WWII

[chicoazul]

Bringing this up as watched a couple of good documentaries on it last night.

Was always fascinated with it as my Grandad used to take me to the industrial estate when I was wee, you had all the old munition tram tracks there with the bunkers covered with grass on the top to look like a hill to the Luftwaffe.

Studied it in school, and college too.

Obviously a great loss of life and some horrible, horrible acts committed in the build up and the duration of the war - both east and west but absolutely mesmerizing. I'll never tire of books to read on the subject or grainy documentaries.

So, since were trying to deviate from the usual savoury food stuff, thought I'd bring it up. Any film or book recommendations are welcome.

 

[Goat]

Saving Private Ryan.

 

[chicoazul]

Politico but not history fans eh.

Ive been reading and watching more stuff on the US battle in the Pacific, some horrible bits there - our cirriculum doesnt go into this in great detail, favouring to focus on the European arm of the war. One things for certain though, that must have been horrific.

Also read stuff both pro and against the dropping of the A-Bomb. Generally its considered that the act of which brought a halt to the war and saved a few years, but then you could say that the cracking of the enigma machines did so similarly. Theres loads of components and a great deal of luck affecting the end date.

That Stalin was a right monster.

 

[davek]

The image of that war that always gets to me is the one with the SS cnut with his whip on the face of that old Jewish woman. If you could go back in time he'd be the one I'd like to gut with a rusty blunt knife.

 

[atrottel]

Chico is Tony Soprano. Fact.

Seriously, if you haven't read them, you can add these to your books list:
Stalingrad
Berlin: The Downfall

both by Antony Beevor

 

[Cal]

Very interesting. I did History for GCSE in School and really enjoyed it.

I've got a superb WWII book, loads of pictures and storys, it's superb.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

I know pretty much **** all about either world war.

Which i'm pretty ashamed about to be honest.

I don't recall learning anything about them at school (although i'm sure they must of taught it).

I have tried to read up about them and educate myself but after trying places like wikipedia i found it all a bit complicated about who was fighting who and why.

I need an idiots guide to world wars really!

 

[Dylan]

I am well-versed in the war in the Pacific. Especially concerning the submarine aspect. 48% of all Japanese shipping in WWII was sunk by US Submarines. US Submarines made up just 2% of the US Navy. Chew on that one.

Also, the USS Archerfish (SS-311) sunk the 86,000 ton Japanese Aircraft carrier Shinano just days after it was commissioned, the largest ship ever sunk by a submarine, past or present.

The Battle of Midway and Guadalcanal both get a lot of press, but the true turning point in the Pacific war was the Battle of Coral Sea. Also the first battle where the two fleets did not sight each other or fire shots at each other. All fighting was done by land and carrier based aircraft.

You wanna talk about this, I will go into great detail with you. Much more fun than politics if you ask me

 

[chicoazul]

Chico is Tony Soprano. Fact.

Seriously, if you haven't read them, you can add these to your books list:
Stalingrad
Berlin: The Downfall

both by Antony Beevor

Nice one mate, the battle of Stalingrad and the race to Berlin are two of things I love reading of most.

Along with the D-Day, which is most outstanding.

Very interesting. I did History for GCSE in School and really enjoyed it.

I've got a superb WWII book, loads of pictures and storys, it's superb.

Thanks mate. Did you know that we won.

 

[atrottel]

Being interested in that side of things, Dylan, what did you think of the two Eastwood films? (I only ask because I didn't see either yet but they got great reviews.)

 

[chicoazul]

48% of all Japanese shipping in WWII was sunk by US Submarines. US Submarines made up just 2% of the US Navy. Chew on that one.

Didnt know that, amazing that.

I wouldnt have liked to be an allied ship in the Atlantic for large parts of the war, those wolfpacks were deadly. You can only imagine the trepidation on those journeys like.

As I mentioned before, the role of the enigma crackers in this saved thousands of lives.

That was my last book.

 

[Vim Fuego]

I love watching a programme called 'The World At War' on UK History ( which has been recently been renamed as Yesterday ). Most of what i can see is horrific, i would have hated to have gone through what my grandparents / parents went through, society just doesn't realise how lucky we are as a collective to have relevant peace.

 

[Vim Fuego]

Didnt know that, amazing that.

I wouldnt have liked to be an allied ship in the Atlantic for large parts of the war, those wolfpacks were deadly. You can only imagine the trepidation on those journeys like.

As I mentioned before, the role of the enigma crackers in this saved thousands of lives.

That was my last book.

It is however thought that those figures are grossly exaggerated as the Japanese would often sabotage their own craft than let the enemy get their hands on it and to spare their honour...or was that the Germans, i'm not entirely sure.

 

[Dylan]

Being interested in that side of things, Dylan, what did you think of the two Eastwood films? (I only ask because I didn't see either yet but they got great reviews.)

Well, Flags of our Fathers was a little boring, more telling the back-story of the guys who were in the iconic photo and reliving the night leading up to the famous event all while enjoying their celebrity status back in the US. Based on that I didn't watch Letters from Iwo Jima.

I feel bad for not enjoying them as I love the movies from the genre and I find the history surrounding the events fascinating. Clint was obviously going for a more human aspect rather than the actual event.

 

[chicoazul]

I love watching a programme called 'The World At War' on UK History ( which has been recently been renamed as Yesterday ). Most of what i can see is horrific, i would have hated to have gone through what my grandparents / parents went through, society just doesn't realise how lucky we are as a collective to have relevant peace.

Theres nothing more to add to that, absolutely spot on.

It is however thought that those figures are grossly exaggerated as the Japanese would often sabotage their own craft than let the enemy get their hands on it and to spare their honour...or was that the Germans, i'm not entirely sure.

Definately the Japanese that mate.

In the end there was loads of Germans openly flocking into the hands of the western allies rather than suffer the vengeance of Boris.