Anzio: The "Stranded Whale" of the Italian Campaign

Allied forces landing in late January 1944

It's early 1944, and the tide of war is starting to swing in the Allies' favor. The Normandy landings are still in the planning phase, but Stalin begs the Allies to open another European front to take pressure of the Soviet Union. Italy is chosen as the "soft underbelly" of Hitler's Europe, as Winston Churchill put it. However, the campaign to sledgehammer up the Italian peninsula is time consuming and costly in terms of manpower. Therefore, a plan is divised to come at the Germans from behind and wreak havoc on their lines. In our continuing series on the role Italy played in the grand scheme of World War II in Europe, we now turn to the Anzio landings, and how a good plan floundered under bad leadership.

The Anzio landings took place on January 21, 1944. The point of the attack was to catch the Germans completely off their guard, and the landings themselves accomplished just that. In fact, front line reports from the landings indicated that there was barely any hostile fire during the entire landing. By the second night nearly all of the invasion force, 45,000 men and 3,000 vehicles, were on shore. As Winston Churchill said, the goal was "to hurl a wild cat ashore".

However, the plan would soon go awry. The problem was not from the tactical situation, but from the stragetic leadership of the operation. The generals commanding the operation were old, the American general John Lucas had just turned 54, and was not very optimistic about being leader of such an undertaking. Indeed, the expected advance to the German lines and eventually Rome was halted because of the "need for consolidation". While this was necessary, by the time it had happened, the orders to march were not given until it was too late.

By the end of January, the Germans were fully aware of the Allied forces on the beaches, now at 70,000 men. Under the command of Field Marshall Kesselring, the Germans moved eight divisions to surround the beach and for nearly four months they proceeded to rain thousands of shells on the beachhead. By this time the orders had been given to break out, bu the fighting would soon come to esemble the carnage reminiscent of World War I's trenches. Indeed, there seemed to be a quiet acceptance of stalemate on both sides. A baseball diamond was even built in Anzio, though the shelling would most certainly interfere with games.

It wasn't until May that the Allies finally launched an offensive capable of breaking through to the trapped men on the beach. The Allied 5th Army was finally able to link up with VI Corps near Anzio on May 25, 1944. In some ways, the Anzio operation can be compared to Stalingrad in the scale of its failure. While the Allies did not lose an entire army, Winston Churchill summed up the outcome most famously and succinctly by saying "We thought we had hurled a wild cat ashore. All we got was a stranded whale". Until next time take care, and thanks for reading.

North Africa: A Tale of Ends and Beginnings

Italian tanks in the desert circa 1941

If one were to consider one film that captures the essence of World War II in North Africa, probably everyone would name "Casablanca". This is certainly a classic movie, and it certainly does expose certain nuances about the North Africa campaign. However, something is missing from "Casablanca", an aspect of North Africa that is vitally important: how it all got started. You may think that the Germans were the only combatants in North Africa, but you would be wrong. In our continuing series of Italian actions in World War II, we will now expose the start of the North Africa campaign, and how it ended one aspect of the war and gave others their beginning.

It was after Germany had invaded Poland and had started on the Low countries and France. Italy had successfully taken Abyssinia and planted the seed for his new Italian Empire. However, Mussolini was no fool; he could see that once mainland Europe was conquered, Britain would be all alone. However, Britain was a mighty adversary for Germany, not only because of its geography and its mighty navy, but also because of its vast empire that it could call upon. The keystone for communication with the rest of the empire was the Suez canal in Egypt.

Italy came up with a plan to move troops north from Abyssinia, south through Greece, and east through Libya in order to capture the Suez Canal and effectively cut off the vast resources and manpower of imperial holdings such as India. The concept was strategically sound, and at least on paper the odds were stacked in Italy's favor. In terms of manpower, Italy outnumbered the British forces in Egypt and the Middle East anywhere from 4-30:1! Also, the Italian air force had overwhelmingly more planes than the British, and considerably more advanced. In terms of the naval powers, the British had Force H based out of Malta, and the Italians had their entire navy to rule the Mediterranean. It looked like Italy could easily accomplish their goals, at least on paper.

In reality, it was a different story. One bit of good news for the Italians was that their naval assets were just as good as anything the British could send against them. Indeed, the British resorted to setting traps around decoy supply convoys, which the Italians repeatedly attacked, in order to lure their ships out of their home harbor. However, as discussed in greater detail in the blog post on Taranto, the Italian navy was eventually crippled.

The Italian land army certainly had more troops, but their commanders were not as experienced as their British counterparts. Indeed, with only about 73,000 troops the British were able to fend off the Italians long enough for reinforcements to arrive, at which point all of the Italian advances had been haled and reversed, and their armies decimated. Even with antiquated biplanes the British air presence was enough to fend off the Italians until more modern planes could be delivered, which were understandably held in England during the Battle of Britain.

As the title of this post implies, the North Africa campaign is a tale of beginnings and ends. It was effectively the end of the Italians as a formidable foe for the Allies, and their armies were eventually slaved to German control. However, the North African campaign was the beginning of legendary careers. With the Italians in disarray, Hitler decided to lend them aid in the form of materiel and manpower, in the form of the Deutshe Afrika Korps, led by the soon-to-be Desert fox himself Erwin Rommel. Also, the desert would prove to be the kick start to British General Bernard Law Montgomery and General George S. Patton, and their legendary rivalry. All of these things, of course, would go on to affect many other event sin the war, but until next time take care, and thanks for reading.

Abyssinia Where? The Forgotten War

Flags of Italy, top, and Abyssinia

When one thinks about World War II in a European context, nearly everyone thinks about Hitler and the Nazis. This is mostly due to the many atrocities they committed and the subsequent ramifications of those actions. Also, when one thinks about the war in the Pacific, one rightly thinks about the Japanese. However, many people forget that the belligerent forces in World War II were called the Axis powers for a reason. Italy, the third member of the Axis, is most often forgotten or relegated to afterthoughts of the common person. Over the next few posts, I wish to delve into the oft-forgotten dictatorship: fascist Italy.

