Germany's Biggest Mistake: Hitler Declares War on the U.S

Germany declares war on the U.S December 11, 1941

It's four days after the day that will live in infamy. America is reeling from the staggering, unprecedented attack on its naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Of course, America immediately declared war on Japan, but we never wanted to get fully entangled in a war in Europe, not again. However, this all changes with a communique from Berlin stating that the Third Reich has declared war on the United States. World War II now has all of its players.

Of course, the U.S had been slightly involved in the war up until this point. The only reason why the U.S hadn't gotten involved earlier is because the majority of Americans at that time were isolationists. President Roosevelt had known that involvement in the war was almost inevitable. This is why he enacted the first peacetime draft in U.S history in 1940. Also, in order to help Britain, the U.S has involved in Lend-Lease, the providing of war materiel to bolster Britain's declining resources. Finally, while no U.S troop had fought in the war up to this point officially, there were two notable unofficial groups of U.S pilots who were recruited by China and Britain to help them fight the Japanese and the Germans, respectively.  The Chinese group, under the leadership of General Chennault, were known as the Flying Tigers, and the British group were known as the RAF Eagle Squadron; an example in the Eagle Squadron's role in the war is seen in the film "Pearl Harbor".

On the German side, however, things were a little more complicated. The German High Command did not want to get America involved. They knew that having another enemy, and one so powerful as the U.S would be disastrous, especially considering the stalemate in North Africa and the stalled drive in the Soviet Union. Hitler, on the other hand, knew that his vision for a perfect would would not be complete until America is gone. This can be seen in his book "Mein Kampf". Also, since Japan had already declared war on America Germany was obligated to follow suit per the Axis Treaty. It's important to note that this sort of thing is how Germany got brought into World War I as well.

America would not get directly involved in the war in Europe until mid 1942; their first priority was to rebuild morale at home with the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. The Americans wouldn't be the supreme fighting machine they would become by the end of the war at first. The sands of North Africa will be a crucible for America, and from it we would emerge as the power to crush both Germany and Japan. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

Ministry of Aviation: WWII Survivor

Aviation Ministry circa 1938

In an earlier post I discussed the Berlin Victory Column as a survivor of World War II, one of several structures that withstood the virtual destruction of Berlin. Another such structure to achieve this feat is the Ministry of Aviation building, the headquarters of the Luftwaffe.

The building was ordered due to the process of the separation of the German Luftwaffe from the German Army in 1933, immediately following the Nazi's rise to power (a similar process occurred in the United States when the US Army Air Corps became the independent US Air Force in 1947). The Ministry seized all of the patents to German aircraft of the time, including the tri-motor Ju-52 used by Lufthansa. It was the intention to help speed up the development of the aviation industry under one roof, however due to the eccentric and unpredictable personal leadership of Herman Goering, the aviation development only progressed in fits and stutters.

The building itself was one of only a small handful of buildings in Berlin to survive not only the bombing of the city but also the shelling of the city by the Soviets virtually unscathed. It also survived the post war policy of demolishing Nazi buildings, such as the SS headquarters located across the street, today memorialized as the Topography of Terror. For the Ministry of Aviation building, today it serves as the German Finance Ministry building. It remains virtually unchanged from the 1930s except for one detail: on the top of the columns of the fence there once sat bronze eagles holding swastikas. Now, of course, they have been removed.

German Finance Ministry as of 2011

From bottom to top: Topography of Terror, Berlin Wall, German Finance Ministry
(left corner of building as seen in left side of 1938 photo)

So one of these days, if you find yourself walking the streets of the formerly divided city, you can walk down Wilhelmstrasse and see the Topography of Terror, the foundations of SS headquarters, a remnant of the Berlin Wall, and the German Finance Ministry building, a perfect juxtaposition of past and present. Until next time, take care, thanks for reading, and have a happy Fourth of July!

