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

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

Chad wrote: "Thank you both! It is in part because of D'Este and Weigley (as well as recent writing from Atkinson's trilogy) that I would like to read more about these warriors"

Russell Weigley was my graduate advisor at Temple University, and a great friend. He is missed.

Read Adam Makos' book 'Voices from the Pacific'

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "I'm really enjoying my current book which is Max Hastings; Catastrophe 1914. I will be finished in a few days so I am thinking of reading a WW2 title before I have to start a book on Frederick the ..."

Any Showalter book is a good read. Dennis wrote a foreward to our next book, to be released in March 2014.

Alan wrote: "Hello all - I am looking for my next good read on the topic of the holocaust. I have so far been reading accounts / memoirs of the various camps for example: escape from sobibor, survivor (Sam pivn..."

Try my book Occupation and Insurgency, it has interviews.

I would say perhaps not balanced since he had a bias, but it provides good insight from his perspective, on a personal level.

Jerome wrote: " by Ben Shepherd

Description
Germany’s 1941 seizure of Yugoslavia led to an insurgency as bloody as any in World War ..."

Good old Ben, he and I are friends from his old days teaching at the University of Birmingham in England. Now he is at my old stomping ground in Glasgow, Scotland. Good guy to work with, books are solid.

Get the Djilas book.

See my books, German Anti-Partisan Warfare, and Occupation and Insurgency. Packed with details and interviews with partisans, guerrillas, Germans, etc. you will see some interesting perspectives.

Laurel wrote: "No doubt this has been mentioned before, but I wanted to record for myself, at least.In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors[bookcover:In ..."

I interviewed Captain Hashimoto, who sank the Indy. He was a very powerful, sincere and humble man. he felt terrible about what happened, and even more shocked when he was brought to Washington for the McVeigh court martial. He became a Shinto priest afterward, just an FYI.

I think it is on my website at www.lewisheatonbooks.com so if you go there, just copy and paste if you like. I have not yet figured how to post anything here as far as an image goes.

Brigadefuehrer Otto Kumm was almost court martialed for calling Himmler an idiot for using the trains for transporting civilians, when the German military was starving for lack of supplies.

I interviewed Djilas, among other former Yugoslav naionals, even some German SS men, regarding WW II in that country. He was a very interesting man. I still have the signed photo he gave me.

I have USAA, and although I have never had to file a claim like that, many friends who live here at the beach have suffered hurricane damage/destruction in the past. USAA was the only company to have adjusters on the spot, rain and wind still heavy, and on the NEXT DAY writing checks and taking care of the customers.

Regarding a Holocaust, read our new book, Four War Boer, and the creation of the concentartion camps in South Africa, and the extermination of civilians thorugh starvation in 1899-1903.

Lilo wrote: "@ Colin: How could you stomach interviewing all these Nazi-celebrities? Didn't it make you sick?"

I was OK with interviewing these people. I went into these projects without any predisposed ideas. I just wanted honest dialogue. I actually became friends with two SS generals, Otto Kumm being the best, and all of who were in fact opposed to the Holocaust and cleared by the Allies after the war. One SS colonel actually personally saved lives and prevented deportation to Auschwitz many survivors of the Warsaw Uprising. However, there were some who shocked me, such as Karl Wolff, Gerhard Klopfer and Max Wuensche.

The ANZACS never received enough credit for their actions in either of the World Wars, and especially Vietnam. They were and still are phenominal warriors, and I admire them.

I knew Traudl, interviewed her a few times, nice lady. I also interviewed Gerda Christian, another secretary to both Hitler and Bormann. They were just two of the seven bunker survivors I spoke with, all of this will be in a future book, titled Hitler's Inner Circle.

Manray9 wrote: "Chin Joo wrote: "Dj wrote: "I have, and still do, consider Ambrose to be a starter drug. He gets people interested..."

I think that's a very apt description. I only know of Ambrose from the HBO se..."

I and other authors were together in New Orelans with all the dignitaries at the opening of the Pacific wing of the National WW II Museum in 2001. Ambrose walked on stage dressed like Meriwether Lewis.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "This October release may interest a few of the members here in the group:


[bookcover:The Silent Attack: The Taking of the Bridges at Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven and Kanne in Belgium by German Paratroo..."

I interviewed a few German paras, my distant cousin was one, Oberst Baron von der Heydte. See them at my website, www.lewisheatonbooks.com at Furture Book Projects

Trinette wrote: "Lilo wrote: "Thank you, Helen and Geevee, for your comments.

Today I have something to tell, which I am sure will interest all of you.

While I never had any friendship with children of "bad Nazis..."

Read my book The Star of Africa for a unique perspective. Also my older book, Occupation and Insurgency.