Interview with WWII reconaissance pilot

[WTE_Galway]

Originally Posted by swiss

Actually it's "frog-eating".



sidenote:

The Americans were just upset that Saddam started to sell his oil in the late 90's through French interests for Euros rather than US Dollars

Truth be known its probably the REAL reason behind the Iraq War

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by dduff442

A commander lacking confidence tells his men to hold on to the last man. Retreat, however, is an order like any other.

I don't know...Hitler's orders to hold in the winter of 1941 probably stabilized the front. Sometimes it MAY be better for a non-mechanized army to hold in place.

[swiss]

Originally Posted by Theshark888

I did not want to get bogged down in details but from your reply you force me to. Thanks to lobosrul for giving Swiss some more details about what I meant

France could have easily stopped the reoccupation of the Rhineland by advancing to the border or maybe 50 miles into German territory. The French Army was capable of this. At this point in time, the German General staff would have overthrown Hitler and this would have taken care of the Hitler problem. Please notice when the British Expeditionary Force landed in France.

Please research your history of Austria and the relatively new nation of Germany. Better yet, tell an Austrian that he is actually German and see the reaction. There are German speaking areas of Switzerland also...aren't there

Funny, you lack fundamental knowledge of European history.
But it's ok, as you are US American...
Austria was always a part of Germany. Again: Do yourself a favor and research holy roman empire of german nation.

Of course, today you shouldn't call an Austrian a German - do you think his perception could be influenced by the outcome of WW2?

Also Mussolini was against this and stopped the Germans from doing this sooner than '38

He did what?

Please research the steps taken to breakup Czechoslovakia.Please research the steps taken to breakup Czechoslovakia and how at any point the Allies could have mobilized and stopped this from happening.

Do it yourself.
I gave you the link.
German speaking territory=Germany
Cz speaking=Cz Republic
That pretty much sums Munich up.

My German ancestors(was born with 2 nationalities) come from the Sudetenland.

I have read all the new information about Stalin invading the Reich but I am not too sure if I believe it. It could have been a feint to keep Hitler in check?! Or Soviet propaganda to explain their terrible showing in 1941 and save Stalin's face!

You read?
Ever read about the German Roadsigns in Kyrillian?
The Udssr had those in stock, they were sure they would need them.
edit: That was in the late 80's, so Stalin and his successors had far bigger plans with Europe after WW2.

After the invasion of Poland the Allies did not take any serious ground action against Germany. The Western border was open to an attack by the French Army. Even a WW1 type Army using WW1 tactics!

One of funny things during the Battle of France is the fact, the French tanks were actually far superior to their German counterparts - but Fritz was so smart to install radios, the French didn't. Instead of radio, they communicated with handsigns and colored flags. They lost.

We cut off the Japanese oil supply because of the invasion of China. Maybe a bit naive but this is how Americans think and still think today. We found ourselves in many situations like this in our history.

But today you get bashed for it.

You really need to get your facts straight about the size of the combined Allied Armies in 1939 and the size of Germany's. In 1939 Germany was not in a war footing either...this only started in 1943-44. I personally think that the French would have done a lot better in offense than they did in defence!

Ok, I'll play along.

So the F and UK marches into Germany, right to Berlin in fact, they must relive Hitler from his duty.
(let's ingore the Army in Poland for the moment, as they would have been without leader)

And then?

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by swiss

Funny, you lack fundamental knowledge of European history.
But it's ok, as you are US American...
Austria was always a part of Germany. Again: Do yourself a favor and research holy roman empire of german nation.

I can see from your first answer that you are not that up on European history as you think. Please read some history from the Austrian point of view At the very least learn about Italy sending troops to the border when Hitler wanted to annex Austria in '34 and the civil war there. Also, I know you would be surprised that Yugoslav troops were also brought to the border at the same time. They were not ready for war but took very simple decisive action that stopped Hitler in his tracks. Do you really think the French Army in 1939 could not do the same thing?

This conversation was quite interesting Swiss!!! I am a lot less American than you think. European History was one of my fields of study and all of my ancestors come from Austria-Hungary areas. Don't be so hard on American knowledge of history or geography either! I have met many Euros who are just as UNknowledgeable (I don't want to say ignorant)!!!