D-Day: Invasion Stripes

An example of invasion stripes
on a Lockheed P-38 Lightning

It was 68 years ago today that the Allied armies began the largest amphibious invasion in history on the beaches of Normandy, France. Many books and movies have been made to commemorate the stories of those brave men who fought and died on the five beaches, but mostly passing mention is made of the men who flew over the beaches, specifically how they were kept safe. This is the subject of this post: the invasion stripes.

The invasion stripes themselves are very simple: just five stripes alternating white and black. However, the reason for the implementation of these stripes are more complex. In the planning stages of the invasion, Allied top brass found that IFF (Identification Friend Foe, still a relatively new technology at the time) would be ineffective when come invasion day thousands of Allied planes and possibly thousands more German planes would all be in the same sky at the same time. This greatly increased the danger of friendly ground fire.

So the Allies came up with a way for ground personnel to distinguish between friendly aircraft and enemy aircraft. Some aircraft, such as the British Hawker Typhoon and the German Focke-Wolfe Fw190 looked so similar from the ground that friendly fire was a real danger, as the Hawker Typhoon would end up playing an important role during the invasion in attacking enemy ground units with its heavy machine guns and state-of-the-art HVARs (High Velocity Aircraft Rockets). Nevertheless, the invasion stripes were not put on all planes; four-engine heavy bombers did not get them, as the Germans did not have any such aircraft and mistaking them for enemies was highly unlikely.

When the invasion finally happened, however, German air resistance was far less than originally feared, and the invasion stripes, while highly successful in identifying friendly aircraft from the ground, proved effectively useless. Furthermore, in the months following D-Day the stripes were eventually phased off of Allied aircraft due to the risk of German planes adding them and creating confusion, deadly in an air battle, so they were phased out by the end of 1944.

While this piece of minutia may seem trivial, it is an important detail as it visibly marked a new phase in the war in Europe: In less than one year after the Normandy landings Germany would surrender unconditionally to the Allies. Also, when viewing aircraft in museums, if you see one with these stripes on its wings and fuselage, you know where it was on June 6, 1944. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

WWII Movie Review: U-571

When one thinks of submarine movies, the most famous that comes to mind might be "The Hunt For Red October", based on Tom Clancy's novel. However, one submarine movie set in World War II is "U-571", and it is based not on any novel, but rather on a series of events that played a crucial role in winning the longest battle of the war.

The movie is seen from the perspective of both the Germans and the Americans, where a German U-Boat, U-571, is damaged by depth charges and requests assistance. Both the Germans and the Americans know this, and both race to reach the damaged U-Boat first, the Germans to save their ship, the Americans to recover an Enigma code machine and log books. The Americans reach it first, but the Germans sink their sub and the surviving American sailors are forced to use U-571 to reach safe harbor with the Enigma without the Germans finding out the Enigma was compromised.

This story is a work of fiction, as none of these events specifically happened. However, this is a very good story, if not entirely historically accurate. For one thing, U-571 in reality was sunk with all hands in January 1944 off Ireland. Secondly, in 1942 the presence of a German destroyer in the Atlantic was an unlikely, almost impossible, event due to Hitler's order that the German surface fleet be restricted to port after the loss of the Bismarck. Thirdly, when the German destroyer depth charges U-571, they use more than twice the maximum complement of depth charges for a destroyer. Finally, German U-boaters did not routinely massacre survivors of sunk ships. They were indeed ordered not to take prisoners, but historically U-Boat crews were generous in that they provided bearings toward land for survivors.

One thing that many critics have complained about is the Americanization of the film's plot for American audiences. In reality, the majority of Enigma-capture raids were conducted by the British, with the exception of one U.S success and one Canadian success. However, at the end of the film a list of successful missions is listed with a dedication to all those who sacrificed to obtain these vital machines.

The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest battle in World War II, running fro around 1940 all the way to the end. This movie may not be totally accurate in details, but it is a great story and a fitting testament to the sacrifices of the Allied sailors who risked their lives to end the war quicker. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

Last Public Appearance of Hitler

Hitler on April 20, 1945

In today's modern culture, yesterday, 4/20, is an event to celebrate nonconformism and anti-establishment sentiment regarding a certain 'medicinal' plant. However, April 20 also marks the birthday of history's baddest bad guy, Adolf Hitler.

