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

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

Marilyn wrote: "Reading “Masters of the Air” by Donald Miller. Steven Spielberg is making a new series about the 8th Air Force Bomber Group. They have already started filming in England."

Actually, it is specifically about the 100th Bombardment Group of the Eighth Air Force. I put together the proper German fighter units, aircraft markings, specific pilots involved on specific raids and dates.

Marilyn wrote: "Reading “Masters of the Air” by Donald Miller. Steven Spielberg is making a new series about the 8th Air Force Bomber Group. They have already started filming in England."

I was hired as a Luftwaffe researcher for the series. Not a bad gig.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: ""Battle on 42nd Street: War in Crete and the Anzacs' bloody last stand" - The author mentions the murder of Cretan civilians for alleged crimes against German Fallschirmjäger during the Battle for ..."

I know this story at Kandomari very well. I went through the after action reports and post war trial testimonies and transcripts, where Col. Bruno Brauer was held responsible for the killings after an investigation and field trial were held, at the request of General Kurt Student. Ironically (in my book, German Anti-Partisan Warfare) Brauer followed the rules of war under Geneva 1929 then in effect. His actions were technically legal, but the thirst for post war revenge was addressed. The prime investigator on the ground was Oberleutnant Lothar Schulze, who compiled an impressive investigative file. The evidence was clear from a legal standpoint, but the action itself is still one of the most controversial. I also interviewed some of the Germans in Crete, including Rudolf Witzig and Baron Friedrich von der Heydte regarding Kandomari after the killing of the paras in the tress by the villagers. Gripping stuff.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Rupert wrote: "Have just finished reading Guy Walters book “Hunting Evil”

Here is my review

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

Great review Rupert, thanks for sharing your thought..."

I read your review. I worked with Simon Wiesenthal off and on, liked him very much, and I was mildly involved with locating Erich Priebke in Argentina. He was not hard to find. Had many discussions with Wiesenthal, and from what I know, his role tn hunting down true Nazi war criminals was very "understated" in history. He preferred to keep a low profile for a variety of reasons, not the least of which were the death threats against him.

Rona wrote: "Masterfully woven individual histories that taken together tell the larger story of the men with silver wings. From what I understand this is the book on which the next installment in the Spielberg..."

I am currently working as a researcher for that project.

Publishers prefer endnotes as opposed to footnotes due to the ease of editing and organizing a manuscript. I prefer fns also, but I have been using ens for all of my books per editorial requests.

E.C. wrote: "I've read alot of "what if?" scenarios regarding WWII and I have a very hard time finding a singular thing that led to Germany's defeat. Perhaps one of the most compelling arguments for a fatal fla..."

My book, Occupation and Insurgency details a lot of that.

Your point on TAF is a good one, and for open terrain operations it would have helped. But I think that, in the urban areas, it would have had little effect. It was just bad luck that Rundstedt placed the II SS PZK in Arnhem. Had they not been sent there I think that the mission would have been a success.

Patrick wrote: "There are many, many good ones. I share your distaste for Ambrose's books.

One of my recent favorites is Russell Weigley, who wrote a classic called EISENHOWER'S LIEUTENANTS about the Allies' 1944..."

Russell Weigley (died 2004) was my mentor and thesis advisor in graduate school at Temple University. He had a remarkable mind and memory. I liked him a lot.

John wrote: "I'm going for Operation Market Garden [September 1944] where the fog in England delayed the arrival of much needed troops and hardware to the beleagured men of the 1st Airborne Division.

Had the ..."

I do not think that even with all of the resources in place, the British Airborne would have been able to wrestle Arnhem from Bittrich's II SS Panzer Korps. The 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions with supportive infantry had the urban terrain advantage, and the long route for XXX Corps was a tenuous journey at best. The 101st and 82nd Airborne objectives were nullified due to the lack of heavier weapons and armored support. The entire operation was a blind man's gamble, due to bad intel, bad luck, and failed logistics.