Many people may be familiar with the name Benito Mussolini, as he was the fascist dictator of Italy before and during World War II. Many people don't realize, though, how much impact Mussolini had in the post-World War I Europe. It was Mussolini and the Fascists who took power in November 1922, and in doing so inspired the actions taken by the Nazi Party in 1923 during the Beer Hall Putsch. A result of that act was the imprisonment of one Adolf Hitler, who from his jail cell would write the infamous "Mein Kampf". The rest, as they say, is history.

 In the mid-1930s, with Hitler rising to power in Germany and beginning his campaign of reclaiming old territory lost in the Versailles Treaty, Mussolini felt left out. This led to his campaign to lead Italy into the creation of "a new Roman Empire". The first target in Mussolini's scope: Abyssinia, present day Ethiopia. The Abyssinians and the Italians had shared some bad blood in the past. In previous centuries, Italy tried not once, but twice to conquer Abyssinia, leaving the Italians in a swamp of ridicule for many years. In 1935, Mussolini decided that it was time for payback; after all, third time's a charm.

Because Abyssinia was located close to Italy's African colonies, it was ripe for the conquest. However, Mussolini was worried that the Abyssinian emperor would successfully gain support and aid from the League of Nations. Remember, this was before the United Nations, and at the time the League of Nations was considered to be weak and ill-equipped to respond to threats. The Japanese annexation of Chinese territory earlier in the decade proved that the League was weak, so Mussolini decided to play the odds that any help would arrive too late to affect the outcome of his invasion.

The Italians invaded in October of 1935, and Abyssinian emperor Haile Selassie indeed pleaded with the League of Nations for help. However, Mussolini had been right; the League knew that any aid would get there too late, and they were also worried that any aid would alienate Italy and push them towards non-League nations, of which Germany was included at this time. In the end, after heroic resistance, Abyssinia was annexed into the newly-formed Italian empire, and the League imposed mediocre sanctions against Italy, which for all intensive purposes did next to nothing.

These actions proved to Europe, and especially Germany, that the League of Nations was weak, and was in no position to resist aggressive actions. This would later encourage Hitler to  push the envelope further and further: first the Rhineland, then Czechoslovakia, and finally Poland. It is interesting to see how events such as these can have such widespread repercussions on the political stage. Such was the role that Italy played, and for it they are often overlooked. My future posts will strive to uncover other actions that Italy made that would prove to have lasting consequences for both sides. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

Hitler Hunkers in his Bunker: Wolf's Lair

In 1941, in East Prussia, what is now present day Poland, a complex network of bunkers and headquarters was built for the coordination of the German invasion of Russia, Operation Barbarossa. This complex housed headquarters for all of the German invasion forces, as well as residences for top Nazi officials, including Albert Speer, Joachim von Ribbentrop, and most important of all Adolf Hitler. The German name for this complex is Wolfsschanze, but the Western World knows it as the Wolf's Lair.

The complex was constructed during the fall of 1940 in the middle of the forest outside of the East Prussian town of Rastenburg, now present day Polish town of Ketrzyn. It occupied 6.5 square kilometers, and had three separate security zones. The first zone was for protecting the bunker that the Fuehrer and all of his top officials would meet and reside.The second zone was for bunkers and houses for other officials not in Hitler's inner circle, as well as barracks for the Fuehrer Security Brigade. the third security zone protected the perimeter, and was mostly made up of special security forces and landmines.

Of the thirty eight buildings that made up the Wolf's Lair, one stands out among the rest. Hut #6 was the site in which Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and his fellow conspirators planted a bomb intended to kill Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944. Suffice it to say, Hitler did not die in the explosion and the conspirators were caught.

Hitler used the Wolf's Lair from July 23, 1941 to November 20, 1944. In its 3 1/2 year use by the Germans, Hitler resided there for 800 days. Most of the time he was going between military briefings, but after these were done, Hitler would take walks with his dog among other things. By November of 1944, the Russians had advanced close enough to the Wolf's Lair so as to make it unsafe for Hitler, so it was summarily abandoned, and the Russians took the bunker on January 24, 1945.

The legacy of the Wolf's Lair doesn't end with the Germans however. The Russians tried repeatedly to demolish the bunkers, but they proved more sturdy that the Russian s had thought. One bunker it is said took eight tons of TNT do completely destroy. with other bunkers, the explosions merely lifted the roofs, but the structure remained intact. Keep in mind that the roofs on some of these bunkers were two meters of reinforced concrete! Also, it wasn't until 1955 that the more than 54,000 landmines were cleared from around the complex.

Today, the ruins of the Wolf's Lair sit abandoned and alone in the forests of Poland, and the ruins are available for tourists to visit. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

How is THAT a Tank? The Story of the "Funnies"

It was 1942, and the Dieppe raid was a complete disaster. One of the many failures of Dieppe was that the tanks they brought either sank, were destroyed mere yards from the landing craft, or ran out of ammunition before they could make any difference. This prompted engineers in Britain to create special tanks suited to specific jobs, like clearing beach obstacles and creating stable surfaces over antitank ditches. These tanks would soon earn a name for themselves: the "funnies".

Most of the funnies were developed and used by the British, although the Americans used one special Sherman, the Sherman DD. What it was is a Sherman tank that was modified with a propeller and a canvas screen, effectively turning the tank into an amphibious vehicle. Once ashore, the gears used to power the propeller could be removed and the Sherman was a normal tank again. Many of these tanks were deployed during the D-Day invasion. The problem was that the canvas screen wasn't strong enough and most of the tanks deployed ended up sinking, taking the tank crew down with it. Later, these problems were fixed in the Mark II, and the DD Sherman went on to be a very effective river crossing tank.

The British used many more different funnies than the Americans. Most of them were based on the Churchill tank, though some were based on the Sherman. One was equipped with a rotating arm with lengths of chain that spun in front of the tank for the purpose of clearing landmines. another was equipped with a flamethrower, with the fuel stored in a towed trailer. Others were used as bridging vehicles, where a tank with the turret removed would drive into a ditch, be abandoned, and then other tanks could drive over the tank, thereby bypassing the ditch.