In this photograph, Hitler marks his 56th birthday in 1945. He greets the young defenders of the Reich, and if they look a little young to be soldiers you're right. By April 1945, Berlin was surrounded by Soviet soldiers, the German army has been crushed, and units were being filled with old men and Hitler Youth. The end was near.

It would turn out that this photo was the last public appearance of Hitler outside his bunker in the Chancellery gardens. ten days later, he and his bride Eva Braun would commit suicide, and 8 days after that, Germany would officially and unconditionally surrender. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

Iran: A Wrinkle In A Bad War

It seems nowadays that Iran has been in the news a lot, and for good reason. Iran is always seen as being the model anti-American country seemingly bent on hurting us before we hurt them. Perhaps this is because the Iranian president is a little left field, but perhaps we brought some of the bad rep on ourselves.

The shah of Iran, who would
later be forcefully replaced
by the British by his son

It was the middle of 1941. America has yet to enter into the war, and Germany is having a virtual field day of successes. Although they were stopped by the Battle of Britain, Germany still had control of the majority of the European continent, with their armies marching towards Moscow.

However, Germany was also embroiled in the affairs of the Italians, whose desire to recreate the Roman Empire have left them fighting the British in North Africa and taking a licking, forcing the Afrika Corps under Rommel to assist. In this theater, it would turn out to be a game of back and forth across the continent, and at this stage the Germans were on the rebound with British forces on the retreat.

By the middle of June 1941 Germany had beaten the British to the edge of the west bank of the Nile, and the British desperately needed to regroup. However, Germany had launched their invasion of the Soviet Union and were winning handsomely, and with a common border between the Soviet Union and Iran, the British feared that the Germans would sweep through both countries and attack the British from both sides.

The British fears were justified because the Shah of Iran had adopted an anti-British stance, however he had not yet made any decisions regarding passage through his country. Seeing no other alternative, the British invaded and effectively made the Iranians do whatever they wanted to by whatever means necessary, including occupying Tehran, the capital.

The British would occupy Iran for the rest of the war, and it would prove to be a vital supply line for munitions to help the struggling Soviets. However, fast forward to today and what the world sees Iran as and what Iran sees the world as, it seems important to take into account Iran's reluctant and forced cooperation during the war and what kind of impact those actions had on relations today. Until next time take care, and thanks for reading.

What If? The Mechelen Incident

An example of Case Yellow plans

In a break from the Italian series, I have decided to introduce a new segment to this blog: What If? This segment is designed to identify what might have happened had certain events not happened. In this instance, we shall observe the Mechelen Incident.

It is early January 1940. Germany has successfully invaded Poland, Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands have all officially declared war on Germany, however due to the lack of immediate retaliation by the Allies the so-called "Phony War" is begun.

At this time, Germany is planning an invasion of the Low Countries, that is Belgium and the Netherlands. The invasion is set for January 17, and the Allies are wary. However, a lapse of judgement on the part of two German officers may have cost Germany the war.

On the morning of January 10, a German aviator had offered to transport a fellow officer, Major Helmuth Reinberger, from Loddenheide to Cologne. The pilot got lost and was heading west, trying to spot the Rhine and get his bearings. However, having passed the Rhine he inadvertently passed Germany and the Netherlands and crossed into Belgium.

At this time, the pilot may have inadvertently cut off fuel to his engine and the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in a Belgian field. Both officers were unscathed, however after the crash Reinberger revealed to the pilot that he was transporting parts of the plan for Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), the invasion plan, and they needed to destroy them as soon as possible.

In a slightly humorous exchange, the two Germans search frantically for a way to burn the documents. They finally find a single match but before they can burn the documents completely they are discovered by Belgian border guards and taken into custody. When they are taken to the border guard shack, the two officers try again to burn the documents. Failing once again, Reinberger attempts to grab the Belgian officer's pistol in order to kill himself, but he fails that too.

