The forgotten soldier by guy sajer several years ago edwin l. Us bombing strategy, the destruction of japanese cities and the american way of war from world war ii to iraq. Establishment historians characterize national socialist germany as a uniquely barbaric, vile and criminal regime that was totally responsible for starting world war ii and carrying out some of the most heinous war crimes in world history. This has to be the best reference you can find on the subject. The wages of destruction is a nonfiction book detailing the economic history of nazi germany. World war ii planes contains articles about the aircraft that was used during the war. Polish material losses during world war ii wikipedia. World war ii veterans stories, listed alphabetically by last name experiencing war. Though it no longer shares a border with russia, as it did during the soviet period, many poles continue to see the world through the lens of 1939. But comparisons with world war ii should give as much cause for hope as despair. Whilst sebalds primary subject is the lacunae and evasions in german texts around the experience of the allied bombing campaigns of world war 2, the main essay of this collection also raises profound questions for any reader asssociated with the allied nations of the war. War crime, payback or a legitimate attack aimed at shortening world war ii. From the european and american media, one can often get the impression that world war ii needs to be periodically resurrected to give credibility to financial demands of one specific ethnic group, at the expense of others. Stories from the veterans history project of the library of congress, american folklife center.
The destruction of ethnic germans and german prisoners of war in yugoslavia, 19451953. Wwii from the german perspective books the daily news. World war ii began on polish soil and in the ensuing six years poland became the site of a majority of german concentration camps. Apr 09, 2011 news corp is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. For many decades after the end of world war ii wwii, a broad popular narrativereinforced through thousands of films and books cast the german. Sep 09, 2019 the ensuing war would result in a staggering loss of human life, and in the final destruction of the nazi regime. Prove that you know your hawks, dolphins, gamecocks and wildcats from your ansaldos, capronis and junkers.
Sep 04, 2015 this area had to be completely rebuilt after its destruction during world war ii. Books about ww2 from a german perspective the fedora lounge. The destruction of dresden on february, 1945 is one of the most controversial bombing raids of the conflict. During the decades following world war ii the holocaust was not much. A personal favorite, dday through the german eyes the hidden story of june 6th 1944 is a rare account of that fateful from the german perspective.
The scale of the destruction in dresden was some of the most horrific of the air war in europe, and the attack has been condemned as a war crime. Alan kramers purpose of his book to help us understand why the fist world war is catastrophic event in history for the destructive and mass killing of civilians and their. World war ii was a landmark in the development and deployment of technologies of mass destruction associated with air power, notably the b29 bomber, napalm and the atomic bomb. Aug 05, 2005 the atomic bomb and the end of world war ii.
The nazis take poland and the start of world war ii origins osu. Nonetheless, i recommend the book highly to anyone interested in the rise of national socialism, the war, and social life in the. His analysis of the russo german war from a german perspective covers all. Image by nusha ashjaee the balance 2020 world war ii was the deadliest military conflict in h. Why did the allies bomb the abbey at monte cassino during. What this book suggests is that germany had lost the war before it invaded the soviet union and its success up to 1941 had been a lucky break. This post on world war ii books is sponsored by libby. Jul 20, 2008 the destruction of the trapped german forces in the falaise pocket in august 1944 is one of the most famous episodes of the normandy campaign. On april 26, 1937, german and italian warplanes destroyed the spanish city of guernica. The great war, america and the remaking of the global order, 19161931. The distinct silhouette of the altstadt from the other side of the elbe is commonly referred to as the canaletto view, after the famous painting by bernardo bellotto.
It sold modestly at first, but with hitlers rise it became germanys bestselling book after the. Interview with world war ii german officer siegfried knappe. The german perspective history of world war ii study program. Check out the howstuffworks world war ii planes channel. This book is designed to counteract the onesided bias of establishment historians against germany in regard to world war ii. This book also reports the allied mass murder of the german people after the end of world war ii during which the alliesled by general dwight d. Dec 30, 2019 the most outstanding similarity between the destruction of the european jews by hilberg and the war against the jews by dawidowicz is their subject of discussion. How many world war ii planes can you determine in the shortest amount of time. This is one of the most remarkable books written around world war 2. American involvement in the war lasted four years from december 1941, when japan at world war ii lasted six years in europe and eight years in the pacific. A fascinating look at the daytoday life of german soldiers, this is a book not about war but about men.
In autumn 1941, a german uboat commander and his crew set out on yet another. It was the first of numerous german antisemitic measures that eventually led to the destruction of this great sephardic rabbinic community, thus cutting off the main lifeline of sephardic culture in general. Ive read perhaps a hundred books on world war ii in europe and this one. Jun 30, 2014 a deep dive into the fate of german submarines lost during the second world war.
During the first years of war until 19431944, milan could only be reached by bombers of the raf bomber command coming from england. National security archive electronic briefing book no. Hilbergs destruction of the european jews and dawidowiczs. But myths have grown up around accounts of the battle, and its impact on the course of the war is sometimes misunderstood.
In it, hitler expanded on the nationalistic, antisemitic views he had. In the early 1930s, the german military began to seek out new weapons that would not violate the terms of the treaty of versa. On saturday, july 24, 1943, the citizens of hamburg were taking a rest from the heat and the backbreaking strain of world war ii. May 28, 2014 then again, german children usually visit holocaustrelated places at least twice before they finish school, so maybe that does more than any statement condemning the german people in full for world war ii and the final solution to prevent another war or genocide or even just a fascist state from rising. Professor sonke neitzel used secret transcripts of german prisoners of war to create a unique portrait of the mindset of soldiers during wwii. Throughout world war ii, in the ghettos, in the camps, on the aryan side. It also puts paid to what must be now seen as the myth of munich.
