Military History

#101
#101
LouderVol said:
sicily agreed, but wasn't that a airborne force he was fighting? airborne on the ground is infantry without any heavy support. (might be thinking Cyprus but i think it was a large majority german airborne)

the bulge, weren't Bradley's guys like a day or two behind coming in from the more contested north? Patton was in overall command, get there fast, but Bradley commanded his own troops. (this does show one of your points about having good commanders beneath him) I don't credit the relief as a great thing as it would have happened almost as fast without Patton. The air cover is what broke the German advance not Patton's tanks.

falaise is an interesting tale. it had to happen for the invasion to work. our whole effort was thrown into it, failing was not an option. and what ultimately became the pocket there was a fortuitous circumstance based on Patton rushing around. The Germans were there too long because they were wanting to take advantage of Patton over stretching himself. by the time Hitler approved the plan it was too late for them. and how much of the combined arms success was Patton an actual part of? I really don't know the answer to that.

generally i think Patton was just in command of the most able American Army group in the ET. basically i don't think Patton deserves as much credit as he got.

and for the most part the success of the Allied advance was more tied to the failures of the German military (Hitler, gas & oil, troop numbers/deployments etc) than any particular success of our generals. all jmo. you have to remember the Germans fighting the Americans were 'on break' from the Western Front.
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Actually, by Normandy Patton worked for Bradley. Bradley planned out Operation Cobra (which led into the Battle of Falaise) but needed the right people to make it work. Patton helped ensure that success.
 
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#102
#102
Grand Vol said:
Actually, by Normandy Patton worked for Bradley. Bradley planned out Operation Cobra (which led into the Battle of Falaise) but needed the right people to make it work. Patton helped ensure that success.
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Good commanders make subordinates look good, and vice versa
 
#105
#105
malinoisvol said:
Great article.

"I learned more about life in that one year than I did in 28 years of college."

I hope I got that quote right.

Its hard to imagine what these guys went through until you read firsthand accounts such as this one.
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My uncle was KIA as a LRRP/ARP in the 11th ACR, I've become pals with some of those guys, very intriguing folks. Their W.A.R. chapter is named in his honor, actually.
 
#106
#106
About fifteen years ago my Godson professed an emerging interest in military history and asked for a list of some books to get started with. Being me, I came up with this. It's a bit dated (look for a list of more recent works in the near future) but I stand by my selections.

General Military History

1. Perret, Geoffery, A Country Made By War
A well written survey of US military history from the Colonial Wars through the Cold War.

2. Williams, T. Harry, The Wars of America
Another survey but Dr. Williams died before he could finish. Takes you through the First
World War.

3. Weigley, Russell, The American Way of War
Prof. Weigley’s work is required reading at the Army and the Naval War Colleges. This is a more analytical book than the other two.

4. Dyer, Gwynne, War
One of the best general studies I’ve seen dealing with the whole tragic panoply of war in the western experience. Written at the height of the Cold War by a Canadian historian. This work was the basis for a BBC documentary done in the mid-1970's

5. SunTzu, The Art of War
Zen and the art of strategy. I try to read this little book at least once each year. I always learn something new. I have four different translations. A absolute must for success in war, business, politics or any other pursuit. Repeat: AN ABSOLUTE MUST.

6. Fair, Charles, From the Jaws of Victory
The other side of successful strategy. It is also useful to know what doesn’t work. Just in case you get any “wonderful” ideas.

7. Asprey, Robert, War in the Shadows: The Guerilla in History
Napoleon once said: “God is on the side with the big battalions.” Not necessarily, and this book shows why. The latest edition covers through about 1992 or so.

8. Clausewitz, Carl von, On War
You don’t really need to read the whole thing, much of the second half would bore the dead. However, the first three “books” or sections are required if you ever hope to understand the basis for all US Army strategy. The edition translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret is best.

9. Keegan, John, The Face of Battle
The best by an excellent British writer. Keegan is one of my personal favorites. He takes three major battles: Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme and illustrates what changed and what didn’t.

10. Keegan, John, A History of Warfare
Another excellent effort by Keegan. This time he analyzes the whole bloody business from Ug and Og to Norman Schwartzkopf.

Other Wars - Other Places

1. Chandler, David G. The Campaigns of Napoleon
Should you develop and interest in ol’ Boney this is the only book you’ll really need.After my original copy burned in ‘81, I spent the next 10 or so years trying to replace it.I finally found a copy for $65.00 and considered it a bargain - it’s that good.