When the Belgians were finally able to read the documents, they discovered that the Germans intended to invade the Low Countries in less than a week. The Belgians deployed a deception to make the Germans think that they didn't know their plans, and to buy time to consult with the other Allies.

Unfortunately for the Allies, the subterfuge eventually fails, and while Hitler had intended to go on with the plan unchanged, foul weather on the 17th of January force the invasion to be postponed, and the Allies' tensions abate.

The larger implications of this incident, however, resulted in the Allies being unprepared for the change in tactics that lead to the German blitzkrieg strike through the Ardennes and into France. The 'what if' comes in to play when one considers what might have happened had the plans not been changed. also, what might have happened had the Allies not considered the plans to be a 'plant' by the Germans?

It has been argued that had the Germans continued with their plans unchanged the Allies would have been better prepared and the campaign would have taken far longer than it did, and it may have resulted in an entirely different outcome. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

WWII Movie Review: Von Ryan's Express

Frank Sinatra. This is probably the first thing people see before even the title of the movie. Of course, it is a common practice to put a big name in a movie and bill that as the main selling point of the movie. "The Longest Day" and "A Bridge Too Far," for example, have many big names for their times and toe them proudly. However, in this case it is not the star that makes the movie, rather the story that makes the star seem more watchable. Thus, in continuing with our Italian series, we now look at "von Ryan's Express."

The historical background for this movie is relatively sound. As stated in the opening scenes and Sinatra's character later, it is August 1943, the Allies have taken Sicily three days earlier, and they are posed to land on the mainland of Italy itself. Colonel Ryan (Sinatra), a P-38 pilot, is shot down and is taken to an Italian POW camp where the British and some American troops are working towards escape. However, Ryan assumes command of the prisoners and tells them that their best course of action is to wait it out until the Allies can liberate the camp.

Eventually, the Allies land in Italy, the Italians surrender, and the camp is self-liberated. However, the Germans soon turn Italy into an occupied country, and while the prisoners attempt to make it to the coast for rescue, they are instead captured by the Germans and put on a train bound for Vienna. This practice of moving POWs away from the front lines would prove to be more common, and much more difficult to do, near the end of the war.

The prisoners do not take their recapture lying down, however. The officers among the prisoners manage to break out of their boxcar and hijack the train. In an effort that will eventually take them to Switzerland, the prisoners are forced to fool their way past the Germans, taking advantage of the chaos that ensued after the surrender of Italy and the repelling of the Allied invasion. Tragically, after making sure the majority of the prisoners made it to Switzerland, Ryan is gunned down mere feet from the Swiss border by German troops who had been pursuing the prisoners.

The only major historical inaccuracy that I could see was that when the prisoner's train enters the mountain pass leading to Switzerland, the Germans dispatch planes with HVAR rockets to slow down the train in order so German infantry could recapture the prisoners. However, the planes used, referred to as Messerschmitts, are actually Bf 108s. This model was never used in combat situations, and it would have been more accurate if the film used Bf 109s, the most produced German fighter during the war. Nevertheless, this is a good war movie apart from the cliche combat movies. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.

No One Remembers Who Came...First?

Allied troops by the Coliseum June 5, 1944

June 6, 1944 is one of the most hallowed dates in the history of World War II, and possibly of the history of Europe as a whole. The Allies finally opened the "real" second front that Stalin had so hoped for in order to take pressure off of the Soviet Union. However, another great achievement occurred one day earlier, and hardly anyone cared about it.

On June 5, after months of stalemate on the Anzio beaches and by the main Allied army in Italy, the Germans finally began to withdraw. The plan was to cut off the German 10th Army from retreating to the Gustav Line, a fresh set of defenses north of Rome. However, General Clark, in charge of Italian operations, wanted to take Rome very badly. As a result, the bulk of the 10th Army was allowed to escape.

However, the Allies were able to take Rome and they were greeted as liberators. It is doubtless, though, that those soldiers who had been fighting up the Italian peninsula for over a year felt slightly depressed that their success was all but forgotten in light of a greater success the next day. Nevertheless, the capture of Rome would prove to be a sign that German influence in Italy would soon come to an end. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading.    

