THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP discussion
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message 1701:
by
zed
(new)
Dec 31, 2017 03:03PM
And a happy new year to you all.
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I'd like to echo all the complimentary things others have posted above about the group- Happy New Year to all of you!
Bou wrote: "Ukraine bans book from Beevor:https://www.theguardian.com/books/201..."
Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.
Bou wrote: "Ukraine bans book from Beevor:https://www.theguardian.com/books/201..."
A legacy of the USSR and the Russian empire. Don't like the historical record, just ban it.
Just happened to be reading Vol 5, of Martin Gilbert's Biography on Churchill.Judged by every standard which history has applied to Governments, the Soviet Government of Russia is one of the worst tyrannies that has ever existed in the world. It accords no political rights. It rules by terror. It punishes political opinions. It suppresses free speech. It tolerates no newspapers but its own.
Gilbert, Martin. Winston S. Churchill: The Prophet of Truth, 1922–1939 (Volume V) (Churchill Biography Book 5) (p. 48). RosettaBooks. Kindle Edition.
Anyone else having trouble signing in to Amazon recently? I get a certificate security error when trying to login on my laptop (in Chrome, Firefox and Safari)
Bou wrote: "Anyone else having trouble signing in to Amazon recently? I get a certificate security error when trying to login on my laptop (in Chrome, Firefox and Safari)"Not having issues with amazon.ca
Bou wrote: "Anyone else having trouble signing in to Amazon recently? I get a certificate security error when trying to login on my laptop (in Chrome, Firefox and Safari)"No trouble here.
I was in Somalia, Panama and a few 'quiet' places we do not discuss
No, but I came close to going to Grenada in 1983. The Bn I was assigned to was supposed to replace the Ranger Bn and the deployment was canceled about 3 hrs before we were supposed to form up and draw weapons, ammunition and masks, about 6 hrs before were supposed to get on the plane.The week between being alerted we were going and the cancelation was probably the longest week of my life.
Did anyone else see the news about the wreck of the USS Lexington being discovered?
Liam wrote: "Did anyone else see the news about the wreck of the USS Lexington being discovered?"Yes, I posted a link on our news & events page:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I remember the Grenada invasion. That was when I found out I wasn't even listed on the Division Alert Roster. Great fun.
Esther wrote: "Wow!! That is pretty cool!! I always wanted to meet someone who was is any type of battle.My Mom used to work with a Guy who apparently was the only survivor of the 1st group on Omaha Beach,for his..."I was never in a real battle, being a scout sniper recon type, i spent most of my time gathering intelligence, a few times on "personal interdiction', but my son did two tours in Afghanistan, once in Sangan, big battle there. He and his combat engineers (explosives finders) were trapped in an IED chain field and had to crawl/probe out under fire as the explosives went off around them.
Dj wrote: "I remember the Grenada invasion. That was when I found out I wasn't even listed on the Division Alert Roster. Great fun."When Grenada happened, we were in the field. The Division pulled us out of the field a day early and put us on alert. I spent the week between the alert and the deployment date, fielding a new system to secure FM voice radio which I really didn't know to well (it wasn't supposed to be fielded in the Division for another year). I also had to train all the RTOs in the BN how to use it :) That kept me busy enough that I didn't have much time to think about what was going on a whole lot - I must have worked 140 hrs that week. The night before we were supposed to get on the A/C (a C-5 was already on the ground at Ft. Campbell) at Officers Call we still didn't have any maps and very spotty intel. The S-2 drew an oval on the black board to represent the island and pointed out where the Marines were, were the 82nd was, where they thought the Cubans were and where we were going. Scary stuff. I don't remember worrying about something happening to me, but worrying that something I did or didn't do would get somebody else killed.
We were supposed to have first formation at 0430 and board the A/C at 0730. I get a phone call from the SDO at about 0200 and I'll never forget his words, "We're not going, first formation 0630, PT uniform, tell your people." Relief and disappointment at the same time.
That is my one and only semi-war story.
One other thing, you'll find that most combat vets don't talk a lot about there experiences. My father was in Viet Nam ('66-'67) and he rarely speaks of it. He did open up a little when his sons started joining the Army. Other vet's I know whether it is WW II, Korea, Viet Nam or the Middle East don't talk a lot about there combat experiences either except maybe to other vets.
