command

In 1943, the Germans launched a counter-attack on the eastern front, aiming to retake Kharkov

In 1945, British forces landed on Kangaw Island off the west coast of Burma

[Scot_Lover 1,877]

On February 22nd in 1940, Soviet forces began to occupy the Finnish islands in the Gulf of Finland

In 1942, Arthur Harris became the leader of RAF Bomber Command

In 1943, the Germans launched a counter-attack on the eastern front, aiming to retake Kharkov

In 1945, British forces landed on Kangaw Island off the west coast of Burma

In 1942, General MacArthur was ordered to leave the Philipines and set up base in Australia.

[steve25805 126,149]

On this day 2 - 23 - 1945 , The U.S. Flag was raised on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima . Though the island was not completely secured . until April 1945 . Which was the most bloodest battle so far in the Pacific theater .

Also on February 23rd 1945, Soviet forces captured Poznan in western Poland. And in the Arctic a German JU88 bomber sunk a British merchant ship, the last merchant ship to be sunk by German aircraft in World War 2.

[steve25805 126,149]

Steve , Have you ever researched about the sinking of the H.M.S. Edinburgh ?

No I haven't, Kevin. Though I believe she was sunk in 1942 whilst escorting an Arctic convoy.

[steve25805 126,149]

On F ebruary 24th in 1941, the first - albeit brief - action took place between German and British patrols in North Africa.

On February 24th in 1943, Erwin Rommel was appointed to sole command of all German and Italian forces in Tunisia.

On February 24th in 1944, Soviet forces captured Rogachev.

[steve25805 126,149]

Sorry guys......couldn't be arsed to keep posting an "it happened on this date" post everyday.

Truth is, I was very busy and forgot for several days, so am now letting it go so that this thread can exist just for discussing anything to do with WW2 in general.

Here's a question. What is your favourite battle of WW2?

Mine has always been the climactic last battle for Berlin in 1945. A desperate and futile last stand against overwhelming odds, on top of which is the presence and final demise of Hitler himself. Has always interested me.

[Scot_Lover 1,877]

Coolest thing I've seen using a GoPro, mounted on a 50 Cal machine gun on an operating Ball Turret, 15min total time.

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[Ms. Tito 2,396]

On 2/18/2016 at 12:32 PM, F.W said:

Also a very interesting,and not widely known raid was in May '44,in Yugoslavia,when the Germans wanted to capture Tito,the war leader of the Yugoslav resistance,near his hideaway near the town of Drvar."Operation Rosselsprung"..They dropped a few hundred men,of SS Fallschirmjager Batallion 500,and Glider troops,followed up by a ground offensive.Despite landing within a short distance of his hideaway,he managed to escape,and the Germans suffered high casualties,in battle with the quite poorly armed,yet determined Yugoslav resistance.It does seem that during WW2,Airborne operations generally only had a 50/50 chance of success..

When your Aryan Übermensch army gets their asses kicked by a bunch of slavic farmers with shotguns 😂😂😂😂😂