THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP discussion

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Introduction to the WW2 Site - Please Say Hi

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message 801: by Wade (new)

Wade (wade1) | 316 comments Hello Alexis..Welcome to the group,good to have you in the group.


message 802: by Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces (new)

Geevee | 3811 comments Welcome Alexis and pleased you found the group.


message 803: by Frank (new)

Frank | 27 comments Hello:

I'm Frank, I recently joined Goodreads and found this group. I have read somewhat on World War 2 and am a bit of buff on the subject, also, due to the fact that my father served in the south Pacific during the war always had me interested.
I was wondering if anyone can tell me the best unbiased account of the Eastern Front War. I have read many reviews and could never chose one that I was comfortable with.
Thank you.


message 804: by Wade (new)

Wade (wade1) | 316 comments I Frank wecome to yhe group,, you have hit the jack pot with the Eastern Front topic..Our members know there stuff ( especially the Ost Front)..WELCOME


message 805: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments Hi Frank, welcome to the group. The Eastern Front of WW2 is a subject that also interests me. We actually have a thread on the subject if you want to check it out, I think you may find a few books of interest:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...


message 806: by Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces (new)

Geevee | 3811 comments Welcome Frank and enjoy your time here.


message 807: by happy (last edited Jun 13, 2013 10:06PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2281 comments Frank

Welcome, Welcome
As for books on the Eastern Front, I've liked Glantz' books - he is a bit detailed, as well as Michael Jones' stuff.


message 808: by Heinz (new)

Heinz Kohler | 20 comments Hi everyone! My name is Heinz and I recently discovered Goodreads and then this group. Writings about World War II are of particular interest to me because I was born in Berlin shortly after Hitler came to power and lived through the entire war in Nazi Germany. Thus I have a great deal of first-hand knowledge about the German portion of the war.


message 809: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments Hi Heinz, welcome to the group and I am sure you will have a lot to offer from a German perspective. I hope you enjoy the group.


message 810: by Tytti (last edited Jun 16, 2013 03:02PM) (new)

Tytti | 140 comments Hi Heinz, welcome. You might want to take a look at the Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive, there are quite a lot of pictures of Germans, mainly serving in Lapland but elsewhere, too.
http://www.sa-kuva.fi/
I think if you searched for "saksa*" that might give the best results. I got more than 3000 that way.

Of course you could also actually understand what Hitler is talking about in the secretly recorded discussion with Mannerheim. It's available online but not sure how widely known it is.


message 811: by Bill (new)

Bill | 7 comments I am a professional Theatre Historian and an amateur military historian. I live in Chicago and co-founded MPAACT-www.mpaact.org a theatre company that does new works.


message 812: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments Hi Bill and welcome to the group.


message 813: by Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces (new)

Geevee | 3811 comments Heinz you are very welcome to the group. I served in the British Army and for a time had the pleasure of being based in your home city in the 1980s prior to the wall coming down, and this means I have an interest in Berlin during the war (as I do London and the wider home fronts) and after.


message 814: by Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces (new)

Geevee | 3811 comments Welcome Bill and please feel free to join in as you wish. I hope you enjoy yourself in the group.


message 815: by Heinz (new)

Heinz Kohler | 20 comments Thanks for the welcome. I am looking forward to learning a great deal from the group.


message 816: by Robert (new)

Robert Hays (goodreadscomroberthays) | 275 comments Allan wrote: "Hi all, I'm Allan live in England & really enjoy all forms of military history. I'm looking forward to discover some books i've never seen before. Feel free to add me as a friend."

Welcome to the group, Allan. I've accepted your nice invitation to add you as a friend. I am a Goodreads author always happy to share my interest in military history, especially WWII.


message 817: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2281 comments welcome Heinz and Bill


message 818: by Frank (new)

Frank | 27 comments To All:

Thanks for the welcome and for the recommendations on the Eastern Front, and the attached discussion on the subject.
I have narrowed it down now time to find the books I'm looking for.
This is a great group I look forward to learning a great deal on one of my favorite topics in history.


message 819: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments Hi Frank, glad to hear you have found some books of interest and I look forward to discussing the Eastern Front and good books with you soon.


message 820: by Tionne (new)

Tionne | 255 comments Frank wrote: "To All:

Thanks for the welcome and for the recommendations on the Eastern Front, and the attached discussion on the subject.
I have narrowed it down now time to find the books I'm looking for.
Thi..."