Dj wrote: "I remember the Grenada invasion. That was when I found out I wasn't even listed on the Division Alert Roster. Great fun."Lucky you!
happy wrote: "Dj wrote: "I remember the Grenada invasion. That was when I found out I wasn't even listed on the Division Alert Roster. Great fun."I spent the week between the alert and the deployment date, fie..."
On the invasion date, I was driving in from Manhattan Ks. to Ft. Riley, and there were two MPs standing at the 'Gate' stopping traffic. They were surprised to see me driving in, since everyone had been called on the alert roster.
I asked what was going on, they told me that we have invaded Grenada.
I asked why and they were like, how would we know, we don't even know where it is. So I mentioned that I thought it was an Island in the Caribbean. So they said I knew more about than they did and waved me on in.
I guess my working for the TV Branch on the base didn't warrant me getting to know when we invaded places.
The ADCO came out to field and told us about the invasion, I got to admit I didn't realize there was an Island called Grenada. My first thought was, "Why are we invading Spain?" :)
That's a good story Happy! :)
Esther wrote: "...Thank you all you Gentlemen for sharing! I have appreciated it very much...."you're very welcome!
Hello, guys! How ya doin'? My name is Gustavo! So, I've been learning English for 7 years. However, I hardly ever talk to natives. Is there anyone here who can help me develop my English skills on Skype? We can talk about whatever you guys want, even WW2. My main goal is to increase my vocab.
I can tell all our non commonwealth members who have no idea as to the game of cricket that WW3 could breakout at this moment and it will be of less interest than the ball tampering furore. :-)
4triplezed wrote: "I can tell all our non commonwealth members who have no idea as to the game of cricket that WW3 could breakout at this moment and it will be of less interest than the ball tampering furore. :-)"I'm not a cricket fan but for a nation that takes its sports so seriously to be caught cheating like that is shocking. I wonder how the fans feel being let down so badly like that and I can't imagine how the team members will be able to hold their heads up in public.
4triplezed wrote: "I can tell all our non commonwealth members who have no idea as to the game of cricket that WW3 could breakout at this moment and it will be of less interest than the ball tampering furore. :-)"As we say here in the South, I don't know diddly squat about cricket, but I saw the story on the BBC.
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "4triplezed wrote: "I can tell all our non commonwealth members who have no idea as to the game of cricket that WW3 could breakout at this moment and it will be of less interest than the ball tamper..."I am a cricket fan of the biggest kind. A regular at the Gabba in both the long and short formats of the game. Played as a kid. But am not that surprised at this as I think all sports types try it on for advantage. I am surprised they did it live on tv.
But I think this may articulate what a lot of people are saying out there. I read this on social media.
"I listened to Whately’s (commentator) podcast last week and he talked about South Africa taking their moral high ground when they have absolutely no right to it. He could have just as easily been describing Australian cricket. We engage in “mental disintegration” but then get shitty when the opposition gives it back on terms that we don’t like. We threaten to break tailenders’ arms but then don’t like it when an opponent makes contact after a wicket. We believe ourselves to be the sole arbiters of decency and what is acceptable, based on our own loose moral code, despite the fact that we do regularly impinge on what other cultures think is reasonable.
We’ve been prepared to turn a blind eye to all of that because it meets our standards of behaviour, as low a bar as that is. But systemic and organised cheating doesn’t meet anyone’s definition of fair play."
Who precisely is accused of what? Funny, I never really thought much of the idea that cricket & baseball are more-or-less culturally analogous, but the above comments brought to mind baseball scandals of my youth, like (pitcher) Gaylord Perry allegedly doctoring the ball with pomade or whatever... Not that I cared, my favourite pitcher was always Luis Tiant anyway!
Liam wrote: "Who precisely is accused of what? Funny, I never really thought much of the idea that cricket & baseball are more-or-less culturally analogous, but the above comments brought to mind baseball scand..."Liam: I thought the same. Only in baseball, it's only cheating if you get caught.
At least when you play England there's no need to cheat!
Liam wrote: "Who precisely is accused of what? ." Ball tampering. Illegal. Individuals have been caught over the years but never has a captain of a national team admitted it as a team plan to gain advantage. I read this morning that the captain has received a one match suspension but the ramifications go beyond just a match suspension. This may surprise a few but cricket is rated the 3rd most popular sport but then I suppose the entire populations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka add up to a lot of people https://www.totalsportek.com/most-pop...
