WWII buffs

#1

Fine Vol

Go Vols
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
19,849
Likes
2
#1
I have really been studying WWII, i find it fascinating. Any of you guys intrigued by that war and all of the people and countries that were involved? The SS floor me at the age of the troops and how they just did evil. I hear Hitler gave some troops PCP to get them mean and jacked up, WOW. Any of you study WWII?
 
Last edited:
#2
#2
I am a bit of a buff, particularly of WWII submarine warfare.

When I was a kid and we lived in England, I found a machine gun shell on the beach from 1944. I treasure it to this day.
 
#3
#3
I am a bit of a buff, particularly of WWII submarine warfare.

When I was a kid and we lived in England, I found a machine gun shell on the beach from 1944. I treasure it to this day.
WOW thats something else. I hear in Germany it is not smart to even talk about that war, is there any truth to that?
 
#4
#4
I am a fan of history, but specifically in WWII history. I am up for watching anything I can get my hands on about it.

I bought the World at War DVD's it is very entertaining...Also if you have have never seen the Band of Brothers series....You need to stop what you are doing and go buy the box set immediately.
 
#5
#5
I am a fan of history, but specifically in WWII history. I am up for watching anything I can get my hands on about it.

I bought the World at War DVD's it is very entertaining...Also if you have have never seen the Band of Brothers series....You need to stop what you are doing and go buy the box set immediately.
LOL I just rented the first four shows, you are right great so far.
 
#6
#6
WOW thats something else. I hear in Germany it is not smart to even talk about that war, is there any truth to that?

They are very sensitive to it, especially because of the obvious negative stigma attached to it. They are afraid that people still attach the people there now to that time frame.

On a side note, I spent some time in Denmark and they still do not care for German people to this day...Still a few people alive that remember the atrocities.
 
#8
#8
WOW thats something else. I hear in Germany it is not smart to even talk about that war, is there any truth to that?

I have talked to a few Germans, and I have never brought it up. They are understandably sensitive about the whole thing. It has even been referred to (by Germans) as their "national shame." I think that focusing on the second world war as a "the axis were bad, the allies were good" thing doesn't do it justice and makes it a caricature of it's full status. The average German, Japanese, and Italian were fine people. It is a lesson more about the dangers of fascism and in Japan's case religious extremism. Humanity doesn't end at national boundaries.
 
#11
#11
I have talked to a few Germans, and I have never brought it up. They are understandably sensitive about the whole thing. It has even been referred to (by Germans) as their "national shame." I think that focusing on the second world war as a "the axis were bad, the allies were good" thing doesn't do it justice and makes it a caricature of it's full status. The average German, Japanese, and Italian were fine people. It is a lesson more about the dangers of fascism and in Japan's case religious extremism. Humanity doesn't end at national boundaries.

They also glean pride from the whole Valkyrie operation, even though it failed, a lot of Germans look to that as representative of what a lot of people that were either too scared or too repressed believed.
 
#12
#12
As an after-thought, we usually only hear things from an allied perspective. I recommend reading a book from someone on the other side of the fence, such as Donitz' memoir, or the like. It gives some insight into what it was like to be on the wrong side of history and know it.
 
#14
#14
As an after-thought, we usually only hear things from an allied perspective. I recommend reading a book from someone on the other side of the fence, such as Donitz' memoir, or the like. It gives some insight into what it was like to be on the wrong side of history and know it.
Great idea I will look into it.
 
#16
#16
They also glean pride from the whole Valkyrie operation, even though it failed, a lot of Germans look to that as representative of what a lot of people that were either too scared or too repressed believed.

Ya, it'd be easier just to pretend that they were all bad and complicit with the atrocities of the war, but the reality is the majority of the population was not in favor of the war, but not vehemently so. Hitler only carried about 30 % of the vote, after all.

Now in Japan, people favored the war, but that was because they believed their emperor was a god (literally) and they couldn't lose, plus there was a racial aspect that viewed non-Japanese as inferior. keep in mind Japan had been a continuous independent culture for thousands of years. They are still very exclusive to non-Japanese.
 
#18
#18
Who was trained better do you think, German soldiers or were our boys way ahead of the game?

In the beginning of the war the German army was loaded for bear and more ready than any other on Earth. But losses over the course of the war quickly changed that. The population of Germany and Italy was but a fraction of the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

A smaller population, as well as a lack of resources due to their limited area of geographical influence doomed them in a prolonged war. Hitler knew that which is why initially the "blitzkrieg" method was used. It did work, as Fortress Europe was in place after only a couple of years. Had Russia and Germany remained at peace, it would have been a different 20th century.
 
#19
#19
Yea IP you have a good grasp on this war. The German scientist and things they did is a whole crazy storie.
 
#20
#20
Yea IP you have a good grasp on this war. The German scientist and things they did is a whole crazy storie.

Have you heard about their experiments with "sound weapons?" They constructed a giant amplifier that could disable a man in 30 seconds, and kill him in a minute if he was within 100 yards. The only problem was the weapon was the size of a small house. Never saw live action.

There are some crazy and horrific things some of those scientists did.

We're lucky some of their best physicists were Jewish and fled to the US, otherwise they would have been the one with the atomic bomb. Also, all modern submarines and rocketry is based on Nazi Germany technology.
 
#21
#21
In the beginning of the war the German army was loaded for bear and more ready than any other on Earth. But losses over the course of the war quickly changed that. The population of Germany and Italy was but a fraction of the United States, Britain, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

A smaller population, as well as a lack of resources due to their limited area of geographical influence doomed them in a prolonged war. Hitler knew that which is why initially the "blitzkrieg" method was used. It did work, as Fortress Europe was in place after only a couple of years. Had Russia and Germany remained at peace, it would have been a different 20th century.

Russian involvement certainly sped up the end for the Germans. Had the Russians not been involved the outcome would still have ended in German defeat it would have taken at least twice as long and cost us much more in lives and military resources. Nazi Germany had overextended themselves, I think they hoped that America, Great Britain, etc would find the war too costly.
 
#22
#22
Have you heard about their experiments with "sound weapons?" They constructed a giant amplifier that could disable a man in 30 seconds, and kill him in a minute if he was within 100 yards. The only problem was the weapon was the size of a small house. Never saw live action.

There are some crazy and horrific things some of those scientists did.

We're lucky some of their best physicists were Jewish and fled to the US, otherwise they would have been the one with the atomic bomb. Also, all modern submarines and rocketry is based on Nazi Germany technology.

Our jet engines also benefited greatly from German technology studied after the war.
 
#24
#24
Yea I am on the forth show and sure gives you a look at the emotions those brave men encountered.
 
#25
#25
Yea I am on the forth show and sure gives you a look at the emotions those brave men encountered.

Be sure to pay attention to the real guys this story was based on. Their commentary is priceless.
 

VN Store



Back
Top