2. Morris, Donald R., The Washing of the Spears
If you ever get the chance to see the movie ZULU, this book deals with that war. In 1879 the Zulus took on the flower of the British Army at Ishandhilwana in South Africa and beat the hell out of them. The Brits, of course, eventually won but it’s a great story and goodbackground on modern Africa.

3. Farwell, Byron, Queen Victoria’s Little Wars
Farwell is another of my favorites, quirky, irreverent, and opinionated. Here he addresses the colonial wars Britain fought in the late 1800's.

4. Shaara, Michael, The Killer Angels
A fictional account of the battle of Gettysburg. It gives the famous battle an immediacy sometimes lacking in non-fiction.

5. Adan, Avraham (Bren), On the Banks of the Suez
A searing account of modern armored combat from the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.

American Civil War

1. Catton, Bruce, Mr. Lincoln’s Army; The Glory Road; and A Stillness at Appomattox
Catton was the Dean of Civil War historians for years and this trilogy on the Union Armyof the Potomac shows why. A number of my history profs at UT took shots at him I think for three reasons: 1) he was an excellent historian, 2) an excellent writer and 3) he made a lot of money doing it.

2. McPherson, James, Battle Cry of Freedom
The definitive modern general history of the war. Very well written and researched. See also the American Heritage version.

3. Hattaway, Herman, and Jones, Archer, How the North Won
Two leading military historians, one from Louisiana and one from Illinois, give the military side of the conflict. Should be a basis for any serious research on the subject.

4. Tanner, Robert G., Stonewall in the Valley
The legendary Confederate General in his most legendary campaign. I’ve been to the Shenendoah Valley several times and I swear I think he’s still wandering around there.

5. Seymour, Digby, Divided Loyalties (Civil War in East Tenn)
Musketry at Campbell’s Station, cannons on Cherokee Bluff, ragged Confederates camped in Sequoyah Hills, Joe Shelby in Maryville. Originally done for the CW centennial and revisedin the late 1970's this is still the best overall on the war in and around Knoxville.

6. McDonough, James Lee, In Hell Before Night: The Battle of Shiloh
More Americans (North and South) died at Shiloh than had fallen in all our wars and battles to 1862 combined. A pivotal battle in the western theater of the war.

7. Foote, Shelby, The Civil War (3 vols.)
A twenty year labor of love for the Memphis writer. The best narrative of the war. This is not a reading to be taken lightly. Took me nearly a two months of solid reading to get through all three volumes but well worth the effort.

8. Grant, Ulysses, Memoirs
Dying, broke and desperate, Grant asked Sam Clemens (Mark Twain)for help. Clemens offered to publish his memoirs and gave him $100,000 in advance. Grant spent the last months of his life earning it and then some. Considered the best personal memoirs by a
senior commander in American literature.

9. Frassanito, William, Grant and Lee; or Gettysburg
Then and now photos of Civil War battlefields Frassanito tried to get as close as possible to
the original camera locations.

10. Watkins, Sam R., “Co. Aytch”
If Grant wrote the best memoirs of a commander, Watkins did the same for the common foot soldier. He served all over with the Confederate Army of Tennessee and in all its battles to the bitter end.

World War II - General

1. Baldwin, Hanson W., Battles Lost and Won
Baldwin was a correspondent during the war and later produced this account of some of the more pivotal battles.

2. Jablonski, Edward, AirWar (2 vols.)
WWII was to a large extent decided in the air. Jablonski does an excellent job of bringing it all together. Also check out his other classic: Flying Fortress, a history of the B-17.

3. Morison, Samuel Eliot, Two Ocean War
Not to be outdone by the Army’s official historians, the Navy made Morison an Admiral and sent him off to write their story. His 22 volume History of U. S. Naval Operations is edited down to this single volume that is the basis for all study of the Navy in WWII.

4. Keegan, John, The Second World War
There are any number of general works dealing with the war. Keegan’s is the best of the recent studies.

5. Martin, Ralph G. G.I. War
The stories of the GI’s who did the fighting and dying from boot camp through postwar.

6. Smith, S. E., The United States Navy in World War IIor The UnitedStates Marine Corps in World War II
Like Ralph Martin, Smith was a correspondent only he covered the sea services. These books are collections of reports and dispatches filed on the spot, a real “you are there” experience.