These tanks certainly looked funny, but they also did invaluable services for the Allied armies to keep the war machine moving. Demand was high for these tanks, and their reputation definitely outweighed their looks. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

Spin, Bounce, Sink, Boom! Operation Chastise

A surviving Bouncing Bomb

In mid May 1943, the RAF hatched a plan to deal a severe blow to the German industrial center: the Ruhr valley. They intended to destroy several dams in the area, robbing the factories of hydroelectric power and flooding the valley below. However, normal bombing techniques were not going to be enough, as the accuracy needed wasn't possible in the face of heavy German defenses. So, in light of this, a new tactic was created: the bouncing bomb. This bomb was only used for this mission, and the brave flyers of this mission would forever after be known as "the Dambusters".

The concept behind the bouncing bomb is a classic case of applied physics. The bomb is spun in the opposite direction in which the carrying plane is flying, so when the plane drops the bomb on the water the counter spin keeps the bomb above the water while decelerating at the same time. Ideally, when the bomb decelerates enough to the point it sinks, it is situated right next to the dam wall, where it explodes. since water acts as a better energy transference medium than air, the shock wave created deals massive damage to the walls of the dam, which ideally burst as a result.

If the execution of this sounds simple, it is in fact much more complicated. For starters, the bomb weighs five tons, and at this time only the largest and heaviest bombers could handle a bomb load like that, not including the weight of the special bomb mount. Furthermore, in order to get the bomb into position and past the torpedo nets in place in front of the dam wall, the bomb has to be dropped in a very narrow target area, at low altitude, all the while avoiding heavy antiaircraft fire on the approach. Needless to say, this mission demanded the most out of these brave men.

Aftermath of the Eder Dam

Aftermath of the Mohne Dam

On the night of May 16/17, 1943, nineteen modified Avro Lancaster heavy bombers took off from England and started heading toward their objectives. By the time the formations reached the Dutch coast, the flyers had suffered some casualties. Some of the planes were shot down, others released their bombs too early and got caught in the blast of their own bomb. Despite this, successful attacks were made on the Mohne Dam and the Eder Dam, while the Sorpe Dam was damaged without breaching. Only nine out of nineteen planes made it back to England.

In the end, the attacks on the dams of the Ruhr valley caused massive damage both in the loss of hydroelectric power as well as the massive flood damage caused in the valley villages. No mission before or since has ever come close to needing this kind of bravery and guts. In testament to the flyer's courage and sacrifice, a memorial to both the dead and surviving pilots is in Lincolnshire, England. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

A Forgotten Winter: The Russo-Finnish War

If someone who did not have more that a cursory understanding of the chronology of World War II, they might pick up a history book, come across a section on the Soviet war with Finland, and say, "There was a war in Finland?". Indeed, the war in Finland is not often brought up when trying to conjure up images of World War II. However, the Russo-Finnish War would prove to show not only the resilience of the nation of Finland, but also of the inadequacies of the Red Army, a fact that Hitler would've been very interested in when planning his Operation Barbarossa.

Almost three months after the invasion of Poland by the Germans, and later the Soviets, in September 1939, Joseph Stalin saw an opportunity to expand his territory. Bordering the Soviet Union were the three Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and the Scandinavian country of Finland. The three Baltic states, under pressure from the Soviet diplomats, signed over their countries to the Soviet Union without a fight. However, Finland was not so eager to give in. They figured that their position so far north gave them enough natural barriers to invasion that their meager armed forces could easily make up the difference. Because Finland had gained territory after World War I that Russia had received almost 200 years earlier, Stalin was willing to try his luck.

The Red Army invaded Finland on November 30, 1939. At first, Stalin encountered little resistance and thought he would easily win. This did not last long at all, though. The Finnish forces fought furiously to defend the Mannerheim Line, as it was called. The extreme Finnish resistance brought diplomatic applause and support from the UK, France, the US, and Sweden. The USSR, on the other hand, was banished from the League of Nations upon their invasion.

The Finnish army took advantage of several flaws in the Red Army, to an astonishing degree. First, after the Great Purges of 1936/37, almost all of the Red Army's most experienced leaders were either dead or in prison,leaving inexperienced leaders in charge of the troops. Second, the Soviets had almost no ski troops, while the Finnish army had nearly grown up on skis and knew how to fight on them. In some cases, entire units were completely massacred, with ski troops machine-gunning troops on their way past, and quickly planting gas bombs on Soviet tanks.

Nevertheless, despite the Finns' proud hearts and strong resolve, they just couldn't compete numerically. Also, the countries that supported them before were either unwilling to give them any substantial aid, or were unable because of their neutrality, as was the case for the US and Sweden. On March 13, 1940, the Finnish Prime Minister was forced to sign the Treaty of Moscow, which gave the USSR 11% of Finland's prewar gains and 30% of Finland's resources. Also, crucially, it gave Leningrad a buffer of territory, which would be put to good use during the siege later on.

While the Russo-Finnish War is not often referred to when thinking about World War II, it is important to note that nearly all of the problems with the Red Army revealed during the conflict remained largely unfixed, right up until Germany's invasion in 1941. This led to the near collapse of the Red Army, were it not for Hitler's misguidance. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

Office of Tyrants: The New Reich Chancellery

New Reich Chancellery circa 1939

When one thinks about old government buildings in the context of Berlin, one almost always thinks about the Reichstag building, beautifully restored and in current use. Similarly, when one is asked to find old Nazi buildings in Berlin, it's a much tougher task. Simply put, the Allies, as well as the Germans, wanted to forget the events of World War II and Nazi rule, so many of the buildings that housed Nazi operations that weren't destroyed in the Battle of Berlin were later demolished. Under this category of demolished buildings includes the headquarters of the SS and Gestapo, now the Topagraphy of Terrors site, and the New Reich Chancellery, where Hitler's top brass had their offices, and was the cornerstone of Hitler's dream empire that was not to be.