The Gran Sasso Raid: Freedom for Mussolini

Mussolini with his rescuers Sept. 12, 1943

It was the fall of 1943. Italy was being invaded by the Allies after the loss of North Africa. Benito Mussolini is deposed by the Italian Fascist Council, replaced by Piedro Badoglio, and arrested by order of the Italian King Victor Emmanuel. However, Hitler does not intend on abandoning his fellow fascist leader so easily.

A plan is devised, codename Operation Eiche ("oak"), by Otto Skorzeny. They know that Mussolini is being held in the Hotel Campo Imperatore in the Apennines Mountains. The plan involves nine gliders of troops to land on the surrounding the hotel and then airlift Mussolini in a Fieseler Fi156, a small reconnaissance plane able to take off and land in very short distances.

A Fieseler Fi156

The plan goes off without a hitch. The nine gliders land, the paratroopers, both Waffen-SS and Fallschirmjager (regular army versus SS), take the hotel without firing a shot. Mussolini graciously receives his liberators and they proceed to leave. The only problem in the plan was that the Fi156 was meant only for two people, and the extra weight of Mussolini on board almost made the plane too heavy to take off.

Fortunately for Mussolini, he arrived safely in Vienna and after meeting with Hitler was soon appointed the ruler of German-occupied Italy, or the Italian Social Republic. This would ultimately prove to be Hitler's last successful gamble of the war. It also would prove to be one of the last great PR messages for Hermann Goering of the Luftwaffe.

The rescue of Mussolini was played on by the German propagandists for months, and as it would soon become apparent there would be little if any German successes to gloat about in the final days of the war. Until next time, take care, and thanks for reading. 

WWII Movie Review: "Red Tails"

As the inaugural 2012 blog post, it seemed fitting to do a review of one of the first movies of 2012. "Red Tails", a George Lucas film, attempts to summarize the legacy that is the Tuskegee Airmen. Serving in a white man's army and deemed to be not intelligent enough to fly combat missions, the men of the all-black 332nd Fighter Group went on to prove themselves to their white superiors and they soon became a legend.

"Red Tails" is set primarily in Italy, as that is where the 332nd was based in late 1944. The movie shows how these pilots were flying outdated fighters such as the P-40 Warhawk and were frustrated at being constantly assigned menial tasks. In Washington, the commander of the 332nd tries to explain to his superiors that the reason that their record is disappointing is that they never get to prove themselves.

This changes when the 332nd is assigned as air cover for Operation Shingle, or the Anzio landings. Their exploits over the Italian beaches prove to the higher-ups that the Tuskegee Airmen are able pilots. This prompts a general to assign the 332nd to bomber escort, since white pilots had been trained to shoot down German planes rather than protect the bombers at all costs.

This eventually leads white bomber pilots to slowly accept the black pilots, as their appreciation for sticking with the formation all the way through outweighs their prejudices. Over time, the 332nd sees more bombers home than most other fighter groups, and later in the war they are distinguished as being one of a select few groups to shoot down multiple Me-262s. The heroism of these pilots as well as black infantry units would later prompt President Truman to desegregate the armed forces.

A vintage 332nd Fighter Group P-51 C

As far as this movie is concerned, in my opinion this movie does a good job in portraying the conditions of aerial combat as well as creating  believable 1940s Italy setting. The only flaw that I could see in the film was when the 332nd is given newer P-51s. While the 332nd did use such aircraft during the war, the models used in the film were D variants rather than the historically accurate C variant. The C variant did not have the bubble canopy that the D variant was so famous for. The 332nd was given C variants because their superiors were still not completely over their prejudices at that time.

All in all, however, the main message of the film, and of the Tuskegee program, is clearly shown. The film does an excellent job of showing the greatest insult to the Germans: that the mighty Aryan race was  defeated in part by those even their enemies considered inferior. Until next time take care, and thanks for reading.