Yes, that was one in particular I was thinking about. He, Burgett wrote a series of books on his experiences.
OT: Best Single Volume History of WW II?
- Thread starter NittanyChris
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Yes, that was one in particular I was thinking about. He, Burgett wrote a series of books on his experiences.
Seven roads to hell is stellar from Burgett. The D-Day one is good also.
If you want a great air Corp book, On A Wing and Prayer. It’s about the Bloody 100th in the Mighty 8th. It’s a great read. The author was the lead navigator in the 8th by the end, if my memory serves me correctly.
True on so many levels. The other thing that was eerie was how these Nazis would have appeared so civilized in so many settings...but abject evil was abound. People who get emotionally swept up in the current mood of the mob would be wise to read books like this. It is a great illustration of how quickly and profoundly totalitarians can gain power without a majority supporting them. And once in power, they can turn with great viciousness on the mobs enabled their installment.
But the author is Eric Larson.
Yep you are right. For some reason when I think of In the Garden of Beasts it make me think of a Krakauer book Under the Banner of Heaven which is about three LDS brothers who start a killing spree. I am looking forward to reading The Splendid and the Vile by Larson. Have you read it?
I just finished reading 'The Story of World War II' by Donald L. Miller and cannot recommend it more highly. A comprehensive history that explores the war from the highest levels of leadership to the experience of the men who were fighting it to the millions of innocents who suffered and died through it. It makes very clear how terrible 'total war' is, and how 'total war' can destroy those engaged in it. I am an avid student of history but there were some passages in here that were eye-opening for me.
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Story_of_World_War_II.html?id=49pmAAAAMAAJ
For those who enjoy podcasts, I also highly recommend Dan Carlin's most recent 'Hardcore History' series about the rise and fall of the Japanese empire. It's called 'Supernova In the East' and he's four parts in. If you've never heard his shows they are truly impressive -- hours long and just wonderful storytelling.
https://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Story_of_World_War_II.html?id=49pmAAAAMAAJ
For those who enjoy podcasts, I also highly recommend Dan Carlin's most recent 'Hardcore History' series about the rise and fall of the Japanese empire. It's called 'Supernova In the East' and he's four parts in. If you've never heard his shows they are truly impressive -- hours long and just wonderful storytelling.
https://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/
I have read the civil war and World War 1. Read the Guns of August. I read his WW2 book.
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I have read The Splendid and the Vile...bought it the day it hit the street...Time period of WW2 I find most fascinating...typical superlative stuff from EL!
. The USA literally supplied England AND Russia (Lend Lease) with the capital and capability of war, against the German juggernaut. They survived because of the USA.
To be polite,--"-the U.S. didn’t win the war but helped shorten it"--- B.S., Our Eighth Army Air Corp DECIMATED and TOTALLY ELIMINATED the threat of the German Luftwaffe. Without this elimination of the German air forces the Russians would have been bombed to hell, and held on their own soil, and likely would have not even made it to German soil. This AMERICAN SACRIFICE cost 10's of thousands of American lives. A mission assignment of 25 bomber raids by an Eighth Army Air crew was considered next to a sure death sentence. It was later changed to 30 air assignments. Under Remarkable Eighth Army Air corp leadership, the Luftwaffe was literally destroyed , (>90%), so that the Allied invasion, D Day could be accomplished , 'at all.'
SIMULTANEOUSLY the AMERICANS faught fiercely a bloodbath in the Pacific; a two front war.
SIMULTANEOUSLY the US broke the Atlantic barrier and DESTROYED the entire German submarine threat; allowing England to survive from starvation and be overrun by Germany.
SIMULTANEOUSLY, US air, and naval force DECIMATED the entice Japanise war and maritime fleet.
SIMULTANEOUSLY the USA developed and deployed the atomic bomb, and used them, which SAVED an estimated 250-500k Americans, and millions of other in conflict; by bringing the Japanese to their knees.
NAME one other country with the will, power, leadership, and industrial MIGHT that could have done the same.
Where would the rest of the world be today without this sacrifice and gift of blood, sweat, and toll from the American forces and people.
Not to say other countries and allies were not instrumental in the Allies victory; but without the US, Germany wins, and the world changes; and not for the better.
I do not apologist for being an American, I am hum bold and honored by it.
Former Lieutenant; and proud veteran.
This was mentioned already....
When Supertodd mentioned Keegan, I knew the author's name sounded similiar. All of my books are packed for a move so I could not look thru my collection. When I saw the picture of the cover the bell went off. Read this many years ago (one of the first of many WWII books), and one that got me hooked on WWII history.
I think, for now, I'm down to the Keegan book or Storm of War by Andrew Roberts.
Thanks for all the suggestions!
I read In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson and loved it. I'm just finishing The Splendid and the Vile and I like it, though it's not as riveting as some of his other material.
Thanks for all the suggestions!
I read In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson and loved it. I'm just finishing The Splendid and the Vile and I like it, though it's not as riveting as some of his other material.
Agree completely.
My grandfather (WWII combat infantryman) recommended it. My dad then read and recommended it. And so it passed to me -- read it for the first time when I was maybe 14, and I try to read it every 10 years or so.
It's a beast. 1,400+ pages. But probably the most incredible book I've yet read. Some of the passages are seared into my memory for all-time.