World War II - European Theater

1. Horne, Alistaire, To Lose a Battle: France, 1940
Few people realize that the French had the Germans outnumbered and outgunned in the Spring of 1940. Horne does an excellent job of explaining how they managed to lose in less than 5 weeks.

2. MacDonald, Charles B. Company Commander
Charlie MacDonald was the dean of American WWII historians for years. He led an infantry company during the Battle of the Bulge and wrote this memoir, one of the best ever.

3. MacDonald, Charles B. A Time for Trumpets
This is MacDonald’s version of the epic Battle of the Bulge. Very well done.

4. MacDonald, Charles B. The Mighty Endeavor (Yes, I like this guy’s stuff!)
Charlie does it again. This time he deals with the entire campaign from North Africa to the German surrender in May ‘45.

5. Ryan, Cornelius, A Bridge Too Far (Also catch the movie)
Field Marshal Montgomery had a wonderful idea: drop three airborne divisions behind German lines to capture a series of bridges opening the way for an armored corps to exploit and cross the Rhine River.

6. Caidin, Martin, Black Thursday
The US 8th Air Force had a wonderful idea: send 300 heavy bombers 300 miles into Germany unescorted to bomb the Erkner ball bearing plant in Schweinfurt.

7. Ambrose, Stephen, D-Day
This book is the real basis for the movie Saving Private Ryan (Ambrose was technical advisor).

8. Mellenthin, F. W. von, Panzer Battles
This guy really got around, he was a Panzer officer who served in every major German battle of WWII.

9. deEste, Carlo, Bitter Victory
The Sicily Campaign by one the best of the modern historians. DeEste was an infantry officer in Vietnam

10. Reid, P. R., Escape From Colditz
(If stranded on a desert island with only one book, this would be it!)
The Germans had wonderful idea: take prisoners who had attempted more than one escape and put them in an old castle in the middle of Germany.

World War II - Pacific Theater

1. Prange, Gordon W., At Dawn We Slept
Forget all the numbnuts and their conspiracy theories regarding Pearl Harbor, Prange spent 30-odd years researching it and this is the definitive story.

2. Spector, Ronald G., Eagle Against The Sun
Spector was a Marine in Vietnam. He is another of the best. An excellent study of the war in the Pacific.

3. Frank, Richard B., Guadalcanal
After 6 months of defeat at the hands of the Japanese Army, the Allies landed the 1st Marine
Division on a jungle island whose only redeeming factor was an airfield. The Japanese referred to Guadalcanal as “Starvation Island.”

4. Belote, James H. and Belote, William M., Typhoon of Steel
The last major land battle in the Pacific was fought on Okinawa. A suicidal Japanese army and devastating Kamikaze raids combined to make it the most expensive Pacific battle for the US and helped convince Truman to use nuclear weapons to avoid having to invade Japan itself.

5. Toland, John, The Rising Sun
Although a bit dated this was the first major work in English portraying the Japanese experience in WWII.

6. Fluckey, Eugene, Thunder Below!
Gene Fluckey commanded the submarine USS Barb against Japan. He was repeatedly commended for aggressive actions to the extent that given a choice between a return visit by Fluckey and the Barb or Godzilla the Japanese would say “Bring on the Lizard!”

7. Reynolds, Clark G., The Fast Carriers
Leaning heavily toward the analytical side of military history, Reynolds (a history prof at Annapolis) does a masterful job of dissecting the US Navy’s carrier war in the Pacific.

8. Tuchman, Barbara W.,Stilwell and the American Experience in China
FDR had a wonderful idea: take an irascible, contrary, but brilliant American general andmake him the prime liaison to the corrupt, inefficient and disorganized Chinese under Chiang Kai Shek.

9. Alexander, Larry, Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors
On October 25, 1944 three American destroyers and one destroyer-escort screening a small task force of escort carriers charged into the teeth of a Japanese force mustering FOUR battleships, SEVEN cruisers and 12-13 destroyers. The Japanese were so non-plussed by the audacity of this attack that and attendant air attacks from the escort carriers they were escorting that they withdrew.

World War II - Biography & Memoirs

1. Fest, Joachim, Hitler
Hitler is, for better or worse, the pivotal figure of the Second World War. Fest’s biography is an excellent history and analysis of Hitler.

