Colin’s Comments (group member since Dec 16, 2012)

Colin’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

Paige wrote: "My book "The General's Niece: The Little-Known de Gaulle Who Fought to Free Occupied France" is out now, just in time to celebrate the anniversary of Charles de Gaulle's June 18, 1940 call to arms ..."

Not to be a spolier, but only the unknowing average Frenchman thought DeGaulle was worth a damn. Generals Omar Bradley, James Doolittle, Curtis Lemay, James Gavin, Matthew Ridgeway (all of my interviews) were happy as hell that he was a political figurehead, and not a decision maker. They knew he was a weak man, and totally out of his element in the world of modern warfare and also untrustworthy. Even the leader of the French Resistance, Pierre Deshayes (another interview) stated that "much was withheld about DeGaulle's private life just for the war effort, otherwise we would have had no political leadership."

GD Division was not Waffen SS, Wehrmacht Heer, and the most stellar CO was Hasso von Manteuffel

happy wrote: "Which BN? I was the CESO of the 3/187 for about a yr in 82/3 I then moved over to the 501st Sig. I got out just before the Gander crash - I knew a couple of the people who were killed.

While I was..."
I was TDY to 3/502, under Capt. Ed Manion and LtCol Jeffcoat, then came back early after doing my thing, reassigned to 2/502. I knew many of those lost at Gander, I was on the recovery team that went there.

According to the people I interviewed who knew or even just met Admiral E.J. King, all stated that he was a competent, if not vainglorious, spiteful, vindictive officer who cared more about his career than the well-being of subordinates. I put forth the case of the USS Indianapolis case, the court-martial of Capt. McVay. There was history there.

I write about that in a couple of my books, and the Free Ukrainian Air Force and the Russian Army of Liberation (ROA) were just a couple of the many Soviet defectors, including many cossacks (See Gen. Hellmuth Pannwitz) to join German forces. Of the 960,000 men to serve in the SS and Waffen SS from 1922-1945, only 240,000 were ethnic Germans, the rest were European volunteers from 1940-45.

Remy's action that day became legendary indeed. he was the last man alive on a 75mm Pak 40 anti-tank gun, and managed to hold off a Soviet tank assault until reinforcements could arrive, long ordeal indeed.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "This is a quote from the book in regards to Otto Carius' opinion on why German armoured forces usually triumphed over the Soviets:

"Our guidelines were; 'Shoot first, but if you can't do that, at ..."

I knew Otto Carius and many other tank leaders. He was one of my many interviews, and he was a good man and he had his little pharmacy. He greeted all of his customers personally as if they were family.

Marc wrote: "Started reading this on Tuesday:
[book:To Kingdom Come: An Epic Saga of Survival in the Air War Over German..."

I interviewed a few Luftwaffe fighter pilots in both of these missions, and Black Thursday was a massive set back for US Bomber Command losing 64 bombers, and I have good quotes from Lemay and Doolittle interviews as well on the political pressure they faced at various times as a result.

Jeremy wrote: "If you've not read 'Panzer Commander' by von Luck, you're missing out. He was a Wehrmacht officer who fought in every theater of the war and went on to survive Soviet captivity. It really is a page..."

Von Luck was one of my best interviews, along with Otto Carius and Ernst Barkmann, regarding tank warfare

Speaking of Churchill micromanaging the war, Curtis Lemay said that "If FDR managed the military and its operations the way Churchill did the British, we would not have ended the war in 1945, and more Allied lives would have been lost as a result."

Speaking of Churchill micromanaging the war, Curtis Lemay said that "If FDR managed the military and its operations the way Churchill did the British, we would not have ended the war in 1945, and more Allied lives would have been lost as a result."

Well, under Geneva 1929 civilians taking up arms against uniformed military personnel of a defined and legitimate military force have no protections. That was never changed in Geneva 1949 either, where tribunals can be held, executions ordered. See Crete as another example, although in many cases they went too far. The Soviets never even recognized Geneva, only The Hague, hence their actions are even more explicable. Hague also cover civilians, Stalin did not really care either.

Spanish Civil War is an interesting subject. I interviewed and wrote about many men who fought or flew in that, and their perspectives were interesting.

Sweetwilliam wrote: "Happy...I was considering that book. Let me know what you think.

I am in the middle of Ordinary Men about Police Battalion 101 during the Holocaust. I don't know what to make of it. It is clear th..."

Christopher Browning's book was a benchmark and I added that to a list of required readings when I was a Holocaust professor. I consider the situation after many years of interviews to be a more militarized/adult version of Lord of the Flies.

Things did not go as expected, but this is an evolutionary process.

Complete shock

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Following on from his recent book on Heinrich Himmler, author Peter Longerich has this new book out on Goebbels that may interest some members of the group:

[bookcover:Goebbels: A Biography|206870..."

Leni Riefenstahl told me about the night Goebbels chased her (best he could on a gimp foot) trying to seduce her, funny as hell.

One of my younger brother's was in the Navy, R&R in Aussieville, met a girl. 20 years later he found out he had a daughter he never knew about. We just met her last year on two visits.

Geevee wrote: "Lilo the Arnhem operation was given the allied code name of Market Garden: Market for the allied air drop (paratroopers and glider borne infantry); and Garden the ground forces who were to link up ..."

I had the good fortune of corresponding with Wilhelm Bittrich, and meeting/speaking with John Frost and interviewing Maxwell Taylor and James Gavin. Good stories.

Marc wrote: "'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Good review Marc, thanks for sharing with the group. Your comments about Schiffer's editing does seem to be commonplace."

I have a love-hate relationship with Schiffer. They ..."

Unfortunately, Schiffer has a problem with their editors changing, cutting down or reorganizing data, and then rushing publication before the author is aware. Many of their editors are not specialists in the fields of the works they edit. I know, one of my books was with Schiffer, and I never did another one.