For WW 2 Buffs

[Lon]

The Battle of Kursk was a Huge Battle between Russia and Germany during July & August 1943. The number of men and the amount of material and armaments is staggering. Doing a Google Search will bring up a tremendous amount of data and information. One could spend weeks reviewing this fascinating battle.

 

[Laurie]

I don't think you have to be a WWII buff to know that this was the biggest tank battle of the war, it's a simple matter of history.

 

[Lon]

True Laurie, but buffs want to know the details of the battle.

 

[John C]

Battle Report, Volume 5, Victory in the Pacific is an excellent book about the Pacific Campaign. In reading the book, I was fascinated by what was called Roger Peter One (Radar Picket 1). It was the post assigned to a Destroyer or Destroyer Escort located between Okinawa and the main American Fleet. RP1's job was to pick up on radar Japanese planes headed in the direction of the fleet and report their numbers, course and direction. The post became even more dangerous after the Japanese began using Kamikaze aircraft. RP1 was the first American ship these planes encountered and on almost every occasion the Japanese either sank or damaged the ship assigned to that post. Many American ships were lost while carrying out their early warning mission.

 

[Butterfly]

Interesting.

 

[Underock1]

Growing up during WWII, of course I have an interest. Strangely, though, as military history goes WWII is not high on my list.
Ask me anything about the French and Indian war. WWII certainly gets a big play on my TV. I have seen the battle of Kursk dozens of times. Ask me a question about Hitler! I have one channel that seems to run nothing else round the clock. :yuk:

 

[Underock1]

Battle Report, Volume 5, Victory in the Pacific is an excellent book about the Pacific Campaign. In reading the book, I was fascinated by what was called Roger Peter One (Radar Picket 1). It was the post assigned to a Destroyer or Destroyer Escort located between Okinawa and the main American Fleet. RP1's job was to pick up on radar Japanese planes headed in the direction of the fleet and report their numbers, course and direction. The post became even more dangerous after the Japanese began using Kamikaze aircraft. RP1 was the first American ship these planes encountered and on almost every occasion the Japanese either sank or damaged the ship assigned to that post. Many American ships were lost while carrying out their early warning mission.

If you're into destroyers. I'm sure you know all about "Taffy 3". Now theirs was a heroic, and noble action with a huge pay off.

 

[John C]

Growing up during WWII, of course I have an interest. Strangely, though, as military history goes WWII is not high on my list.
Ask me anything about the French and Indian war. WWII certainly gets a big play on my TV. I have seen the battle of Kursk dozens of times. Ask me a question about Hitler! I have one channel that seems to run nothing else round the clock. :yuk:

The Battle of Borodino is one of the most interesting battles to me.

 

[fureverywhere]

My Dad served, he didn't talk about it much. Apparently he had an advantage that he could type faster than anyone else. He got a job as chaplain's assistant. He used to joke he spent most of the war humping an organ from site to site. The battles I get fuzzy with but I'm a whiz at profiles of key players. The history channels are terrific some nights. You learn something new all the time.

One particularly interesting show a few months ago was about a group of captured Nazi officers. Rather than throw them in jail somebody came up with a plan. They sent them to a guarded manor. It was presented as a gentleman's agreement of sorts. Since you're all high ranking officers we respect that. They had meals, cigars and plush quarters.

What the Nazi's didn't know was that every room of the house was rigged with recording equipment. Prehistoric by todays standards but amazing when you realize what technology was available. The recordings were translated by people listening around the clock on headphones. Then they were transcribed onto records so they could be saved and distributed.

Of course as the war winded down the officers talked more and more about the future and the failings of their party. Some finally spoke up about not trusting Hitler from the beginning. Hitler's death shattered the group. I think most of them were granted immunity after the war.

 

[Linda]

That was interesting fureverywhere.

 

[Underock1]

The Battle of Borodino is one of the most interesting battles to me.

I have Duffy's book on that. Big and brutal. Not one of Nappy's best.

 

[John C]

I have Duffy's book on that. Big and brutal. Not one of Nappy's best.

I remember reading how bloody it was and that many high ranking officers were killed. If Amazon has the book by Duffy, I will order it. I think that's the battle described by Tolstoy.??