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

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

Jonny wrote: "Bit the bullet and got Mark Zuelkhe's Normandy trilogy;
Juno Beach: Canada's D-Day Victory — June 6, 1944
[book:Holding Juno: Canada's Heroic Defence of the D-Day Beaches: June 7-12..."

Nice one Jonny! I've read all his books on the Italian campaign, yet to tackle his Normandy and the following European campaign titles.

Another new book that I am sure will interest a few group members; "Delivering Destruction: American Firepower and Amphibious Assault from Tarawa to Iwo Jima" by Christopher Kyle Hemler.

Delivering Destruction: American Firepower and Amphibious Assault from Tarawa to Iwo Jima by Christopher Kyle Hemler
Description:
Existing literature maintains that the U.S. Marine Corps’ operational success in the Pacific War rested upon two dominant committed theoretical preparation and courageous battlefield action. Put simply, the Marines wrestled with the conceptual challenges of the amphibious assault in the 1920s and 1930s and developed the tools and methods necessary to seize a hostile beach. When Japanese forces attacked at Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Corps sent its brave and spirited infantrymen to advance across the enemy-held islands of the South and Central Pacific. But the full story runs much deeper. Though this conventional narrative captures essential elements of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps' triumph, it fails to account for substantial interwar deficiencies in fire control and coordination, as well as the critical wartime development of those capabilities between 1942 and 1945.

Delivering Destruction is the first detailed study of American triphibious (land, sea, and air) firepower coordination in the Pacific War. In describing the Amphibious Corps' development of fire coordination teams and tactics in the Central Pacific, Hemler underlines the importance of wartime adaptation, battlefield coordination, and the primacy of the human element in naval combat. He reveals the untold story of American fire control and coordination teams in the Central Pacific. Through “bottom-up” adaptation and innovation, American troops and officers worked out practical solutions in the field, learning to effectively apply and integrate air and naval support during a contested amphibious assault. The Americans' ability to mount tremendous, synchronized firepower at the beachhead–a capability established through three years of grueling wartime adaptation–allowed the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps to seize any fortified Japanese island of its choice by 1945. ·Despite advancing technology and expanding “domains” of warfare, combat remains a deeply interactive, human endeavor.

Angus Konstam has a new title coming out in a few months that may be of interest to some group members. The book is; "The Convoy: HG-76: Taking the Fight to Hitler's U-Boats".


The Convoy: HG-76: Taking the Fight to Hitler's U-Boats by Angus Konstam

Some very good books there Mike, thanks for the heads-up!

Dimitri wrote: "It took a week & three staff members to hunt down the ordered copy once it had physically arrived, but here is my most anticipated WWII publication of the year.


[bookcover:Patton's War: An Americ..."

I've got copies of the same three books. Yet to read 1 & 3!

Mike wrote: "Today:

$2.99
[book:Iron Man Rudolf Berthold: Germany's Indomitable Fighter Ace of World War I|1590347..."

Two excellent books, thanks for the notification, Mike.

Simon wrote: "AR - I have new shelves to fill !"

Nothing better in life than a bookshelf or two to fill in with new books, enjoy :)

Simon wrote: "

Had for some time, finally started it. Thesis is that land battles did not destroy much production. Air/S..."

Sounds like an interesting book there Simon. Let us know your final thoughts if you get a chance.

Simon wrote: "

45 contributors say their pieces. Including Sir Lawrence Freedman - whose own book on strategy is ..."

That book is on my birthday list!

Picked up two new Australian releases today:


Gona's Gone!: The Battle for the Beachhead New Guinea 1942 by David W. Cameron

Where the Flaming Hell Are We?: The story of young Australians and New Zealanders fighting the Nazis in Greece and Crete by Craig Collie

Jonny wrote: "I'm always pleased to see perspective in history; Lowe stacks up Operation Gomorrah in terms of its pace in the war, and against Operation Thunderclap;In continental Europe the destruction of Hambu..."

Very interesting post Jonny!

Numidica wrote: "By the way, this discussion got me to read a preview of Hasting's Bomber Command, and I ended up buying the Kindle version."

That's good to hear as I am sure you will enjoy Max Hastings book.

Good to hear Dimitri!

Mike wrote: "A couple for today:

$2.99:
[book:Day of the Panzer: A Story of American Heroism and Sacrifice in..."

Another two good books and a reminder that I have a copy of "Day of the Panzer" that I am yet to read!

Mike wrote: "One so far today at $1.99:

[book:The Real Cruel Sea: The Merchant Navy in the Battle of the Atlan..."

A classic one as well!

"The Other Side Of The Wire Volume 1: With the German XIV Reserve Corps on the Somme, September 1914 June 1916 " - One of the Appendices in the book details the discovery and identification of two German soldiers in 2003 by the 'No Mans Land' Great War Archaeological Group:

http://www.hellfirecorner.co.uk/frase...

"The Other Side Of The Wire Volume 1: With the German XIV Reserve Corps on the Somme, September 1914 June 1916 " - The British preparatory bombardment for their Somme offensive has started:

"The heavy fire of the last 7 days had damaged much of the German position but the remaining defences were still formidable obstacles to any attacking force. Few machine guns in any of the regiments had been damaged in the British fire and were ready for use. The machine gun Schutzen had been kept busy cleaning and oiling their guns, making sure the ammunition was in good order and waiting for the moment when the guns could be brought up out of the dug-outs and put into action. Musketen Bn Nr. 1 and the additional minenwerfer companies were ready for the moment the British would attack."

German dugout steps Bernafay Wood Somme 1916:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...

Jonny wrote: "I'll weigh in with Ken Lowe's Inferno: The Devastation of Hamburg, 1943 (it's about time I joined a group discussion this year). Be interesting to see how (if) he's built on Middleb..."

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. Keep us all posted Jonny.

Dj wrote: "Hard rain

https://www.yahoo.com/news/japan-nara..."

Great photo!

Tom wrote: "‘A Wing and a Prayer: The "Bloody 100th" Bomb Group of the U.S. Eighth Air Force in Action Over Europe in World War II’ is going to be my choice for this one



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/..."

Nice choice Tom!