These WWII Facts Will Give You a Different Perspective

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 9/22/20 | K Eppes

[w1n1]

Historian John Keegan words on World War II, was "the largest single event in human history," a conflict "fought across six of the world's seven continents and all its oceans. It killed 50 million human beings, left hundreds of millions of others wounded in mind or body and materially devastated much of the heartland of civilization."
Much have been analyzed and explored from numerous angles in history books, films and art.
Common figures and events are familiar to the average high school student who is buried in the history books. This era is filled with complex and endless fascinating stories that packs plenty of overlooked or under-appreciated stories, characters, and facts for the rest of us. Here are some different perspectives to view.

1. Believe it or not, Koreans were among the first German soldiers captured at Normandy. They were first forced to fight for the Japanese and then the Soviets and finally by the Germans.

2. Another horrific face when the Russians moved through open fields they would force convicts to walk ahead of the troops and tanks. This often cost the convicts their lives but it would spare the Russian army and allow them to continue to advance.

3. James Hill managed a feat that few thought imagine possible when he captured two tanks with nothing but a revolver. He attempted to capture a third tank with his trusty revolver but was wounded.

4. Bomber crews were signed on to do 25 mission tours but what most didn’t know was that from 1942-1943 air losses were so common that it became statistically impossible for a bomber to complete a full tour.

5. The massive Japanese submarine I-401 was the size of an aircraft carrier and even had three folded up bombers secured inside the sub. The mission of the submarine was to bomb the Panama Canal but instead the behemoth of a sub ended up at the bottom of the ocean. Read the rest of more World War 2 facts.

[Oatka]

After VE Day, Eisenhower was showing off flail tanks to General Zhukov, who remarked that he just marched infantry to clear mine fields.

Interesting candid point as to how much the Russian military valued their soldiers' lives.

Khomeini did that with pre-teens in the Iraq-Iran wars, sending them in before the infantry to clear the ping mines. That caused a lot of them to be blinded as the mines were designed for chest-high bursts on adults, not face-high for the kids.

[left that other site]

Yep!

I got to fly a T6 for my 55th birthday. That was a trainer for the other more dashing aircraft.

The joystick instead of a yoke is a cool thing!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

In 1939 German steel production was smaller than France or Britain, and much smaller than the U.S., or even Russia. The Germans could only win short wars. Even in a depression Pittsburgh was outproducing the Ruhr. (And Hitler drove the people most capable of and most motivated to make an atomic weapon to America.)

American industrial capacity, even in 1939, far outstripped Germany’s. And no country devoted nearly as much of its (already prodigious ) GDP to the war effort as the Americans. In 1943, 45% of the U.S. GDP was committed to war production. Hitler never called on the German people to make the kind of sacrifices that Americans made, until it was much too late. Current U.S. military spending is realistically less than 3% of GDP, when you discount social engineering disguised as military spending.

[dfwgator]

Interesting candid point as to how much the Russian military valued their soldiers' lives.

Two words, "Operation Keelhaul"

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Out Fought and pretty much Out Thought.

Like what the Limey’s did to the Nazi, Out Thought them at every turn.

[dfwgator]

In 1939 German steel production was smaller than France or Britain, and much smaller than the U.S., or even Russia. The Germans could only win short wars. Even in a depression Pittsburgh was outproducing the Ruhr. (And Hitler drove the people most capable of and most motivated to make an atomic weapon to America.)

That's why they wanted Czechoslovakia so much, The Skoda Works.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“The US Airforce didn’t exist in WWII.“

Yes but Navy jets did, I saw it in a movie.
The Final Countdown.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Quick victory or no Victory. They had to get Port Moresby and neuter Australia, and get Guadalcanal or they were sunk.

My opinion if it weren’t for MacArthur it may have been over a year earlier but he was anal on the Philippines. A little like Montgomery that way.

We could have embargoed every Island and Nuked or starved them out. Okinawa and Iwo invasions weren’t really necessary. The Bomb being on a fixed / separate timeline however might not have fit however.

I think that’s what DJT would have done back then.