In the years prior to the start of World War II, Hitler seemingly had pulled off a miracle: Germany had recovered from the Depression, work was abundant, and the shackles of the Versailles Treaty were finally being thrown down. In 1938, Hitler wanted to begin a new project, making Berlin the capital of a new world empire. This included an almost complete rebuild of most of the city, especially the government quarter. To do this, Hitler appointed his favorite architect Albert Speer, who had previously designed the Nuremburg rally site and the stadium used in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, to design a new Berlin, one that would supposedly 'make Paris look like just another city'.

Inside of the Chancellery

While nearly all of the elements of Berlin's rebuild were never completed due to the war, many elements were in fact completed. This culminated in the construction of the New Reich Chancellery. this was built to replace the Old Reich Chancellery, which was built during Bismarck's reign, and deemed by Hitler to be "suitable for a soap company". This new building was meant to be the tip of a new city axis, one that would go east to west, with the Brandenburg Gate in the middle. At the other end of the axis would go the Volkshalle, or People's Hall, where over 180,000 people could sit and hear Hitler speak. If that structure had been completed, it would have been the largest domed structure on the planet.

Hitler's office

The New Reich Chancellery housed many of Germany's top officials, and was lavishly furnished. Hitler's office, especially, held many fine examples of art and architecture. If one looks at how big everything is in Hitler's office, the furniture, the paintings, one could say that this was done intentionally to make any visiting diplomat feel small and insignificant compared to Hitler, although this is just a theory.

Hitler's desk as seen today

The New Chancellery served throughout the war years, although in the Battle for Berlin it was severely damaged. This was partly due to the fact that the Fuehrerbunker was located in the gardens next to the Chancellory, and also because the Soviets designated targets that would hold significant meaning to the defending Germans in order to effectively destroy them and leave nothing left for the defenders to make a rallied stand around.

After the war, the New Chancellery ended up in East Berlin, and the Soviets did not hesitate to demolish the building. However, pieces of the building were recycled to build their many memorials around Berlin, incorporating the stone into (supposedly) the Soviet War Memorial next to the Brandenburg Gate and into the memorial in Treptower Park. Today, the corner where the Chancellery once stood is occupied by an apartment building and a Chinese restaurant. until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

P-61 Black Widow: Trailblazing Spider

In the sub genre of fancies that World War II historians, and other more casual persons, one of the more famous is the sub genre of World War II aircraft. In this sub genre are some pretty legendary names, such as the P-51 Mustang, the Me-262 jet fighter, and the Mitsubishi Zero. However, there is one plane in this category that debatably has set a precedent that has lasted for all subsequent military aviation designs. This aircraft is the Northrop P-61 Black Widow, and it has a very unique and special place in the history books.

The P-61 was conceptualized as early as 1940, over a year before the US entered the war. The US Air Officer in London, Lt. General Delos Emmons, was briefed by a representative of the RAF on their latest research in the field of RADAR, a high priority on the British military research list, as ground-based radar stations played a pivotal role in defending Britain from repeated Luftwaffe attacks. The peak of this meeting was the announcement of the development of a radar unit that could be built small enough to fit onto or into a plane and act independently of land-based stations, hence the potential for night fighter squadrons to be formed.

Indeed, the Navy began to form night fighter squadrons around 1943-44, that revolved around the Grumman F4F Wildcat, equipped with a wing-mounted radar pod. However, aircraft designers wanted to take the concept of a night fighter to the next level. Hence, the P-61 was born. In its first 'first', the Black Widow was the first plane built specifically to fight at night. The second 'first' comes from the fact that the Black Widow was the first plane to be designed specifically with radar integration in mind.

With this in mind, the first P-61s were deployed into combat in February 1944 to the European Theater, attached to the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron. Later on, the P-61 would also be shipped to the Pacific Theater. It is there that the Black Widow supposedly earned another spot in the history books. On the night of August 14/15, 1945, a Black Widow was spotted by a Japanese plane, which then crashed into the ocean while attempting evasive maneuvers. This lack of the Black Widow firing a shot in the kill means that the P-61 crew was not credited with the kill, officially that is.

P-61 at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

After the war, the P-61 was turned into the F-15 Reporter reconnaissance plane. Under this guise, the Black Widow also served as the template for other reconnaissance planes that were developed later. The last Black Widow was officially retired in 1954. Out of the 742 planes made, only four survived to the present day. One, possibly two are located in China, where they were left when the USAF left China during the Revolution. Another is undergoing restoration in a museum in Pennsylvania. Only two are on display fully restored at the moment. The most viewed example is in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center outside Dulles Airport, while the other is in the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.

When one looks back at the history of the P-61 and wonders what its legacy is in the modern world, consider that the P-61 not only inspired other dedicated night fighter aircraft, but also because it was designed specifically for radar, nearly every single military and civilian aircraft from the postwar years to the present was designed with radar in mind. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

The Berlin Victory Column, WWII Survivor

At the center of an circular intersection of many streets in the Tiergarten, including the road leading to the Brandenburg Gate, there stands a pillar of stone topped by a bronze sculpture of Victoria. This is the Victory Column, commemorating the German, rather the Prussian, victories in the Unification Wars. Like many buildings in Berlin, it was subjected to various Allied bombings as well as the Soviet assault on the city at the end of World War II. However, like some other sights in Berlin, the Victory Column is a survivor.

The Victory Column was designed in 1864 to commemorate the Prussian victory over Denmark in the Danish-Prussian War. However, it was not completed and inaugurated until 1873, by which time the Prussians had defeated both Austria and France, and achieved the unification of all of Germany. This led to the change in the design of the monument to include cannons captured from each of the respective defeated nations on the first three of the four segments of sandstone.. Also, after the Franco-Prussian war, the statue of Victoria was added. Originally, the column stood in front of the Reichstag building.



Victory Column circa 1900



In 1938, Adolf Hitler and his personal architect Albert Speer made two decisions regarding the Column. The first decision was to relocate the column to its present location, 1500m from the proposed North-South axis of the New Berlin, exactly one Roman mile. The second decision was to add 7.5m to the overall height of the column, at the same time adding a golden garland ring to commemorate the end of the Battle for France. Also, Albert Speer designed the current system of four underground walkways that lead from the sidewalk under the street to the column, each sidewalk entrance covered by guardhouse-style shacks.