2. Larabee, Eric, Commander In Chief
Larabee takes an unusual approach to Franklin Roosevelt by using his relations with his top commanders to paint a picture of the definitive 20th century President.

3. deEste, Carlo, Patton: A Genius For War
The best bio of “Georgie” out there. Warts and all.

4. Patton, George S., War As I Knew It
Patton on Patton. Warts and all.

5. Buell, Thomas, The Quiet Warrior
Admiral Raymond Spruance commanded the US Fleet at two of the most decisive naval battles in history: Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea and won them both. Spruance got little recognition outside the Navy during the war and less after.

6. Barnett, Corelli (editor), Hitler’s Generals
In contrast to the Larabee work, this book deals with the men who led Hitler’s legions. The price of failure was high.

7. Ambrose, Stephen, Eisenhower 1890 - 1952
To those who suggest that Ike was more figurehead than commander I offer this in rebuttal. Ambrose is Eisenhower’s official biographer.

8. Manstein, Erich von, Lost Victories
One of the masters of mobile war. Manstein spent WWII fighting the Russians and Hilter in no particular order. A classic memoir by a top German general.

9. Sakai, Saburo, and Caidin, Martin, Zero!
Sakai was the top Japanese ace to survive the war.

10. Mauldin, Bill, Up Front
Mauldin was the staff editorial cartoonist for Stars and Stripes, the US Army’s newspaper in Europe during the war. His book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945.

World War I

1. Middlebrook, Martin, The First Day of the Somme
British Expeditionary Force commander Douglas Haig had a wonderful idea: his killed 21000+ British soldiers between 6 a.m. and midnight on 1 July 1916.

2. Winter, J. M., The Experience of World War I
A good general history of the conflict. Also John Keegan has one that came out in 1999.

3. Horne, Alistaire, The Price of Glory
German Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn had a wonderful idea: launch a major offensive against the French in Feb. 1916 with the goal of killing more of them than the Germans would
lose.

4. Coffman, Edward M. The War To End All Wars
“Mack” Coffman is a personal favorite of mine. I got to meet him during one of my trips to Lexington - truly a “gentleman and scholar.” Also a damn good historian. This is his account of the AEF (American Expeditionary Force) in the Great War.

5. Miller, Nathan, Battle For The Bundu
A sideshow to the slaughter on the European continent was the struggle for German East Africa (modern Tanzania). The Germans learned of the armistice in 1918 by capturing the news!

6. Asprey, Robert, At Belleau Wood
In June, 1918, the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments fought for a small forest about 50 miles from Paris. It took them 22 days to take it and become immortal. The Commandant of the Marine Corps sits on the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of this battle.

7. Tuchman, Barbara, The Guns of August
French Premier Georges Clemenceau once said “War is too important to be left to the generals.” This account of the events of the first month of WWI and - the events leading up to it - suggest it is too important to be left to the politicians and diplomats either.

8. Thomason, John, Fix Bayonets!
John Thomason was a 1st Lt. at Belleau Wood and fought on in all the major AEF battles. A “semi-fictional” account of the Marines in battle.

9. Mackin, Elton E. Suddenly We Didn’t Want to Die
Another Marine reporting, Sir. He served his time in Hell. If you read no other book on WWI, read this one.

10. Amis, Capt. Reese T. (ed.), Knox County in the World War
Produced in Knoxville in 1920 and available only at the library or if you know certain collectors (hint, hint) this is a surprisingly good overview of the local side of the Great War: who went, who didn’t come back, and their pictures. A 1920's Vietnam Wall. Also an excellent collection of US Army photos taken in France during the war. Aerial views of downtown Knoxville in 1919 are another attraction.

KOREA, VIETNAM AND THE OTHERS

1. Galloway, Joe and Moore, MG Harold, We Were Soldiers Once and Young
Hal Moore commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry (Airmobile) during the battle for the Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam. This was the first major battle between the US Army and the NVA (North Vietnamese Army). The descriptions are so vivid you’ll find yourself sweating and checking for VC snipers in your back yard. The book on Vietnam combat. A must read.

2. Schemmer, Benjamin F., The Raid
The North Vietnamese were keeping a number of POW’s at the Son Tay prison camp. The camp was close enough to try a rescue mission. This book shows everything that was right and wrong with our effort in that godforsaken war.