Nothing like hindsight.

[pfflier]

Yes, that is why I said Doolittle changed tactics. I just didn't know some out there were that interested in the details. Obviously we have many.

BTW they promised my dad pilot training at 25 missions, upgrading from navigator. He wanted to get some in the P-51s. One mission more and he was to rotate then they upped the count to 30. By the time he got to flight training, the war in Europe was over and they didn't need the pilots. Back to navigator.

[Mastador1]

That is how my FIL referred to it but I made sure to have the proper citation in my post. how often do you hear the Air Force, or any branch of the service referred to as ‘The United States........., the first three are just assumed or left out for brevity but is never done out of disrespect.
I know you weren’t at any point implying that of me.......I just can’t help being verbose at times ; )

[Calvin Locke]

5. The massive Japanese submarine I-401 ...even had three folded up bombers secured inside the sub...but instead the behemoth of a sub ended up at the bottom of the ocean.

After the war. The US and USSR agreed to share captured Japanese technology. When the time came for the sub to be examined by the Soviets, it had an "accident" at sea, and sank.

[SunkenCiv]

Busy topic, should be some good verbal brawls to enjoy.

[SunkenCiv]

In a documentary, a number of old decorated Red Army grunts mentioned that they had hated their commanders, and still hated them. Also, that Red Army soldiers were referred to as "effectives" (as in still having the use of their limbs) and "bayonets".

[JonPreston]

bkm

[JonPreston]

I’ve read that Hitler stopped at Dunkirk allowing for the evacuation as a peace overture to Churchill. Any thoughts?

[lizma2]

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/operation-cherry-blossoms-night.html

Planned attack on San Diego.

[colorado tanker]

The Air Force experience was significantly different in the Pacific than in Europe. The Japanese air defenses were much weaker than the German. The quality of the Japanese air force deteriorated as they lost experienced pilots and could not replace them.

Meanwhile, in Europe the USAAF stubbornly insisted on daylight bombing when we did not have fighters capable of providing cover to the targets. The Schweinfurt raids were a disaster. Big Week was a flop, IMHO. As observed above, however, once the long range P-51's deployed, the bombing was very effective in degrading the Luftwaffe and forcing it to relocate to Germany. By D-Day, the Allies had air superiority over Northern France.

Interestingly, once the B-29's deployed to the Marianas the Air Force tried the same tactics as over Europe. LeMay deemed the losses unacceptable and essentially adopted the RAF tactic of area bombing at night. That devastated many Japanese cities.

[colorado tanker]

I’ve read that Hitler stopped at Dunkirk allowing for the evacuation as a peace overture to Churchill. Any thoughts?

No. The advance across Northern France was so fast the Wehrmacht would send the armored units out on their own to seize as much territory as they could grab. However, contrary to what many think, the German army was largely not mechanized. So, the armor units would have to stop and wait for the infantry and supply units to catch up so they could resupply and consolidate the gains.

That is essentially the situation when the Germans surrounded Dunkirk. The order was not given by Hitler, but by his operational commanders who were also concerned that their forces needed to be consolidated in case the British tried a breakout. Also, when the attack resumed the French fought a very gallant and tough rear guard operation.

I have a vague recollection Goering airingly promised that the Luftwaffe could dispatch the troops on the beach so there was no reason to take heavy casualties mopping them up.

[dfwgator]

I always questioned if Hitler ever really had his heart set on invading England, I think he always held out hope the Brits would vote Churchill out. He figured that at that point Britain had been neutralized, so he could start to focus on the Soviet Union.

I still think he knew and approved of Rudolf Hess’ flight to Britain, while telling Hess he would disavow it if he were caught. Hess was that loyal to Hitler.

[JonPreston]

He figured that at that point Britain had been neutralized, so he could start to focus on the Soviet Union.

I still think he knew and approved of Rudolf Hess’ flight to Britain, while telling Hess he would disavow it if he were caught. Hess was that loyal to Hitler.

Very much what I've read over the years. Not else makes sense for the pause, for me anyway.