This is the best group on goodreads! :-)


message 821: by Huw (new)

Huw Rhys (huwie) I've just joined the group. My dad was a kid in Swansea during the war, and he used to tell me tales of watching Swansea being bombed during the war, whilst his own brother was flying in Lancasters, bombing Germany - and how wrong and wasteful and futile it all seemed. So I suspect my "interest" in war and WW2 in particular must have something to do with that strange dichotomy that my father introduced me to as a child. Man's inhumanity to man will be one of the inexplicable conundrums of our time here on earth - which is why it fascinates us so much?


message 822: by Wade (new)

Wade (wade1) | 316 comments Hi Huw, and welcome aboard...Lots of good threads and info. covering all aspects of WWII at this site. Glad to have you in the group..


message 823: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments Hi Huw, thanks for introducing yourself and the background on your fascination with WW2 history, very interesting indeed.


message 824: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2281 comments Welcome Huw


message 825: by Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces (new)

Geevee | 3811 comments Welcome Huw and hope you enjoy your time in the group. I've just finished this and as it mentions the bomb disposal units in Swansea it may interest you: Danger Uxb The Heroic Story of the WWII Bomb Disposal Teams by James Owen by James Owen


message 826: by Steve (new)

Steve Schach (steve-schach) | 8 comments Hi everyone! I live in Sydney, Australia. After publishing 15 nonfiction books, in March this year I published my first novel, a historical spy thriller set in the Kingdom of Prussia in 1747 Old Bach Is Come by Steve Schach .

While Old Bach Is Come was being published, my wife and I wrote a WW2 spy thriller set in New Zealand and North Africa (Battle of El Alamein). We're negotiating the details of the contract with our publisher.

I look forward to actively participating in the group.


message 827: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2281 comments Welcome Steve our fearless leader is also an Aussie.

Please don't be shy :)


message 828: by Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces (new)

Mike | 3595 comments Welcome Huw, Steve, Frank, Heinz and Bill to the best little group on GR.


message 829: by Steve (new)

Steve Schach (steve-schach) | 8 comments happy wrote: "Welcome Steve our fearless leader is also an Aussie.

Please don't be shy :)"


Thanks, happy. Fortunately, you don't see much shyness here in Australia.


message 830: by Steve (new)

Steve Schach (steve-schach) | 8 comments Mike wrote: "Welcome Huw, Steve, Frank, Heinz and Bill to the best little group on GR."

Thank you, Mike!


message 831: by Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces (new)

Geevee | 3811 comments Welcome to you Steve and feel free to post details of your books in our Author thread too.


message 832: by Steve (new)

Steve Schach (steve-schach) | 8 comments Geevee wrote: "Welcome to you Steve and feel free to post details of your books in our Author thread too."

Thanks, Geevee. I will.


message 833: by Heinz (new)

Heinz Kohler | 20 comments Mike wrote: "Welcome Huw, Steve, Frank, Heinz and Bill to the best little group on GR."

Thank you, Mike. You are right about :the best little group on GR." I am delighted to have found you all.


message 834: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments Wow, I feel like going on Walkabout now.


message 835: by Frank (new)

Frank | 27 comments Hi All

Thanks again. This is a great group.
Has the group ever voted on the best one volume book on the war. In my collection I own four, Robert Leckie's, Martin Gilbert, John Keegan, and most recently I picked up Andrew Roberts.
Does anyone have a favorite? I am curious how many one volume works have been published over the years?


message 836: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments Hi Frank, you have mentioned some excellent one volume WW2 books. We have voted on the best book for 2012:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

Recently the group read Max Hastings history of WW2, an excellent account:

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...

Inferno The World at War, 1939-1945 by Max Hastings by Max Hastings

I have Antony Beevor's single volume account yet to read:

The Second World War by Antony Beevor by Antony Beevor


message 837: by Scott (new)

Scott Wiegrefe Hi, my name is Scott and I live in the United States. I'm new to Goodreads and am interested in finding out some good World War 2 books. If anyone has suggestions feel free to share with me.


message 838: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (last edited Jun 24, 2013 06:20PM) (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments Hi Scott and welcome to the group I am sure quite a few members can come up with some suggestions for you :)

Are you interested in biographies, specific battles or campaigns or a good general one volume history of WW2?


message 839: by Scott (new)

Scott Wiegrefe I've read "with the old breed" and liked it a lot. I also enjoy anything by Ambrose.