Bullet holes on the foundation

 It is because of the Nazis that the Column was saved. The stretch of street that the Column originally stood was devastated by Allied bombings over the course of the war. Even during the Soviet assault on the city, the Column survived relatively intact. However, even today the base of the column foundation is marked by bullet chips as well as the metal fascades that depict German military history. These sport random bullet holes in the heads of the soldiers depicted.

In the occupation years of the city, the monument was saved by the British and Americans from the French, who wished to dynamite the monument. Also, the French took the metal fascades off the monument in 1945 to prevent the Germans from being reminded of the its former glory. These were eventually returned in 1987 for the 750th anniversary of Berlin, but some sections still remain in France.

Today, the Victory Column is one of Berlin's most famous sights, located a short way from the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, as well as the Soviet War Memorial. It also acts as a reminder of how the spirit of Germany has survived its most traumatic experience in the history of the country. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

Stars and Stripes Review: April 20, 1943

In this issue of The Stars and Stripes, there's a fair amount of glory to be had at the hands of the Allies. The front page proudly states that the USAAF shot down 51 transport planes and damaged 30 more, to the loss of only nine planes. The article theorizes that these planes were carrying Axis troops out of Tunisia, which at this point in the war was the Afrika Corps' last bastion of defense. After two years of going back and forth across North Africa, the German Afrika Corps, under the command of Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, had run out of options. Only a matter of days after the release of this issue, the Axis troops in North Africa would surrender, around 250,000 soldiers taken prisoner.

This issue also has other tales of heroic victory over the Axis. There is a small article detailing a four day naval battle, in which a pack of German U-Boats were continually harassed and attacked by American coastal bombers, possibly claiming five subs destroyed. Also, there is mention of members of the US Eighth Air Force had received more Distinguished Flying Crosses and other medals, putting the total for the unit over 1700 awards.

Another interesting article in this issue may be just a morale booster, but may also be legitimate. There are rumors from refugees and escaped POWs that the Germans are growing nervous, now that North Africa has been taken, Axis troops are under a three front bombing campaign, and Europe is next. Hitler was claimed to have made a grand press tour of his Fortress Europe, the system of guns, mines, and obstacles that line the Atlantic side of Europe. Also in this story is a published German illustration of the best means by which infantry can attack a tank and avoid its line of fire.

In non-war-related news, there is mention of the Dodgers beating the Yankees 4-2, a Canadian infantryman wins the Boston AA Marathon, and the Amertex basketball team beat the US Navy construction team, the Sea Bees, 46-17. Also, interestingly enough, this early in the war, 32 US senators are opposed to the US acting as an international police force in the postwar world.

All of this wrapped up by refreshing cartoons of Li'l Abner and Blondie complete this review of the April 20, 1943 issue of the Stars and Stripes. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

The Reichstag and the Nazis

In Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate is considered to be the most visited site in the city, mainly due to its rich history and its modern symbolism of reunified Germany. However, one block down from the Gate is the second most visited site in Berlin: the Reichstag building. Home to the modern day German parliament, the Bundestag, the Reichstag building itself has a rich history which includes the role the building played in the creation of the Nazi dictatorship in 1933.

Reichstag circa 1900

The building was constructed in the mid 1880s, in order to house the parliaments of the recently united German states. It was during its construction that the famous words "Dem Deutschen Volke", or "For the German People", were etched on the front of the building, over the objections of Kaiser Wilhelm II due to its democratic implications. The building became the site of many political rallies during the First World War, such as those celebrating the start of the war. Into the Weimar Republic, other rallies were held to protest the harshness of the Versailles Treaty. However, it is in 1933 that the building became the center of fear and hysteria.

In 1933 Adolf Hitler had been recently appointed Reichschancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg, the former supreme army commander during WWI. However, Hitler's power was still tempered by the chain of command in the Weimar government, which said that while the chancellor had most executive powers, he could still be overruled by the President. There was a way around this, however. In the Weimar constitution, there is a bill that states that the Chancellor could be given emergency powers in the event of a threat to the security of the government and the nation. Hitler, of course, did not wait for crisis to occur on its own.

The Reichstag on fire 2/27/33

On the night of February 27, a fire broke out in the Reichstag building.This fire destroyed much of the inside structure, but the building itself still stood. The real effect of the fire was of a political nature. Hitler immediately claimed that the fire was set on orders from the German Communist Party, coincidentally the Nazi party's biggest rival in the parliament.  It was on this basis, that the Communists were preparing to overthrow the Weimar government, that President Hindenburg granted Hitler the emergency powers he had asked for. This allowed Hitler to arrest many Communists, effectively disposing of Hitler's last rival.

Also, because Hitler possessed emergency powers, he was able to pass the Enabling Act, which effectively suspended all civil liberties. Finally, it was through these powers that Hitler was able to merge the offices of President and Chancellor, making himself the de facto dictator of Germany. Meanwhile, the responsibility of the Reichstag Fire was pinned on Dutch communist Marinus van der Lubbe, who was summarily executed. Interestingly enough, the events that took place in Germany at this time are almost paralleled in the Star Wars prequel movies regarding Senator/chancellor/Emperor Palpatine.

Historians have argued for many years about whether van der Lubbe was acting on orders from the Communist party, the Nazi party, or whether the SA, the Nazi's police force, had set the fire themselves and van der Lubbe was a convenient scapegoat. To this day the motives and plots surrounding the Reichstag fire remain a mystery.

During the war, the Reichstag was never repaired, because the Nazis had effectively disbanded the parliament and built a new executive building. The building was damaged further by Allied bombings of Berlin, and in the Soviet's offensive on the city considerable manpower was channeled into capturing the building due to its symbolic standing. The photo of a Soviet soldier placing the flag on the Reichstag was, in fact, staged. The Soviets had taken the building three days prior.

After the war, the building was essentially an abandoned ruin. A half-hearted restoration was undertaken in the 1960s to protect the building from the elements, but because both East and West Germany had no need of it, the building lay unrestored until the fall of the Berlin Wall. After the Wall fell, the decision was made to make Berlin the capital of Germany again, and the building was 'restored', by this I mean everything but the outside walls was completely redone. Also, because the cupola, the dome on top, was severely damaged, a new glass dome was affixed to the building. Today, the Reichstag houses the German parliament and remains a popular tourist attraction.