Mike wrote: "I just read Eagle Against the Sun: The American War With Japan and am finishing up The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War. Both cover Truman's role in critical p..."

My book out in June has LeMay discussing the Korean issue with Truman and others, especially Ridgeway. I interviewed Ridgeway and gathered his opinions, He was not highly critical of MacArthur, but he did have certain reservations about Truman's decisions, including sacking MacArthur. LeMay offered to solved the problem in 24 hours, but Truman declined his offer.

Josh wrote: "I've heard mixed and sometimes contradictory opinions of Harry Truman's performance as president at the end of World War II. It's probably appropriate for a president who has at times been consider..."

My book out in June has Curtis LeMay discussing his talks with Truman about the bombs, and Truman's opinions.

Dj wrote: "Colin wrote: "Well, good thing we had Wernher von Braun and Walter Dornberger."

I have read some sources that say that von Braun actually put the Space program behind from what it had been prior t..."

I believe Robert Goddard was the American in question who was a proponent of solid fueled rockets; von Braun liquid fuel. Braun also carried some weight, along with Walter Dornberger with regard to their development of the V-2, the first ballistic rocket. The first question von Braun was apparently asked was, "Can you put an atomic bomb on one of those things?" His answer was "Yes, but you cannot get the range and lift without using liquid fuel." That was the end of the discussion. The US scientists had been working from the position of the Goddard platform, von Braun came in to design and reconfigure what would become the Redstone program.

I have been on it also, when I visited Chicago many years ago. Hans Goebeler and his wife Ricki were great. Hans stayed in the USA after the war and became a citizen upon being released from his prison camp. Sadly he died several years ago.

Phrodrick wrote: "U-505
This action resulted in what I believe was the only Medal of Honor awarded in the Atlantic campaign. If this is not true, please help me read about the others.

Adm Gallery als..."

That is an interesting story. I knew Hans Goebbeler and Thilo Bode, both serving on U-505, but Thilo transferred as first officer to command his own boat just before that patrol, while Hans was captured on the sub.

Brian wrote: "

Hello, my name is Brian Walter. I am the author of the book, The Longest Camp..."

I look forward to reading it, having interviewed many U-boat commanders, and Baron Burkard von Muellenheim-Rechberg from the Bismarck.

Well, good thing we had Wernher von Braun and Walter Dornberger.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Another great post Mike and I loved Hans Rudel's book on his wartime experiences, a classic account!

Stuka Pilot by Hans-Ulrich Rudel"

I interviewed MANY fighter and Stuka pilots who knew, and even flew with Rudel. Every single one said he was a dedicated, yet arrogant, self-absorbed madman, and never even considered dying as an option. That would explain his amazing and unsurpassed record of achievements.

Sweetwilliam wrote: "Ha ha....No, once the airborne operation is in motion they actually do not. It's pretty much all airborne. The only individual I remember coming over by landing craft was Mathew B. Ridgway. Old Iro..."

Derek wrote: "KOMET wrote: ""Bodenplatte: The Luftwaffe's Last Hope" by John Manrho

Matt Ridgeway was a great guy and an outstanding interview, very humble guy, who admitted his mistakes. I was with him, Helmut Kohl, Johannes Steinhoff and Ronald Reagan in 1984 as Steinhoff's guest, hence my being able to meet him.



SUMMARY
"In the early morning of Ja..."

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "The author of "Killing Hitler's Reich" mentioned how on 31 March 1945 three German Heinkel HE-162 aircraft landed at the Luftwaffe base at Tulln. He stated:

"Made mostly of wood, they were one of ..."

When I produced a documentary for Vulcan Productions, I did interviews with two German jet pilots, friends. One was Harald Bauer, who at age 16 was taken from an AA battery and taught to fly the He-162 as a ferry pilot. He was shot down by a P-51 and wounded. The irony was that he was born in NYC to a German father and American mother, and caught up in the war after they the family returned to Germany.