I just started to read "Stalin's Folly" by Constantine Pleshakov.


message 840: by 'Aussie Rick', Moderator (new)

'Aussie Rick' (aussierick) | 19986 comments If you enjoyed Eugene Sledge's marvellous book you may also like this first-hand account of the Pacific War:

Goodbye, Darkness A Memoir of the Pacific War by William Raymond Manchester by William Raymond Manchester

My all time favourite book on the Eastern Front is this account:

In Deadly Combat A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Front (Modern War Studies (Paper) by Gottlob Herbert Bidermann by Gottlob Herbert Bidermann


message 841: by happy (last edited Jun 24, 2013 10:19PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2281 comments Welcome Scott

I'll second Good Bye Darkness

If you don't mind the ETO here are a couple I've liked
The first one is a little obscure, but a memoir I liked is
If You Survive From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story by George Wilson If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story. The author was a replacement platoon ldr who joined the 4th ID shortly after D-Day

Alex Kershaw has some excellent offerings. His The Liberator One World War II Soldier's 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau by Alex Kershaw The Liberator: One World War II Soldier's 500-Day Odyssey from the Beaches of Sicily to the Gates of Dachau was a recent group read and is excellent


message 842: by Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces (new)

Geevee | 3811 comments Welcome to the group Scott. For a slightly different perspective I'll recommend this on the British in Burma written by the author of the Flashman novels and is his own experience as a junior NCO with the Border Regiment George MacDonald Fraser George MacDonald Fraser Quartered Safe Out Here by George MacDonald Fraser


message 843: by Mike, Assisting Moderator US Forces (new)

Mike | 3595 comments Welcome Scott. You've reached "WWII Recommendations R US". In addition to the above, I'd recommend anything by Max Hastings or Anthony Beevor.


message 844: by Colin (new)

Colin Heaton (colin1962) | 2011 comments 'Aussie Rick' wrote: "If you enjoyed Eugene Sledge's marvellous book you may also like this first-hand account of the Pacific War:

Goodbye, Darkness A Memoir of the Pacific War by William Raymond Manchester by William Raymond Man..."


I would also suggest my friend Adam Makos' book, Voice of the Pacific.


message 845: by Robert (new)

Robert Hays (goodreadscomroberthays) | 275 comments Scott wrote: "Hi, my name is Scott and I live in the United States. I'm new to Goodreads and am interested in finding out some good World War 2 books. If anyone has suggestions feel free to share with me."

Patton's Oracle Gen. Oscar Koch, as I Knew Him by Robert Hays
Scott, this is to invite you to take a look at my recently published book, Patton's Oracle: Gen. Oscar Koch, as I Knew Him. Koch was Gen. George S. Patton Jr.'s G-2, intelligence chief, during most of the war. I was privileged to get to know him well in his later years and collaborated with him on his own book, G-2: Intelligence for Patton (published in 1971 and still in print). I felt strongly that because he was arguably the best intelligence officer in U.S. Army history he deserved a biography of his own.

Beyond Koch's personal story, this book follows Patton's action in combat in North Africa, Sicily, and across the continent--particularly the Battle of the Bulge. Koch's superb intelligence work was a critical element of Patton's success.

I'm optimistic that this book will help gain Oscar Koch the recognition he deserves as one of the most important figures of World War II. He has that place among military historians and intelligence professionals but, in large part because of his own modesty, still is relatively unknown among the larger public.


message 846: by Tionne (new)

Tionne | 255 comments 'Aussie Rick' wrote: "If you enjoyed Eugene Sledge's marvellous book you may also like this first-hand account of the Pacific War:

Goodbye, Darkness A Memoir of the Pacific War by William Raymond Manchester by William Raymond Man..."


With the Old Breed is a really great book. I liked Sledge's China Marine as well. China Marine An Infantryman's Life After World War II by Eugene B. Sledge


message 847: by Scott (new)

Scott Wiegrefe Thanks everyone for the book suggestions! I will definitely will have to check them out.


message 848: by Annette (new)

Annette (annekristy) Hello! My name is Annette. I had just finished reading flames in the Field by Rita Kramer, then came upon this book. I've been a member on Goodreads for a while, but till now did not know about this group. I'm a big reader of WWII books. My dad is a Veteran of WWII, Omaha Beach, Battle of the Bulge. I'm sure this is what began my interest in this genre.
I look forward to being apart of this book of kindred book reader's.
My dad is still living at age 90. He's made his home with us for 11 years.
I'm married, 2 adult sons, 2 grandchildren.
Thanks.


message 849: by Robert (new)

Robert Hays (goodreadscomroberthays) | 275 comments Patton's Oracle Gen. Oscar Koch, as I Knew Him by Robert Hays

Welcome, Annette. Your father is one of the all-too-few remaining heroes from World War II. Please pay him my highest respects and give him my thanks.


message 850: by Annette (new)

Annette (annekristy) Thank you I will. I was trying to figure out a way to place his photo on here. I have a photo of General Robertson pinning dad with a bronze star.


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