Soviet graffiti in the Reichstag

 In summary, the Reichstag building served as both a symbol of unity and a means of political upheaval in its lifetime. Without the Reichstag Fire, Hitler's power may have been tempered up to Hindenburg's death in 1934, in which case who knows how he might have become dictator, if at all. Until next time, take care, and thank you for reading.

Hollywood at War: The Actors Who Served

Many moviegoers know that during World War II, many people were called to war, and those working in Hollywood were no exception. Some of the more famous names to appear include the 38th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, who enlisted in the Army Air Corps but was limited in his duties due to nearsightedness. However, he was recruited to appear in training videos for the AAC, including a documentary about a tail gunner of a B-17 bomber. While Reagan is probably the most well-known actor to have served in the war, there are many others who either started in Hollywood before the war or would go on to become notable actors, and actresses, themselves.



Jimmy Stewart



There are two categories to this tale: one being people who had careers in Hollywood before the war and were either drafted or enlisted voluntarily, and the other being those who would later become famous in Hollywood after their service was completed. There are some big names in the first category, one of the more famous being Jimmy Stewart. Stewart made many films before and after the war; many people will remember "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", but many more remember him for the Christmas classic "It's a Wonderful Life". After the former and before the latter films, James Stewart's military career almost didn't happen. While he was initially drafted into the US Army, he was too short and too light to qualify. After this, he enlisted the aid of a famous trainer from MGM to help him gain weight so he could get into the Army Air Corps, which eventually succeeded.

From early 1942 to the end of the war, Stewart was moved back and forth from the front to stateside a few times, making a training video here and there. He also worked his way up the ranks, and from starting as a private, Stewart was one of only a handful of Americans to rise to Colonel in only 4 years. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice as commander of the 453rd Bombardment Group, ending his wartime career as Chief of Staff of the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing of the Eighth Air Force. In fact, after the war he stayed in the Air Force Reserve well into the 1960s, eventually gaining the rank of Brigadier General, although this did not hamper his film career.



Clark Gable



 Other notable names in this first category include Clark Gable of "Gone with the Wind" fame. While he was too old to be drafted at wars start, he did enlist into the AAC. He was trained as a rear gunner and in 1943 was requested to film a training film about rear gunners. Although not required, he flew combat missions in order to get the footage he felt was necessary. He was relieved from active duty in 1944 at his own request with the rank of major. Another name of note is Henry Fonda, whose prewar career was limited, but went on after the war to do other great films. His best known prewar film is probably "The Grapes of Wrath", for which he was nominated for Best Actor 1940, but lost to Jimmy Stewart for "The Philadelphia Story".  During the war, Fonda served in the US Navy, earning the Bronze Star for Valor. After the war, Fonda went on to star alongside such names as John Wayne, Audrey Hepburn, and Shirley Temple.



Carroll O'Connor



Besides these characters, there are some notable names in the second category, those whose film careers picked up after the war. Notables in this category include Tony Curtis, who joined the US Navy in 1943 at 17, and witnessed the signing of the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri. Father of Jamie Lee Curtis, he also starred in many films during the so-called Golden Age of film of the 1950s and 60s, including "Some Like It Hot" opposite Marilyn Monroe. Another such name is Burgess Merideth, who joined the USAAC, and is best known for his role as Rocky's trainer in the first three films of the franchise. Also, Carrol O'Connor served in the Merchant Marine in 1942, and went on to star in many films related to World War II after the war, such as "Kelly's Heroes", but he is best known for his role as Archie Bunker from the 1970s TV show "All in the Family".



Don Rickles beside Clint Eastwood
in "Kelly's Heroes"



There are many more famous names who served in the war. Charles Schultz, cartoonist of "Peanuts" since before the war, served in the Army as a staff sergeant and head of a machine gun squad. Rod Serling, host of "the Twilight Zone" among other things, served as an Army paratrooper. Don Rickles, noted comedian and actor, served in the US Navy on a destroyer. Lee Marvin, later starred in "The Dirty Dozen", served as a US Marine and was wounded in the Battle of Saipan. Julia Child served with the OSS in china, the precursor to the modern CIA. Audrey Hepburn, as a child, served as a courier for the Dutch Resistance. Even Mel Brooks served as a combat engineer during the war, clearing away land mines after the Battle of the Bulge.

While there are many more people that fit this bill, they can't all be named in this one article because whole books have been written on the subject of actors and actresses serving in wartime. I believe it just goes to show that wartime is a time which requires everyone to do their part, and these people recognized that. Until next time, take care, and thank you for reading.

Taranto: The Pearl Harbor before Pearl Harbor

When people think of a sneak attack in the context of World War II, many people would think of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which caught the US Pacific fleet unawares and almost put the entire fleet out of action. Many people believe that Pearl Harbor marks the death knell for the battleship era and the beginning of the aga of naval air supremacy. However, there were other moments prior to Pearl Harbor that demonstrate the same change in eras. There was the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, the most powerful battleship of its time sunk by antiquated biplanes. These antiques also participated in their own Pearl Harbor raid: the British naval air attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto. The name of the game: Operation Judgement.

In the latter half of 1940, the war was going in Hitler's favor. Poland had fallen, France and the Low Countries (Belgium and the Netherlands) had been conquered, Germany and the Soviet Union were at peace for the time being, and Hitler's next target was Britain. Amidst all this, Germany's ally in the Meditteranean had been expanding its fleet and was in a position to claim naval superiority. This was a nightmare waiting to happen for Britain because if the Italians gained control of the Meditteranean, Britain would essentilly be cut off from its holdings east of the Suez Canal such as India, which were providing supplies and troops to Britain.

The decision was made to coax the Italian fleet into battle with British warships based out of Malta. The date was set for October 21, the anniversary of the British victory over Napoleon's invasion fleet in 1805. However, the Italian fleet did not want to risk their capital ships in a single engagement, and seemed content to stay in their home port of Taranto. This gave British officials the idea that if the Italians wouldn't come to the British, the British would have to go to the Italians.

