This is Gotthard and Gage's Great Poll. Which year of the Second World War do you find the most interesting? And why do you find that year the most interesting? Or maybe you can't choose and find the whole era as an interest?
I voted for the whole era, but the years 1940 and the final months of the war in 1945 are particularly interesting - with lots of special dates in between!
I like the way you two have kissed and made up to do a poll together-Should I buy a hat? I voted 1945 because that's when it finally finished Cheers Andy
I chose 44 because after the 21 of August, it was a mop up [high cost, albeit,] but the Bohemian Corporal was beaten! Semper Paratus phil
I've picked '1940' because it holds the end of The Phoney War, Dunkirk, The Battle of Britain and the start of The Blitz. To me it has the most interesting events. All though there are others areas later in the war which also stand out for me.
I voted 1944, I love learning about D-Day, Operation Market Garden, Falaise pocket etc from that year.
I think 1944 was the 'Sexy' year for the Allies in Europe. That was the theatre that got all the press and attention. I do have a growing fascination with the retreat to Dunkirk though. Cheers Andy
1943 for me. Fall of Stalingrad, Retreat to Tunisia, Kharkov, Kursk, Sicily, Landings in Italy, Fall of Il Duce, now theres an action packed year for you!
Like Paul I had to go for the whole era , certainly there are interesting aspects in each year but to me they don't work in isloation.
Like Paul I had to go for the whole era , certainly there are interesting aspects in each year but to me they don't work in isloation. You and Paul are Fence sitters!!!! Actually its probably better to pick that option!
I chose 1944 for the obvious European battles but also in the Pacific and Asia The Battle of Leyte Gulf, Phillipines Campaign Imphal
1943 for me. Fall of Stalingrad, Retreat to Tunisia, Kharkov, Kursk, Sicily, Landings in Italy, Fall of Il Duce, now theres an action packed year for you! I voted for the whole era, but agree with Gott above. Especialy with Kursk and it's aftermath, when the tide turned with no chance of reverting.
I voted for 1944. D-Day and the Normandy campaign has always fascinated me a great deal. Furthermore the beginning of the Ardennes offensive and Market Garden.
I don't think I could pick a single year as for me there are interesting sections in each of the years. In 1940 you have the Battle of Britain, in 1941, Barbarosa and Pearl Harbour, in 1942 you have El Alamein and Torch, in 1943 you have various battles in the Pacific on top on the Italian campaign, in 1944 you have D-Day, the height of the air offensive over Germany and further battles in the Pacific and in 1945 you have the end of the war and the final acts of the bombing campaigns of both Japan and Germany. So for me I can't pick a single year as the whole period is interesting to me.
I chose 1945 as after May 3rd - no one was shooting at me - and I was not shooting at anyone else. Military Cross " after August 21st '44 - it was a mop up " - really ? - we were four days away from the start of the Gothic Line Battles in NE Italy - in which the Canadian 1st and 5th Armoured Divs and my own 21st Tank bde took a fair amount of beatings and it was by NO means a "mop up" - at least the German 1st Paras - 26th Panzers - 29th Panzer Grens -and more divisions than we had - nor ourselves thought so as at one point the 8th Army was losing 1000 men per day killed and wounded - we had to break up the whole 1st British Armoured Div to fill the gaps as well as many other units including Ron Goldsteins AA regiment. I doubt if the lads at Ahrnem or the Rhine thought so either ! Cheers
From James S - Like Paul I had to go for the whole era , certainly there are interesting aspects in each year but to me they don't work in isloation. GH - I agree with James S in that you have to look at the whole story. You may have a favourite year, as I do, but still need to look at the entire period of the war. Regards - Robert PS - What am I doing. It's 2-45am for goodness sake.
Just too much in those six years for me to pick one year that was more "interesting" than another. The Aussies were there on day 1 (RAF) and still fighting at the end of the fifteen rounds in the Pacific and Far East. They fought and defeated the Italians, Germans, Vichy French and the Japanese and played a part in most theatres by either Land, Air or Naval participation. I think the adage "To each his own" is more than relevant in this poll!
I chose ´41 because a lot of things happened in those "unconventional" theaters of operations that I´m more interested in, be it the Middle East, with the fighting in Syria and East Africa, and the Pacific, with the beginning of hostilities there. To the mix I would add the last 3 month´s of ´40 and the first five of ´42, in order to keep track of entire campaigns.