I thought it would be good to mention some of the lesser known facts of the war. Such as the British helping in Norway. The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square is the Oslo's traditional Christmas gift to London. The first tree was brought over in 1947 as a token of Norwegian appreciation of British friendship during the Second World War. When German forces invaded Norway in 1940, King Haakon VII escaped to Britain and a Norwegian exile government was set up in London. Or even more surprisingly hardly mentioned, is the bombing of the British Navy in Singapore harbour which i think happened at the same time roughly as Pearl Harbour. Also the Japanese attacked Darwin Harbour catchin Australian ships off guard 19th of February 1942. These are just 3 things that I can think of at the moment but Im sure you guys will know much more than I can come up with
What about the invasion of southern France in August 1944? Like the Norway campaign, most of us know it happened, but I suspect that few of us know what happened, particularly after the landings.
I don't think anyone remembers the campaign in the Aleutians, or the British invasion of Madagascar, or the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. Or the bizarre war between Danish guards and German weather forecasters in Greenland.
The British seizure of Iceland from the Germans in 1940 and the subsequent replacement of its garrison by US troops - I believe this happened many months before Pearl Harbour formally brought America into the War. Richard
The Chinese-Japanese early conflict 1937-about 1942 much surfing has got me no wiser on this. Hi Brum, An excellent source is: "Japan's Imperial Conspiracy" - Two Volumes Author: David Bergamini Publisher: William Morrow & Company, Inc., New York Copyright: 1971, Volume 1: 778 pp., Volume 2: 834 pp. Regards, Gerry
Other good sources: "Sand Against the Wind: Stilwell and the American Experience in China," by Barbara W. Tuchman "The Stilwell Diaries," by Joseph Stilwell "When Tigers Fight," by Dick Wilson "Thunder Out of China," by Ted White "The Rape of Nanking," by Iris Chang The Bergamini book is interesting, but he has a penknife to grind. The best book on the Sino-Japanese War has yet to be written.
laufer, if you want some information on the Soviet-Japanese war lookk here: Combined Arms Research Library By the way, IIRC there were never any German troops on Iceland.
The battle for Italy, forgotten by so many, is summed up well by Field-Marshal Alexander in his own words: "Any estimate of the value of the campaign must be expressed, not in terms of the ground gained, for the ground was not vital, in the strict sense, either to us or to the enemy, but in terms of its effect on the war as a whole. The Allied Armies in Italy were not engaged with the enemy's main armies and their attacks were not directed, as were those of the Allies in the west or the Russians in the east, against the heart of the German Fatherland and the nerve-centres of Germany's national existence. Our role was subordinate and preparatory. Ten months before the great assault in the west our invasion of Italy, at first in very moderate strength, drew off to that remote quarter forces that might have turned the scale in France. As the campaign progressed more and more German troops were drawn in to oppose us. The supreme directors of Allied strategy were always careful to see that our strength was never allowed to grow above the minimum necessary for our tasks; at one time and another during those 20 months no less than 21 divisions in all were removed from my command for the benefit of other theatres. The Germans made no comparable detachments. Except for a short period in the spring of 1944 they had always more formations in Italy than we had, and we made such good use of that brief exceptional period that in the summer of 1944, the crisis of the war, they found themselves forced to divert eight divisions to this secondary theatre. At that time, when the value of our strategic contribution was at its greatest, 55 German divisions were tied down in the Mediterranean by the threat, actual or potential, presented by our armies in Italy. The record of the comparative casualties tells us the same story. On the German side they amounted to 536,000. Allied casualties were 312,000. The difference is the more remarkable in that we were always the attackers. Four times we carried out that most difficult operation of war, an amphibÂious landing. Three times we launched a prepared offensive with the full strength of an army group. Nowhere in Europe did soldiers face more difficult terrain or more determined adversaries. The conclusion is that the campaign in Italy fulfilled its strategic mission." This writer's conclusion: Lasting from July 1943 until May 1945, the Italian Campaign surely deserves a forum of its own!
Originally posted by Markus@Aug 25 2004, 04:25 PM laufer, if you want some information on the Soviet-Japanese war lookk here: Combined Arms Research Library [post=27665]Quoted post[/post] thanks for the excellent source Markus!
The soviet bombings of Berlin in '41 and the operations in the Balkans. If anyone is interested, I can provide info.
Forgotton Battles Operation Market Garden : an attempt By the US to open roads in the Low Countries, to make way for Berlin. The thought that they would not meet any resistance led to defeat. This operation was flop and was soon forgotton.
(kentpaul_65102 @ Oct 13 2005, 10:27 PM) [post=40010]Forgotton Battles Operation Market Garden : an attempt By the US to open roads in the Low Countries, to make way for Berlin. The thought that they would not meet any resistance led to defeat. This operation was flop and was soon forgotton. [/b] Market Garden is not forgotten and it was not a US attempt. It was a joint attempt by the Airborne Army (101st and 82nd Airborne from the US and in this case 1st Division from the UK) and a land army (British) who would drive up the road and secure the bridges. The groiund forces got as far as Nijmeagan(sp?) and the airborne at Arnhem (the "Bridge to Far") were evacuated. There is still a rememberance today for in Holland which is a big occasion. At the time yes maybe it was a forgotten battle but know it is one of the most well known battles of the war. Gnomey
(kentpaul_65102 @ Oct 13 2005, 10:27 PM) [post=40010]Forgotton Battles Operation Market Garden : an attempt By the US to open roads in the Low Countries, to make way for Berlin. The thought that they would not meet any resistance led to defeat. This operation was flop and was soon forgotton. [/b] If I may be allowed to interject on this one: First of all as Gnomey rightly said this was not an "attempt by the US" it was a British operation conceived by Montgomery and carried by XXX Corps (An English Unit) with US Air Divisions co-operating and fully participating. The Idea was English, Carried out by Allied Forces. And as for the assertion that it was a flop, well it wasnt a complete failure although the primary objective was not attained. And Market Garden was not soon forgotten and stands as a testament to the bravery of the Allied Airborne Forces
Fighting in Syria and Lebanon in 1940-41 that at times pitted Free French forces (as part of bigger Commonwealth forces) against Vichy French forces. Germans and Norwegians fighting on Spitzbergen, the furthest north I think the fighting got. Brazilian forces fighting as part of the Allied army in Italy. The Ethiopian campaign against the Italians.
British campaign in Iraq. The list could go on as nowdays only the major battles are really remembered which is a shame.