Feb 17, 2011 it was not, as harris had expected, the destruction of german cities that proved decisive for the allies in 1944 it was the superiority of the raf over the luftwaffe in the air. World war ii was the deadliest military conflict in history. The first raids were precision bombings carried out by small numbers of planes, mainly with industrial objectives, which caused little damage and few casualties. However as a military historian, the book appears to only scratch the surface in places and lacks the detail to fully explain germanys wartime economy. Postwar europe was a scene of both physical and moral destruction. When news of the japanese attack on pearl harbor reached germany, that nations leadership was absorbed by the crisis in its war with the soviet union, begun by the german attack earlier that year. Treatment of us pows by the germans in world war ii. This book tells the largely untold and ignored sufferings of the german people after the end of the war of 19391945. Eight german agents were landed on eastern long island in june 1942. Art looting, destruction, and protection during world war ii. It lasted from 1939 to 1945 and involved 30 countries from every part of the globe. The most cataclysmic conflict in history, world war ii reshaped the globe and laid the foundation for the modern world. Details of destruction by axel niestle 1998, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay.
It was the first such largescale bombing of a civilian target, and it presaged the massive destruction visited from the air during world war ii. It is common in both books, which kramer focuses on the german invasion of france and belgium committing atrocities against innocent civilians. Hollywoods portrayal of the german perspective would probably not reflect a genuine memory. Advertisement world war ii was fought in the air as much as it was on the ground, with entire sq. Nov 28, 2019 the german propaganda campaign made much of the fact that three months before the bombing they had, with the abbots permission, evacuated some 70,000 books and priceless paintings from the. The v2 rocket was designed by the germans during world war ii and was the worlds first guided ballistic missile. Mar 25, 2020 one of the significant features of world war ii was a great number of prisoners of war pows to be kept both by allies and axis. It is absolutely necessary to consider other sources before one could say that a nearly complete understanding of world war ii from the german perspective had been gained. Dec 02, 2020 world war ii itself is represented every year by a variety of detailed military histories, and one of the best, and most disturbing, is sinclair mckays the fire and the darkness.
The causes of the war, devastating statistics and interesting facts are still studied today in classrooms, h. Both books give accounts of what happened during the holocaust in europe during the second world war, albeit from different perspectives. It analyses the development of history writing on the destruction of the. Major events of world war ii include germanys invasion of austria, the treaty of munich, the subsequent german invasion of czechoslovakia and poland, form major events of world war ii include germanys invasion of austria, the treaty of mu. World war ii lasted six years in europe and eight years in the pacific. Understanding world war ii through the eyes of german soldiers. It was large, modern and wellplanned, which had allowed it to remain less damaged than other german cities, even though it had been heavily bombed. Many battles were fought around the world with volunteers and enlisted soldiers.
The classic novel of the second world war that relates in devastating detail the 24hour story of an allied bombing raid. That is the toll of books destroyed by the nazis throughout europe in just twelve. An historical event so rich in detail and possibilities as the allies successful deception that made the normandy landing possible has given rise to many spy novels as well as a passel of nonfiction books. Nov 07, 2012 i think you have to look at films and books by germans who lived through that period in time. Third reich failed to achieve its objectives and offers many unique perspectives. The way those prisoners were treated differed greatly dependently on the nation of a prisoner and the country of imprisonment. Analysts continue to assess the data from operations desert shield and desert storm as a means of improving the. Harriman papers, library of congress, box 211, robert pickens meiklejohn world war ii diary at london and moscow march 10, 1941february 14, 1946, volume ii privately printed, 1980 printed from handwritten originals reproduced with permission. The victorious allies look as far from their professed ideals as could be stealing, slave labor, ethnic cleansing and outright murder of civilians. The aftermath of world war ii from the german perspective hardcover 1 mar.
This book discusses the origins, aftermath, and atrocities of world war ii from a german perspective. Kennedy in an article on these pages entitled the forgotten soldier. Operation pastorius world war ii german operation pastorius. The uboat was the principle weapon for the german s in their hope of defeating britain whether.
Allied aerial destruction of hamburg during world war ii. Photos of the bombing of dresden germany during world war ii. Much has been written about nazi antijewish policies, about atrocities of the wehrmacht, and about the life of the jews during the third reich. Bomber follows the progress of an allied air raid through a period of twentyfour hours in the summer of 1943. Hitler had appointed alfred rosenberg in 1934 to supervise nazi intellectual and. Nevertheless, we are not waiting for historical perspective but are attempting. Military modelling no other publication on this subject comes even close to including the amount of detail provided in this book. Keith lowe, author of the awardwinning savage continent. German uboat losses during world war ii ok i admit i am somewhat of an anorak with a passionate interest in naval history, well we are an island after all, and during war if you want to beat the. Farrar, straus, and giroux, 2009 this book focuses on the efforts of the monuments, fine arts, and archives mfaa unit in italy to protect italys cultural heritage from nazi destruction. It will be vitally important for anyone interested in world war ii, german history, or the experiences of common soldiers throughout the world. The 10 best novels about world war ii with 40 runnersup.
Interview with world war ii german officer siegfried knappe berlin was a stout place for a fight. The confiscation of books from salonika by the nazis during the second world war was more than a loss in itself. The destruction of ethnic germans and german prisoners of war. Books on the aftermath of world war ii five books expert. Adolf hitler was leader of the nazi party who rose to become dictator of. The economic impact of covid19 has hit the world economy like a freight train. There are a number of books in english, and in german for example, by the german sociologist harald wenzler that are crucial and more critical. Overall, the wages of destruction is a landmark work and a very good piece of historical work.
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