A harrowing and dangerous reconnaissance flight through Taranto (not over, through the harbor at low altitude against heavy anti-aircraft fire) the day before the raid showed that the Italians had six battleships and five heavy cruisers moored in the harbor.  The plan was to send two waves of Fairey Swordfish biplanes, the same type that sank Bismarck in 1941, off the British aircraft carrier Illustrious. The first wave was to be personally commanded by Lieutenant Commander Kenneth Williamson, and consisted of 12 planes mainly armed with a single torpedo each, but two of the planes had bombs and two had bombs and flares meant to mark the positions of targets for the second wave.

The attack happened on the night of November 11/12 1940. The Italians had laid out a ballon barrage, a series of nonrigid blimps on strings used as obstacles for enemy pilots to avoid and place in the fire of anti-aircraft batteries, to protect the harbor earlier. However, these balloons had all been destroyed by a storm earlier in the night, so the British had a free run at the Italians. While a few of the Swordfish were shot down, including Lt. Cmdr Williamson's, the raid was a complete success. At least two of the battleships moored at the harbor never sailed again. Those that were damaged had to be beached to prevent sinking, or floated by salvage teams and repaired later.

Most of the other ships damaged were repaired in a span of about six months, but the psychological impact on the Italian navy never fully healed. Like the Germans after the sinking of the Bismarck, the Italians would never again commit any of their capital ships to an engagement with the British. This is significant because the Italian battleships were just as good if not better than the British, and the few times after the raid that the British and Italian navies met, had the Italian battleships engaged the British instead of running away, British casualties would have definitely been higher, and victory may not have been assured. Until next time, take care, and thank you for reading. 

Stars and Stripes Review: May 22, 1943

In this issue of the Stars and Stripes, the headline details the latest exploits of the famed 8th Air Force, with the destruction of German submarine construction yards in Emden and Wilhelmshaven, both on the northwestern part of Germany itself. The most visible piece of the front page is the picture of the M12, basically a modified Sherman tank equipped with a 155mm gun that can shoot a 95 pound projectile over ten miles, and is supposedly capable of sinking a heavy cruiser.

Another story of note in this issue, while not pertaining to the European theater is the death of Admiral Yamamoto, the senior Japanese naval officer, and planner of the attack on Pearl Harbor. His death was likely received with the same kind of response at home and in the field as the death of Osama bin Laden has received today.

Further stories of note in this issue are the completion of Andrews Field, an air force base in Essex, England built entirely by the US and used by both the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces later on in the war. Also, there are reports of flooding in the Mississippi River area, forcing over 100,000 people to evacuate in six Midwestern states. There is also a report of a B-24 Liberator crashing into a gas tank in Chicago, an event eerily echoed 70 years later when a restored B-17 bomber crashed outside of Chicago earlier in June.

One of the more interesting features in this issue is a featurette entitled 'Diary of an American Ranger', a first-hand account of the war from the perspective of a US Army Ranger. While it does cover the war to some extent, it mostly describes the daily life of a soldier, the expectations they have and the disappointments they face when confronted with reality.

Besides news related to the war, there is also coverage of how the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2, and the Philles smashed the Cubs in a double header, 3-0 and 2-0. There is also an amusing story of how Winston Churchill, after a meeting in Washington, got bumped by a passer-by and dropped his cigar. He swiftly picked it up, narrowly butting heads with a US senator!

Out of the relatively few issues of The Stars and Stripes in my possession, this issue is one of my favorites. Until next time, take care,and thank you.

Norden: The Norton of Bombsights

Many might be wondering what the title of this article could mean. After all, many computers today use Norton as their Internet security provider, and many users swear by it. However, many more people say that Norton is ineffectual and causes more problems than it fixes. This remarkably parallels the remarks made of the Norden bomb sight, lauded by the Allies as the tool that would single-handedly win the war. As one pilot remarked, the Norden was said to be able to land a bomb in a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet. The pilot also said they were lucky to land a bomb in France.

The Norden bombsight was developed by Dutch immigrant Carl Norden. It was originally intended for the US Navy as a guide for bombers to destroy enemy shipping at sea. This was due to the fact that while dive bombers were effective against shipping, they could only achieve good ranges with the assistance of an aircraft carrier. With the Norden, the theory was for the bombers to stay at high altitude and still land their bombs within a 100 foot circle of the intended target. All of these theories would soon be put to the test.

The Royal Air Force were the first to use the Norden, in B-17s provided to Britain under Lend-Lease. One thing to keep in mind was the Norden was developed while America was still holding a non-interference policy, and this showed when the bomb sight went into combat. The RAF were unable to get the sights to work effectively, eventually assigning the planes to other duties. The US Army Air Corps soon got into the game, using the B-17s of the Eighth Air Force to bomb Axis targets. However, their results were little better. The USAAC was able to calculate the effectiveness of the bomb sight with reconnaissance flights after missions. The criteria for a good hit was a bomb landing within 1000 feet of the target. Most of the time the accuracies of each target was under 50%. Almost 90% of all the bombs in any given mission landed outside of this 1000 foot area. While this did improve later in the war, it was clear the Norden was just an ordinary bomb sight, and would not win the war on its own.

However, the Norden did prove to be a useful tool. It was soon realized that the bomb sight was fine, it was the manner in which it was used that was flawed. For example, the Norden's stabilizers were intended for use in areas and altitudes with minimal wind shear, and the bombers over Japan were flying at over 30,000 feet, where the Pacific air streams wreaked havoc on the accuracy of the sight.

Also, while the mechanical complexity of the sight made it a potent tool, some military officials mistook complexity for infallibility and put the Norden on all bombers. This prevented the formation from achieving any group accuracy because all the sights were slightly different and therefore slightly off from one another. This was fixed, however, when the idea came to install a Norden on the lead plane of a formation only, and that plane would determine where the other planes would release their payloads. This increased accuracy significantly.

The Enola Gay in Washington D.C, which contains the original Norden from the bombing of Hiroshima.