Yes, I'm aware it is extremely popular- at least twice as popular as baseball, or I miss my guess. I couldn't even begin to count the times I've turned on the BBC World Service, only to find myself muttering "MORE cricket coverage? when are they going to get back to actual NEWS???"; and it's worse now, because they try to cover American football as well, which I care about even less than cricket! Adding insult to injury, it seemed for a good while as though they had replaced the late, very much lamented Charlie Gillett's show with some sort of international cricket round-up...
I was saddened to read of the passing of R. Lee Ermey. He played the iconic role of the DI in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket." In the U.S. he hosted a TV show featuring the firing of antique weapons -- Bren, BAR, Trap-door Springfield, etc. I found it very interesting.
Sad news.
Yes indeed, I enjoyed his show (Locked and Loaded - I think). His performance and the DI in "Full Metal Jacket" is indeed classic,
I remember that show - I used to watch it walking the floor trying to get Joseph settled. And thinking "there's a guy who REALLY loves his guns." Doubtless pulling St Peter up for untidy uniform as we speak.
I remember one episode of Locked and Loaded where he tested firing a revolver from a horse at a target like in the old Westerns. Concluding that the lack of smooth suspension made things a lot harder on accuracy, he then said “I prefer my own modern steed”...cue Gunny on his Harley blasting away at a watermelon in a ride-by!
I was with Lee in LA in 2007, I was taping a History Channel "Dogfights" show and he was doing his Mail Call show, same studio. We both had the same flight from LA to ATL, I he was in first class I was in baggage. He told the stewardess to call me up, and it was a great chat. I still have his Gunny Glock Challenge Coin that he gave me.
I heard he had died on the radio while at work yesterday; I also enjoyed 'Locked and Loaded' when I got the chance to watch it. When 'Full Metal Jacket' was in the theatres during the summer of 1987, I was a teenage runaway living on the street. I had hitch-hiked from Michigan to Florida, and at one point got caught in the tail end of a hurricane or tropical storm that hit the Atlantic coast. I took refuge from the storm in a nearly deserted movie theatre, and ended up watching 'Full Metal Jacket' three times in a row. A great movie, and Ermey was an incredibly talented actor. R.I.P. R. Lee Ermey (24 March 1944 – 15 April 2018)...
Hi folks, I'm off down the coast to visit my father for a few days and will only have my phone for internet access so I may be a bit spotty in replying. I will be back by the end of the weekend so I figure I could trust the group not to break too many things in that short period :)
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi folks, I'm off down the coast to visit my father for a few days and will only have my phone for internet access so I may be a bit spotty in replying. I will be back by the end of the weekend so ..."Have a good trip.
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi folks, I'm off down the coast to visit my father for a few days and will only have my phone for internet access so I may be a bit spotty in replying. I will be back by the end of the weekend so ..."We'll be good! Enjoy!
Back from my trip and glad to see nothing has been broken :)
'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Back from my trip and glad to see nothing has been broken :)"Sorry, I was to focused on my reading, I will try harder next time.
message 1748:
by
Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces
(new)
Too much reading, some drinking and lots of work sadly to break anything :)
While not on WW II this may be of interest to some group members. Below is a review from The Washington Post of On Grand Strategy by John Lewis Gaddis. The reviewer is Gordon Goldstein of the Council on Foreign Relations. Interesting to me -- the one correspondence course I took from the U.S. Naval War College was on The Peloponnesian War by Thucydides.A couple sharp stokes by Goldstein's review:
Abraham Lincoln... captures the ideal of deep strategic insight fused with moral resolve and determination. “He read voraciously, remembered pragmatically, and applied lessons ingeniously.” Lincoln realized that civil war, as bloody and awful as it would be, “might also permit the American state, tainted by slavery, to save its soul.”
...Napoleon was brilliant but compromised by grandiosity. (On Moscow) “The greatest military genius since Julius Caesar,” Gaddis notes sardonically, “assumed the attributes of a dog who’d chased a car and caught it: what do you do next?”
(On Vietnam) The “cardinal” principle of the Vietnamese intervention, (McGeorge) Bundy wrote, was for the United States “not to be a paper tiger. Not to have it thought that when we commit ourselves we really mean no major risk.” For Bundy the perception of credibility outweighed even the requirement of victory.
The review --
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outloo...
message 1750:
by
Geevee, Assisting Moderator British & Commonwealth Forces
(new)
Good review thanks. His comments on overstretch are well made in those big campaigns, but also mirror the recent modern day operations with war aims that saw tactics defined and certainly influenced by low casualty PR and NATO nations who were poorly equipped, supplied and resourced through "peacetime" ORBATS.
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