The Longest Day ....On Today (different)

[John Walmsley]

The conversation reminded me of the unfortunate situation of Lew Ayres of Dr. Kildare fame. Early in WWII, Ayres declared himself to be a conscientious objector. There was a negative reaction from fans and fellow actors, and he became somewhat of a pariah around Hollywood. MGM even canceled his contract. Later, he enlisted in the medical corps as a noncombatant, winning battlefield medals. However, when he returned to acting, his career never regained its previous level. Quite a contrast to John Wayne who has become a national icon.

[quiet walker]

For those who express a desire more realistic depiction of the beach / battlefield scene, might I bring up again, Steven Ambrose's book D Day: June 6, 1944. Ambrose's straightforward and efficient prose reads quickly yet provides quite vivid and detailed scenes of the days events, both small and the big picture. The movie is a small capsule version of the invasion.

The book covers preparations in Britian and a whole lot more you won't see in the film. Things I learned...

The German army was in bad shape. Fighting on two fronts over stretched supplies and fuel, as well as manpower. Due to shortage, many of the troops were less than enthusiastic eastern conscripts, who were inclined to surrender to get out of hellish conditions when they could.

There is an intersting photo in the book of German pow's, officers and enlisted men, shown on a navy ship. A rather casual scene, most are smiling and look as if they are talking and enjoying a cruise. The caption "For you the war is over... ...these men couldn't be happier."

There is another photo of Poles and Czechs - OST batallion troop pows, who are about to be transported to English camps. They later expressed great disappointment at not being sent to the US.

There is a lot of discussion of one of the most formidable, and terrifying weapons of the war, the German "eighty-eight's". An 88 mm anti-aircraft, anti-tank artillery gun. This gun was well adapted for other uses such as sweeping the beachs with rapid fire as well as deadly accurate shots on the approaching landing craft.

This gun was also found on the equally fearsome and advanced German Tiger tank with armour that was very difficult to penetrate by allied tanks and guns. The Tiger's use however, was hampered by both fuel shortages and a paranoid Adolph Hitler, who reserved approval of its use and movements to himself, even as he became more drug addled and out of touch towards the end of the war.

The Luftwaffe had a weapon that could have changed the outcome of the air war, had it not been for the fact that they had no fuel for it. The
Messerschmitt Me262 fighter jet. There are sad stories of these advanced aircraft, instead of flying being hidden under trees.

And there is so much more, in this one fine book. Go to your library and check it out.

[Moth]

Agreed. Ambrose's books are nothing short of outstanding. I learned a great deal from them. I also coaxed information out of my later grandfather who was there at Omaha Beach.

[quiet walker]

Originally Posted by quiet walker

... The Luftwaffe had a weapon that could have changed the outcome of the air war, had it not been for the fact that they had no fuel for it. The
Messerschmitt Me262 fighter jet. There are sad stories of these advanced aircraft, instead of flying being hidden under trees...

A correction, I did not mean sad that the Nazi's did not get to use their, world's first jet fighter aircraft to wreak death and destruction on allied forces. An engineer, I spoke from a narrow technical point of view. Hope readers understood what I meant.

qw

[Irishtom29]

Ambrose's books are full of small mistakes, so much so that I have to wonder about everything he writes. I noticed his inaccuracies as far back as the 1970s in a book he wrote on Custer (in a "previous life" when Ambrose was a long-haired left-wing academic type).

As for the ME-262, well the Americans and British were also pretty well along on jet aircraft development but held back on the sensible theory that you build LOTS of what you know is winning the war. As Stalin said "quantity has a quality all it's own". Had we needed to bring our jets forward I've no doubt it would have taken us little time to outproduce the Germans in jet aircraft. Hell, look at the Manhattan Project.

[Moth]

I recall reading that the Brits were using a jet called the Meteor or something to shoot down the V-1s.

[MICoastieMom]

I have to admit that with very few exceptions, my eyes tend to glass over whenever people start talking about machines, especially planes, ships, tanks, guns or other elements of war. My interest in history is the human element, how people were affected by events. I figure if I keep reading these posts though, I might gain some appreciation for what you fellows see in them. LOL

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by MICoastieMom

I have to admit that with very few exceptions, my eyes tend to glass over whenever people start talking about machines, especially planes, ships, tanks, guns or other elements of war. My interest in history is the human element, how people were affected by events. I figure if I keep reading these posts though, I might gain some appreciation for what you fellows see in them. LOL

Well start a thread on some personal aspects of history and see what shakes out. One's interest in the technical aspects of history need not be at the expense of the personal. But I know what you mean.

Regards

[Thyra]

Unfortunately, war just seems to be part of human nature. I can't believe the number of large and small wars I've come upon in the reading I do. A large amount seem to be religious in nature ..

[Towhee]

I have the video. It is part of my 107 movies that John Wayne was in. :-)