'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 12, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

"Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost" - On 3rd May 1939 Japanese navy planes bombed Chungking which led to extensive loss of life:

"Below the German embassy, several hundred Chinese were trapped against the city wall. Some of their bodies were charred black by flames; others died of the heat so gradually that their clothes were not even scorched. The flesh was missing from the top joints of their fingers, ripped away as they tried to climb to safety. Children and babies lay under them. Asked why they had not helped the Chinese to escape, a German diplomat replied: 'There were too many of them. Besides they were only coolies'."

Bombing of Chungking (Chongqing):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing...

https://www.pacificatrocities.org/blo...

Manray9 wrote: "This afternoon I've started --

Night Fighter by Wing Commander J. R. D. Braham."

Another interesting book by the sounds of it MR9!

Sorry to hear "Weary the Life of Sir Edward Dunlop" wasn't as engaging as expected.

His diary on the other hand sounds pretty good. Great post showing Dunlop's bravery when confronted with the Japanese commandant!

Two books of interest to key an eye out for, thanks for those details, Jerome!

"Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost" - Heavy fighting around Wuhan and along the Yangtze River:

"A combination of the blowing of the Yellow River dykes and the defensive fighting along the Yangtze had delayed the fall of the city for six months. Chinese casualties to date were put at up to a million. On the other side, Japanese losses in the undeclared war in China, mostly in the Yangtze region, were reported at 62,000 killed and 6,667 wounded - 12,600 of the dead perished from illness. The large ratio of dead to wounded may have stemmed from the creed that death in battle was glorious. Another reason was given by Bob McLure of the Red Cross, who recounted that, at a Japanese field hospital, he had seen only very lightly wounded men, none wearing even splints. Nearby was a burial ground. 'There wasn't a shadow of doubt that the Japanese were doing away with their badly wounded men,' he added. 'Crippled men back in Japan would have spoiled the picture of easy conquest the High Command was painting'."

Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost by Jonathan Fenby

This arrived in the mail while I was away during the week; "Yukikaze's War: The Unsinkable Japanese Destroyer and World War II in the Pacific" by Brett L. Walker.

Yukikaze's War: The Unsinkable Japanese Destroyer and World War II in the Pacific by Brett L. Walker

Marc wrote: "Just finished another trip around the sun, so I got a few gifts...some of which I bought for myself:

..."

Nice bunch of books there Marc! I have copies of the first and last two. Sadly, I haven't read any of them yet :)

Great post Jonny! It would appear that Walker let down his command in his lack of planning for the crossing.

"Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost" - Chiang has finally got the Communist forces on the run:

"Chiang's mind was focused on his fifth drive against the Jiangxi Communists in early 1934. He had a new adviser, General Hans von Seeckt, who had rebuilt Germany's armed forces after the defeat of 1918 and who suggested using lines of blockhouses to force the Communists back and withstand counterattacks. Three thousand 'turtle shell' forts were built, linked by roads and bridges. Scorched earth tactics burned rings of open country round their positions. The terrain was difficult, with steep mountains, narrow stone paths, thick woods, and enemy machine-gun positions commanding the valleys. Buy, with a numerical advantage of up to five-to-one, the Nationalists were finally forcing the Red Army to fight a static war. In the past, Chiang had used mainly regional troops against the Communists. Now, seventeen divisions put into the field were from his own central army, some of them trained by German advisers and with modern equipment."

"Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost" - A bit more on the army Chiang led:

"Chiang's army contained some well-trained and well-equipped forces which gave the regime its military sheen. German advisers schooled elite units - Chiang sent his adopted son, Wei-kuo, to join the German army where he would participate in the annexation of Austria. An Italian mission arrived to train China's air force but proved less effective: most cadets at its centre in Luoyang came from prominent families and all those who were not killed in crashes were automatically given graduation certificates. Only when the Americans moved in with their training school at Hangzhou did a more effective group of pilots emerge."

Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost by Jonathan Fenby

Some very good reading there Perato! The final book in Richard Evans' third Reich trilogy is an excellent account.

"Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost" - Chiang has started his offensive against the Communists, but not everything went to plan:

"In October 1930, Chiang launched an 'encirclement campaign' by some 44,000 men against the Jiangxi Red Army. This flopped badly as the Nationalists were sucked into traps and the Communists applied their guerilla tactic of avoiding frontal battles while concentrating strength against exposed or weak enemy formations. At the end of December, one Nanking division was, in the words of the North China Daily News, 'having a good time with the funds taken from the Communists' in a captured town when it was attacked. Caught by surprise, the division capitulated after five hours. Donning the uniforms of their captives, the Communists surprised and routed another vanguard division. The commander of the first unit was taken prisoner and tortured as he crawled round confessing his sins. His tongue was cut out, and his cheeks pierced before his head was cut off, wrapped in red cloth, nailed to a board by the ears, and floated down the river towards the retreating forces."

Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost by Jonathan Fenby

Marc wrote: "Not sure how I was able to "borrow" the Kindle version of this one, but after a couple years of it sitting there collecting electronic dust, I've started it today:

[bookcover:Ace of Aces: The Incr..."

I hope its an interesting account Marc. Keep us all posted.

That's good to hear Ian, thanks for the update on the Stalingrad book (which I haven't read yet).

One to keep an eye out for. I have enjoyed all of James Donovan's books that I have read so far as well.

Jonny wrote: "Cracking on with James Holland's Cassino '44: The Bloodiest Battle of the Italian Campaign; interesting assessment of Mark Clarke so far; let's see if he survives the post-Gothic l..."

My copy arrived a few days ago, it's now sitting on the bookshelf with the rest of my James Holland's books.

"Chiang Kai-Shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost" - The author mentioned the Joan of Arc of Canton:

"Still, this was a new model army. Its best units had fought with bravery, determination, speed and skill. It even had a female 'Dare to Die' unit led by Foo Foo-wang, 'Canton's Joan of Arc', who was photographed in jodhpurs, knee boots, a belted tunic and army cap."

https://www.thinkchina.sg/history/sto...

Creighton wrote: "I’m reading a book called “Hitlers People” by Richard J Evans. I’m not sure if it’s a WW2 related book because it focuses on the Nazi leaders themselves instead of talking about the war, although i..."

I have a copy of that book on order, so I have my fingers crossed it's a good read!

MR9's suggestions are excellent and for a decent single volume account of the Desert War this book is pretty good. I noted a few little errors but overview it was a great read:

Destiny in the Desert: The Story Behind El Alamein - the Battle That Turned the Tide by Jonathan Dimbleby

Also:

Together We Stand: Turning the Tide in the West: North Africa, 1942-1943 by James Holland

Creighton wrote: "Hey everybody, I have two different subjects I’m looking for books on, so I’ll make two different posts about what I’m looking for.

Ok, so first, I am looking for a great biography on Erwin Romme..."

My two favourite books on Rommel are:

Knight's Cross: A Life of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel by David Fraser

Field Marshal: The Life and Death of Erwin Rommel by Daniel Allen Butler