Not the most authoritative history. But the best journalistic account of Nazi Germany you'll ever find.
Barbarossa by Alan Clark is a great account of the Nazi-Soviet war. Too few Americans are literate about the Eastern Front, and some of the battles -- like Kursk -- dwarf anything involving the United States. The sheer magnitude of the killing was something that United States has never remotely experienced.
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Actually, jennjefjoe is just wrong about his final assessment. The allies achieved air supremacy sometime in 1944. Operation Bagration launched to help relieve Western Allies in June 1944. The Battles of Leningrad and Moscow were in 1941 before the Americans got involved although Leningrad lasted quite a while. Stalingrad was done in January 1943 and Kursk was fought in July 1943. The Germans lost them all and they were all before we got seriously involved.
Also, are you aware of Fritz Todt. In 1941, well before we were attacked and involved ourselves in WW2, he told Hitler to settle the conflict with the Soviet Union as the war in the East was lost if better supplies and logistics could not be supplied. All of this was before significant American involvement. yes, we did make materiel and supplies available and it can be argued these were the critical element to victory.
Also, are you aware of Fritz Todt. In 1941, well before we were attacked and involved ourselves in WW2, he told Hitler to settle the conflict with the Soviet Union as the war in the East was lost if better supplies and logistics could not be supplied. All of this was before significant American involvement. yes, we did make materiel and supplies available and it can be argued these were the critical element to victory.
You are correct. I have read many books on the Eastern front but didn’t want to correct him as he was obviously fired up. My father fought in Europe and I have all the respect for them.
Yep.
It becomes emotional because it becomes a USA vs. USSR thing for some, or because they had family fight on the Western front (as I did), or because many were taught growing up that the Americans won WWII (as I did).
It's okay to acknowledge that (1) while the United States did incredible things in advancing on Nazi Germany while also fighting and ultimately defeating the Japanese, (2) the Soviets bore the largest brunt and had turned the tide against a Nazi war machine that the United States never had to face.
Not to diminish what we faced on the Western front. The Ardennes offensive in 1944 was no joke, and we were fighting legitimately tough units up and down Italy, in North Africa, and in France/Germany. But what the Soviets faced was a completely different beast. And once they were able to mobilize their war machine and churn out bodies for the slaughter, Germany's fate was sealed.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that German defeat was ensured the moment they launched Barbarossa on 22 June 1941. They made strategic errors that perhaps -- if avoided -- could have resulted in Soviet collapse. But their failure to close the deal in the winter of 1941 -- mostly because of a late start thanks to some distractions in the Balkans -- was the first nail in the coffin. The Soviets had too many men, too much land, too many resources. We assisted the Soviet effort, of course. But we were not the primary reason for Nazi defeat in the east.
I would like to add that Germany was never a serious threat to invade England, they did not have any landing craft, they planned to use barges to cross the Channel. In addition the Germans had a very small surface navy, even a weakened RAF along with the Royal Navy would have slaughtered that invasion force.
Another huge mistake by Hitler was not finishing the Brits off at Dunkirk, that was another 300K plus soldiers they later had to fight.
Declaring war on the USA was also another nail in the coffin.
Seared into memory - great description. I remember reading it right out of PSU while working my first job (national defense-related)...literally could not put it down...
Good thread. Can anyone take the time to expand on what exactly the German endgame was for the Battle of Britain? I know that Goering overpromised on what the Luftwaffe could accomplish but the logistical issues with invading England mentioned here were certainly not lost on the German General Staff. So, what? Was it just a matter of getting air and sea superiority and starving England into submission?
Based on some accounts, Hitler believed that Churchill could be brought to the table to sue for peace if Germany inflicted enough pain on Britain. When it became clear that wasn't going to be the case, the Germans drew up plans for SEA LION, but Germany required both air and sea superiority (as you said) before any invasion could be mounted. But SEA LION did call for an actual land invasion and subsequent occupation.
They failed to achieve that, obviously. And even if they did, Germany lacked the dock/harbor capacity to move a large invasion fleet, lacked the materials needed for the fleet itself, and -- by that point in history -- had already committed the bulk of their resources to the eastern front.
It's unlikely that Germany would ever be able to mount the industrial surge needed to make an invasion at all feasible.........not with the RAF's resilience, German industrial limitations, the eventual allied bombings of Germany (to include harbors and ports), and the eastern front occupying Berlin's attention.
I often hear people say "Hitler could have won if he defeated Britain first before turning his guns on the Soviets". Easier said than done. Churchill did not appear willing to break from bombing alone, and it's not clear if Germany -- even under the best of conditions -- would have been able to mount a successful invasion.
Plus, Stalin was making moves in eastern Europe which made Hitler nervous......the idea that the Nazis would forgo an invasion of the USSR -- or seriously delay it -- was never realistic.
Starve them and along with the fear of an invasion, hopefully England sues for peace.
While not a WWII coverage book, if you want a superb account from an interesting perspective, read “German Boy” by Wolfgang Samuel. Son of an SS officer. Top 10 book of all time for me (and I am pretty well read). An account from when it’s becoming clear Germany is going to lose the war, and how people were scrambling to get west to get away from the Russians. Wolfgang ends up an American Air Force officer, but the journey during that time of his youth is just appalling, impactful, hopeful, unforgettable, and fascinating. Everyone I’ve had read it, loves the book.
