The unofficial ww2 random facts thread

[Dragunov]

this was bound to come- i watched 'Leningrad Cowboys go America' like tuesday or something. SWEET!

supposedly the retreating Russians put radio controlled mines in Viipuri as they retreated, and when the Finns found out, they played 'Säkkijärven Polkka' on the same frequency for 3 days to drain the batteries.
(ok, doubt this one. i'll do the digging at AHF...)

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid= ... &plindex=1

it's like this, but for 3 days...

i gotta learn that...

[panzerschneider]

The transmission gears were so difficult to engage on the Russian KV1 heavy tank, that each KV1 driver was issued a small sledgehammer to drive the shift lever into the next gear!

[Dragunov]

eh!

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDT-1-71/conflict_war/

radio reports and stuff FROM WAY BACK THEN! WHOAH!

or interesting, if you prefer.

[PsyWar.Org]

I have read somewhere, that one possible way that the British planned to repel any German invasion (e.g. Operation Sea Lion), was to flood the Channel with flammable fuel, and then set it ablaze when the time came.

Matt B.

No that was just a rumour put out by the British propaganda department.
http://www.psywar.org/sibs.php

They also spread the rumour that Udet had committed suicide, several weeks before he actually did.

The British propaganda department also printed fake postage stamps with Himmler's head replacing Hitlers, along with the rumour that Himmler was preparing to oust Hitler.


A couple of other strange facts of WWII.

- IIRC one of Goebbels' favourite films was Gone With the Wind.
- The Germans purchased from Yugoslav partisans British weapons air-dropped to them with forged British five pound notes.
- Belgium's first ever female parachutist became an SOE agent.

Lee

[Dragunov]

ever wonder what happens when weapons experts and Disney come together to win the war?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XEcZS9W ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=marXJGUcX_Q&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAo0GQSz ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcMr0Pj5 ... re=related

[David W]

Matt B. wrote:
I have read somewhere, that one possible way that the British planned to repel any German invasion (e.g. Operation Sea Lion), was to flood the Channel with flammable fuel, and then set it ablaze when the time came.

Matt B.


No that was just a rumour put out by the British propaganda department.

The truth probably lies somewhere inbetween.

Certainly it was tried with some success at Studland, Dorset. But the idea was never taken up along the full length of the channel coast. But it was definately experimented.

[L. Kafka]

...on 30 August 1939 ?

[panzermahn]

During Operation Blau in 1942, a unit of Austrian Gebirgsjaeger climbed Mt. Elbrus, the tallest peak in Caucasus, and planted the swastika at the summit. When Hitler heard about it, he was furious and plan to court martial the Austrian Gebirgsjaeger unit that climbed the Mt. Elbrus

[L. Kafka]

...go into his furor bunker?

[L. Kafka]

The rifle or the Jap plane exploded?

[Florin]

The former mistress of the chief of Gestapo for Romania got married with the chief of the American mission to Romania (after the war) and she left with her husband to the U.S.

[Florin]

This is about the heavy cruiser Maya:
"16 April 1944:
Departs Yokosuka for Kure. Embarks two E13A1 Jake long-range scout planes. Loads troops and material. A monkey, donated to MAYA by the Kure Zoo, is also embarked. During the voyage, the aircrew who care for it teach the monkey to smartly salute the senior officers - much to their annoyance."

Source: http://www.combinedfleet.com

[Florin]

The most successful single torpedo salvo was launched by the Japanese submarine I-19 on September 15, 1942.

The following is with "Copy" and "Paste" from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_submarine_I-19

I-19 sighted and attacked the U.S. carrier Wasp, firing six torpedoes. Three of the torpedoes hit Wasp, causing heavy damage. With power knocked out due to damage from the torpedo explosions, Wasp’s damage-control teams were unable to contain the ensuing fires, she was abandoned and scuttled. The remaining three torpedoes from the same spread (torpedo salvo), often incorrectly attributed to a second Japanese submarine, hit the U.S. battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55) and the destroyer USS O'Brien (DD-415), which later sank en route for repairs on October 19 1942. Significant damage had been sustained by the North Carolina, which was under repair at Pearl Harbor until November 16, 1942.

[L. Kafka]

Who would you rather party with? The downside of partying with Stalin is that you weren't expected to laugh at his jokes, whether they were funny or not.

Svetlana Stalin commented after fleeing to the U.S. after Papa Joe died that Beria tried to seduce her. Imagine, trying to get into Stalin's daughter's pant while he was still alive.

[Florin]

.....Svetlana Stalin commented after fleeing to the U.S. after Papa Joe died that Beria tried to seduce her. Imagine, trying to get into Stalin's daughter's pant while he was still alive.

It was a gamble. If everything would work OK, it could boost his career. But it was a wrong gamble. Stalin was not willing to retire while he was still alive (interesting enough, it seems dictators do not want to benefit of retirement pleasures as going fishing, travelling etc.). And you know what happened after Stalin died: Beria's career got an upgrade... Stuka diving style.
Unofficially some say that Beria had forbidden to Stalin's personal doctors to go to Stalin when in his last day he yelled for help. Stalin was calling few hours after his doctors, and he died alone. Beria hoped that he will be the next one...