Search found 8057 matches

by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 8:45 am
Forum: Books and Reviews
Topic: Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose
Replies: 18
Views: 6174

I think it is just as well that the side that won has given us the freedom to publish self critical stories in work such as Band of Brothers. I doubt we would see the exposure of such dubious conduct by its own armed forces in the equivalent book published by a victorious Germany. Indeed, have we ev...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 8:27 am
Forum: Campaigns and Battles
Topic: Rostov
Replies: 27
Views: 12130

I would agree that Romanian forces were not involved in the capture of Rostov itself in 1942. However, the Romanian Cavalry Corps entered the line immediately after the fall of Rostov and cleared the eastern shore of the Sea of Azov and the Kuban Peninsula over the following month. One unit as yet u...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 7:51 am
Forum: General WWII German Military Discussion
Topic: The Hitlergruess in the German Armed Forces
Replies: 15
Views: 4724

I still think uniform, insigna and weapons errors in films are insignificant, however glaring to those of us in the know. Does it really matter if the wrong mark of T34 is used in a film? Would it make any difference on the field of battle if two divisions swapped insignia (The Screaming One and the...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 5:10 am
Forum: General WWII German Military Discussion
Topic: General Remer - July 20th 1944
Replies: 9
Views: 5681

Very interesting Stefan. I did not know any of that. It just shows that we military history reading types ought to extend our range beyond 8 May 1945.

Thanks
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 5:05 am
Forum: General WWII German Military Discussion
Topic: The Hitlergruess in the German Armed Forces
Replies: 15
Views: 4724

Just to clarify - Wenck's order presumably went out after Hitler's real death was reported in early April 1945, not after his death was mistakenly reported on 20 July 1944?
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 4:46 am
Forum: Campaigns and Battles
Topic: 28 october 1940
Replies: 11
Views: 7261

Of course you are right that the buck stops with Mussolini. My point was that almost the entire Italian war machine was flawed, not just Mussolini. Greece stands out as the first insurmountable set back in Mussolini's military adventures since the British forced him out of Corfu in 1923. Since then,...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 3:30 am
Forum: General WWII German Military Discussion
Topic: Germans = Nazis?!?
Replies: 66
Views: 34382

This subject is debated quite a lot. However, I have never actually read anything that fails adequately to differentiate between Nazis and Germans, only a lot of accurate denials that all Germans were Nazis. Could someone give me some published sources where "Nazi" and "German" a...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 3:20 am
Forum: General WWII German Military Discussion
Topic: The Hitlergruess in the German Armed Forces
Replies: 15
Views: 4724

I think you are confusing two issues, one important and one not. In the greater scheme of things it really doesn't matter much if shoddy film researchers get uniform or weaponry details wrong. It is irritating to those of us who have invested time investigating these subjects and know better, but no...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 2:47 am
Forum: General WWII German Military Discussion
Topic: Reaction of rank and file to July 1944 plot?
Replies: 1
Views: 1999

I have never seen a specific investigation into the reaction of ordinary German servicemen to the July Bomb Plot, but books referring obliquely to the issue all assume that they were generally appalled by the attempt. Given the fact that Goebbel's propaganda had successfully sustained German faith i...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 2:09 am
Forum: Campaigns and Battles
Topic: German casualties in the Warsaw Uprising exaggerated?
Replies: 18
Views: 16534

German casualties in the Warsaw Uprising exaggerated?

According to sources I have seen referred to (i.e. H. von Krannhals, "Der Warschauer Aufstand, 1944", pp.214-215. J. Matecki in "Zeszyty Historyczne", No.15, p.28) German casualties during the Warsaw Uprising were 10,000 dead, 7,000 missing and 9,000 wounded. I have three reasons...
by sid guttridge
Thu Nov 07, 2002 1:30 am
Forum: Campaigns and Battles
Topic: 28 october 1940
Replies: 11
Views: 7261

I think the Italians had more problems than just Mussolini's miscalculation on the strategic level. My point about the Italians fhting stubbornly was abit vague. I was referring to the endurance and stoicism of the Italian soldier. Almost everything else seems to have been at fault. Italian intellig...
by sid guttridge
Wed Nov 06, 2002 5:41 am
Forum: General WWII German Military Discussion
Topic: Number of soldiers killed by partisans
Replies: 36
Views: 13495

Hi Gorbag. In general I agree with you about the Allied military aims in supporting guerrilla forces behind German lines. The problem is that the claims made for these guerrillas after the war were grossly inflated, particularly by advocates of the communist partisans, but also by the French and Ita...
by sid guttridge
Wed Nov 06, 2002 5:28 am
Forum: Campaigns and Battles
Topic: Did Germans defeat any sea invasion or major river crossing?
Replies: 32
Views: 10686

I agree that the fact that seaborne invasions and major river crossings are usually well prepared by the side with momentum behind it means that they are more likely to succeed than fail. However, it remains remarkable that the Germans never once seem to have pushed an established beachhead into the...
by sid guttridge
Tue Nov 05, 2002 9:06 am
Forum: Campaigns and Battles
Topic: Did Germans defeat any sea invasion or major river crossing?
Replies: 32
Views: 10686

Hi Volker,

The fact that the same suggestion came up twice so soon tends to indicate how rare it was for the Germans to eliminate established beachheads and bridgeheads.

Thanks.
by sid guttridge
Tue Nov 05, 2002 4:50 am
Forum: Luftwaffe
Topic: HE-112
Replies: 17
Views: 6508

This was probably not as effective as the Bf109, which had its main armament firing through its spinner, as well as wing mounted MGs. This made the Bf109 effectively a flying cannon. One must also wonder if it would have been possible to up-gun the He112, (as happened with other wartime fighters), i...