3. Fall, Bernard B., Hell In A Very Small Place
Before we got involved in Vietnam the French were there. Their war came to grief at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Fall’s account of that battle is a classic. Also check out his other classic: Street Without Joy.

4. Atkinson, Rick, Crusade (Gulf War)
Saddam Hussein had a wonderful idea: invade Kuwait and keep all that oil money for himself. Atkinson’s description of US VII Corps’ movement to its start lines is so realistic you’ll get sand in your teeth.

5. Broughton, Col. Jack, Thud Ridge
Thud Ridge was a ridge north of Hanoi US pilots used to mask themselves from NVA SAM radars. Its slopes were littered with wreckage of F-105 Thunderchiefs (Thuds) whose drivers weren’t skilled or lucky enough. Broughton was the outspoken CO of a “Thud” squadron at the height of the Rolling Thunder campaign 1965 - ‘68.

6. Blair, Clay, The Forgotten War (Korea)
Another godforsaken war in another godforsaken place. Some 35,000 Americans fell there in three years. By contrast Vietnam’s bill was 58,000 over ten years. A lot of guys who survived WWII didn’t make through this one.

7. Zucchino, Ralph, Thunder Run
Quite simply one of the best combat narratives EVER. This book describes the advance of units of the 3rd Infantry Division into Baghdad in April, 2003.

BTW, here's a shot of part of my collection:
 

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#107
#107
If you haven't read it, I'd also suggest Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides.

It's an exceptional account on the raid and POW rescue at Cabanatuan.
 
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#110
#110
Veterans' Legacies :: Home

Got this link from Military.com news. All vets need to check out this site. You all have some unique stories and they want you to tell them for preservation sake.

You are a major part in the history of this country, please give it a read.
 
#111
#111
Met a guy today, retired Army E7, was with the, Infantry, 10th Mountain Div. Didn't get to talk to him very long. 12 years AD and 16 yrs reserves. Only two stations he spoke of was Benning and Schofield Barracks.

Will get to talk with him more later on.
 
#112
#112
As I've said before I'm a big Civil War history nerd and lately I've been getting back into reading about it. A thought has crossed my mind, if there were a second ACW and the Federal government won again, would our modern day government be so lenient to the losers? The Union did grant gracious terms of surrender to the Confeds, I'm not so sure we would grant paroles and amnesty to the losing side if it happened again.
 
#114
#114
Burhead said:
As I've said before I'm a big Civil War history nerd and lately I've been getting back into reading about it. A thought has crossed my mind, if there were a second ACW and the Federal government won again, would our modern day government be so lenient to the losers? The Union did grant gracious terms of surrender to the Confeds, I'm not so sure we would grant paroles and amnesty to the losing side if it happened again.
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Considering that if there were another CW I doubt it would be strictly a North/South affair, I don't see much quarter given on either side.
 
#117
#117
Took a little day trip down to Kennesaw Mountain battlefield today and walked a bunch of the trails. It's a nice park even if it is surrounded by suburbia.
 
#119
#119
Burhead said:
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landings and the start of the Gallipoli campaign.
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They put out 250,000 poppies in Federation Square in Melbourne. Quite the sight.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Anzac Day 2015: Federation Square taken over by a sea of red handmade poppies - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
After the debacle in Turkey, the Australians were sent to serve with the British Expeditionary Force in France. On September 29, 1918, the Aussie 5th Division followed the American 30th Division into action at Bellicourt. In the first week of October the 30th relieved the Australians just before the assault on Montbrehan and Premont.

The 117th Infantry of the 30th was raised from the old 3rd Tennessee Infantry (National Guard) in July, 1917. The 30th was nicknamed the Old Hickory Division as it was formed from the National Guard units of Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina, all of which have a connection to Andrew Jackson.

The Diggers and the Old Hickory boys got along famously. Both units were tremendous fighters and both despised the British officer class.[/FONT]
 

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#120
#120
PBS is having some good shows about the Vietnam War every evening this week. Tonight:

"The Day the '60s Died" at 8.

Oscar nominated "Last Days in Vietnam" at 9.
 
#121
#121
rs16 said:
PBS is having some good shows about the Vietnam War every evening this week. Tonight:

"The Day the '60s Died" at 8.

Oscar nominated "Last Days in Vietnam" at 9.
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These were mentioned on Jeopardy last night, I plan on checking them out
 
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