Since the Norden was considered the key to Allied victory, its development was kept a closely guarded secret, almost on the same level as the Manhattan Project. However, this security was breached by a German spy, who sent plans for the sight to Germany, and in turn the Luftwaffe introduced the Lotfe 7 bomb sight, a near identical copy of the Norden.

In the end, the Norden was remembered by the victors as one of the crucial pieces of technology that won the war over the Axis, putting it among the ranks of radar, sonar, and the atom bomb. While it was a useful tool for precision bombing, it was not the technology alone that won the air war, but the technology in conjunction with changes in technique and strategy that ultimately proved to be the key to Germany's levelling. Until next time, take care, and thank you.

Advertising During World War II

The thing that most ordinary people like to look at concerning World War II is the combat footage and coverage. Newsreels depicting all the great battles mere days after they happened, photos of those brave soldiers duking it out around Europe. While all of this is certainly worth looking at, there is an often overlooked aspect of the war that can be just as entertaining and interesting: consumer advertising.

It is often taken for granted that the home front of any wartime country has a patriotic air about it, and that the populace overwhelmingly supports the war effort. However, while this patriotism was photographed occasionally, it was not the main focus during the war. Nevertheless, a glimpse of how pervasive this patriotism was can be seen in the advertising of the time. Often, companies would put their product in a war context to make the consumer believe that not only are they helping their fellow fighting citizens, but they are also sharing in their experiences. After all, who wouldn't want to smoke the same cigarette as Sergeant America, who single-handedly killed twenty Germans without hesitation? Who wouldn't want to buy stock in companies that provided fuel to American bombers and tanks? Finally, who wouldn't want to buy a war bond to help finance the war and bring back their sons sooner?

This is just a small selection of various American advertisements circulated during the war years, circa 1942-45. Note the motifs of the war ever present in the ads, and place yourself in the shoes of the average American consumer of that time. Would these ads affect your spending habits?

Enjoy these ads, and feel free to look for others elsewhere. There are many sites that catalog these kinds of ads, from many countries other than the US. Until next time, take care, and thank you.

WWII Movie Review: "The Longest Day"

It is 67 years to the day that Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France in what was then the largest amphibious landing operation in history. Today, many across the world remember this day for what it signified in bringing about the end of Hitler's Germany, and remember those who gave their lives on this day. Over the years, many films have portrayed the events leading up to and including the Normandy landings, for more information look for the blog post entitled 'Operation Overlord'. Many people think of the film "Saving Private Ryan' as a quintessential film portraying the Normandy landings in every detail. However, there is another film much older than "Saving Private Ryan", which doesn't include Tom Hanks, but is a great movie nonetheless: "The Longest Day".

The film was made in 1962, and was based of the book written by Cornelius Ryan written in 1959. Only a decade or so after the actual event, many of the film's consultants were actual participants in D-Day. The film portrays the events leading up to the invasion from both sides. It shows the Germans preparing the fortifications of the beaches, in what Hitler called Fortress Europe. It also shows the Allies in their preparations, wrinkling out certain details and most importantly waiting for good weather.

The film portrays certain key players on both sides such as General Erwin Rommel, who was in command of Army Group B, which was held up north of Normandy because Hitler believed the Allied misinformation that the main invasion would come at the Pas de Calais. Also seen is Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr, played by Henry Fonda, deputy commander of the 4th Infantry Division who insisted on going ashore with the men.

This movie has been noted numerous times for its all star cast, with such notables as John Wayne as Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Vandervoor, Sean Connery as a British private, Robert Mitchum as Brigadier General Norman Cota, Robert Ryan as Brigadier General James Gavin, Richard Burton as an RAF pilot, even Richard Beymer of "West Side Story" fame plays a private with the 82nd Airborne Division. All of these characters come together in a spectacular portrayal of the events of June 6, 1944.

This movie also illustrates many problems faced by both sides during the operation. For example, when the Allies landed, the Germans wanted to move the reserve panzers to the front, but this required Hitler's approval and Hitler had just taken a sleeping pill, and the German High Command swiftly replied "The Fuhrer is not to be woken!". Also, the airborne landings planned by the Allies were for the most part off target. Units were scattered and some even landed right on top of German positions, only to be promptly shot while descending.

Overall, this film may not resonate with younger audiences because of it being in black-and-white, it may not have much gore and the acting may be seen in some places as crude, but put all of these aside and you will see that it is a wonderful film and one for anyone who appreciates a good war movie. Until next time, take care, and thank you.

This feature is intended to serve as a review of films portraying World War II; to analyze their portrayal of events, their historical accuracy, and what might have been different from actual events.

The World War II Memorial

It seems only fitting that on this Memorial Day, 66 years after the guns fell silent, that we pause to consider the human cost of freedom here and the rest of the world. To this effect, a memorial has been erected on the National Mall in Washington D.C to honor those Americans who gave their lives for their country.

Th memorial is situated between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Its design consists of two archways, one for the Atlantic Ocean and one for the Pacific Ocean, and 56 freestanding pillars, each inscribed with the 48 United States from 1945 and the 8 territories at the time, such as the Territory of Hawaii and the Alaska Territory. At the end of the memorial nearest the Washington Monument are engraved pictures depicting varying aspects of the war, such as workers making war material, soldiers preparing to invade, and even the famous 'Kilroy was here'.

Underneath the two oceanic pillars are engraved various quotes from numerous American generals about the war, including a famous quote by Douglas MacArthur which reads, "Today the guns are silent. A great tragedy has ended. A great victory has been won. The skies no longer rain with death — the seas bear only commerce — men everywhere walk upright in the sunlight. The entire world lies quietly at peace. The holy mission has been completed".

Finally, at the end of the memorial nearest the Lincoln Memorial there lies a reflecting pool and a wall with 4,048 stars. Each represents 100 Americans who lost their lives in World War II, and at the base of the pool is engraved 'Here we mark the price of freedom'. It is these words and these implications that we must ponder this Memorial Day. Remember not only those who died in the Second World War but in all the wars. Also, if you ever find yourself in Washington D.C with extra time on your hands, I encourage you to visit this memorial, a place of reflection and a place of remembrance. Until next time, take care, and thank you.