Our families could have been neighbors at some point

[swiss]

If we go back far enough we might even share a mother.

BTT:
I have no idea what you're talking about. Austria always wanted to reunite with Germany - but as state with equal rights rather than being annexed(sp?).
Sure there was some resistance from the KPÖ and some other intellectuals, but that's it.
And what civil war in 34? The Julyputsch?

What's you point?

[lobosrul]

Swiss, I hope you realize that not everyone in the Sudetenland was ethnically German. Thousands and thousands of people were forced to migrate.

Also, I'm far from an expert at this, but the Holy Roman Empire was not a modern state as such. Its not an equivalent to modern Germany which was unified in 1871, and didn't include Bohemia.

I'm still completely at a loss as to how anyone can fault us for starting the was in the Pacific. We should be forced to trade with a country slaughtering millions in China Thats stinks of rank irrational hatred of the US. We did not blockade Japan, meaning to prevent others from trading with them.

[K_Freddie]

Originally Posted by Theshark888

I can see from your first answer that you are not that up on European history as you think.

This is funny...
There are many theories of what could have been done during the phoney war and prior to that... the fact remains is that no one, including the USA (if you know your own political history up to 7th Dec 1941) was prepared for any war, except the Germans... they'd been preparing for years. The nazi party had a very effective intimidation network that work well locally, as well as internationally.

Albert Speer did say that if the allies attacked just after the Poland invasion they'd be 'wiped out', but the German bluff was so good that everyone shat themselves. If you do research the WW2 scenario a bit you will find the most effective campaigns were preceded by disinformation and doubt, on both sides.

The real warnings were sounded by the spy networks on both sides, but these were mostly ignored until too late.

[dduff442]

Originally Posted by Theshark888

I don't know...Hitler's orders to hold in the winter of 1941 probably stabilized the front. Sometimes it MAY be better for a non-mechanized army to hold in place.

I understand this is sometimes correct and that opinion is divided about Moscow '41. The broader context needs be taken into account as well, however.

Hitler was given repeated warnings by his Marshals that, in spite of the fact that they were still moving forward, thing's had already changed from dangerous to critical in the weeks before the launch of the Soviet counter-offensive. It was Hitler's idea to keep pressing on to the point where the German forces were obviously over-exposed and logistics had broken down.

As with Napoleon Hitler had plenty of supplies, including winter clothing -- hundreds of miles away in Poland.

1941 was the year when Hitler's megalomania reached full bloom. In March '42, Goebbels recorded in his diary Hitler's remark that if it wasn't for his "iron will" the front could easily have fallen apart -- not only was their no contrition for his contribution to the disaster, one from which the German army would never fully recover, the Grofaz who had never once visited the front accorded his own determination primary credit for stabilising matters from the comfort of his Berlin chancellry almost a thousand miles away.

For the '42 campaign, army groups Center and North were enfeebled. Their infantry divisions were well below strength and stripped of motor transport and many new recruits inadequately trained. Their tank and motorised divisions had been 'de-motorised', i.e. their support and logistical arms had their motor transport taken away so that they no longer possessed operational mobility. Only AG South had been restored near to full strength.

I'm insufficiently familiar with matters to assess the correctness of the "stand or die" order. It can't be viewed in isolation, however. The gross errors by the General Staff and by Hitler that lead to it must be taken into account.

dduff

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by swiss

Austria always wanted to reunite with Germany

I would say the complete opposite...that Austria never wanted to unite with Germany; this was a Pan-Germanic attitude of German origin.

[Theshark888]

Originally Posted by K_Freddie

...except the Germans... they'd been preparing for years.

Germany was about as unprepeared for World War 2 as any other country. Look at their levels of oil, steel, coal and armanents production. The General Staff had plans for war in the 1940's but Hitler took many gambles and the timetable was moved up!!

I don't want to get in a tit for tat argument here!!! My point is that France, backed up by GB, Italy and other "Allied" countries could have stopped Hitler very easily if some decisive action was taken in the early 30's....this was my whole comment that a few hundred lives lost in the early thirties could have averted the European World War with Germany. Now the Soviet Union is another thing!

Sure I know about deception, doubt and disinformation! Sometimes this can backfire...can you imagine Saddam Husseins reaction when he learned that the Allies were mobilizing to come to the aid of Kuwait! Priceless