The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - M551 Sheridan Light Tank - Jul. 20th, 2004

afvdb.50megs.com ^

[SAMWolf]

1944 Von Stauffenberg fails on an attempt on Hitler's life

After Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler had been assassinated, it was planned for troops in Berlin to seize key government buildings, telephone and signal centres and radio stations.

At least six attempts were aborted before Claus von Stauffenberg decided on trying again during a conference attended by Hitler on July 20, 1944. It was decided to drop plans to kill Goering and Himmler at the same time. Stauffenberg, who had never met Hitler before, carried the bomb in a briefcase and placed it on the floor while he left to make a phone-call. The bomb exploded killing four men in the hut. Hitler's right arm was badly injured but he survived the bomb blast.

The plan was for Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzleben and Friedrich Fromm to take control of the German Army. This idea was abandoned when it became known that Adolf Hitler had survived the assassination attempt. In an attempt to protect himself, Fromm organized the execution of Claus von Stauffenberg along with two other conspirators, Friedrich Olbricht and Werner von Haeften, in the courtyard of the War Ministry. It was later reported the Stauffenberg died shouting "Long live free Germany".

As a result of the July Plot, the new chief of staff, Heinz Guderian demanded the resignation of any officer who did not fully support the ideals of the Nazi Party. Over the next few months Guderian sat with Gerd von Rundstedt and Wilhelm Keitel on the Army Court of Honor that expelled hundreds of officers suspected of being opposed to the policies of Adolf Hitler. This removed them from court martial jurisdiction and turned them over to Roland Freisler and his People's Court.

Over the next few months most of the group, including Wilhelm Canaris, Carl Goerdeler, Julius Leber, Ulrich Hassell, Hans Oster, Peter von Wartenburg, Henning von Tresckow, Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzleben and Friedrich Fromm, were either executed or committed suicide.

It is etimated that 4,980 Germans were executed after the July Plot. Hitler decided that the leaders should have a slow death. They were hung with piano wire from meat-hooks. Their executions were filmed and later shown to senior members of both the NSDAP and the armed forces.

[SAMWolf]

Morning EOD

If you want to see a smaller of version of this, behold the RPG 7 which is exactly a rocket assisted, recoiless laucher.

I could never figure out why we never developed a decent equivalent to the RPG.

[SAMWolf]

we all thought it looked kind of neat

Ok I'll give you that, I thought it looked kinda neat too. There's a novel called "Fire Arrow" about a major hostage rescue mission in Libya in which the M551 is featured prominently.

[U S Army EOD]

Because the 90mm Recoiless is a better weapon. Of course we had the LAW and what ever replaced it.

If you are armed with an RPG then that is about all you can carry. With a LAW, everyone can carry one or two. If you want a dedicated weapon, you had the 90mm Recoiless.

When we went to the TOW and Dragon, we got rid of the 106mm and 90mm. This took away a cheap HE shell for the infrantry. We still could develop a laucher or missle that could be used with the 106mm or 90mm recoiless and give a cheap shell to shoot at cheap targets.

[U S Army EOD]

However on the other side, the M60 A3 tank with the 152mm gun/luncher looked kind of stupid. It definitely did not look as neat as its sisters with the 105mm.

[Valin]

Lets not forget Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

[Professional Engineer]

IMPRESSIVE!

[SAMWolf]

IIRC the recoiless rifle was pretty popular around the Korean war.

The problem with the LAW was that it was a one shot weapon. The RPG is relatively cheap , very effective and reusable.

[SAMWolf]

M60 A3 tank with the 152mm gun/launcher looked kind of stupid.

Yeah, it did look like some kind of bastard child. :-) Of course the M60 never really looked cool anyway.

[SAMWolf]

That is a nice shot.

[Darksheare]

An interesting idea that could have been made to work and work well it seems.
But what could have been done I have no idea..

[Professional Engineer]

I in inherited many pictures of my aunt and uncle standing in front of the Doolittle headstone.

Cool! Do you have any you'd like to share with us?

[snippy_about_it]

Sounds like a plan, but you know it'll never happen.

Guess not. I'm awake now. :-)

[snippy_about_it]

Morning Aeronaut.

[snippy_about_it]

Cool morning here in the Pacific NW.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning alfa6.

[snippy_about_it]

(vehicles dispatched to Vietnam had the guidance system for their ATGW missiles removed)

What did I miss? Why were they removed?

[snippy_about_it]

Psalm 27. A good prayer to use in the fight against the left that hopes to destroy us.

Good morning Mayor.

[snippy_about_it]

Oh my. Might be a day to hit the mall or a movie to stay cool. Morning Gail.

[snippy_about_it]

What a great poster! Thanks PE.