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Yuri0352

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"I have been considering buying 'Finland at War: The Winter War 1939-40' by Vesa Nenye. Apparently this is the first of a trilogy which will include volumes on the continuation war and the Lapland war.
Just wondering if anyone here has read this one yet and what was their opinion? The books sound promising as their author is a veteran of the Finnish army."--Yuri 0352
I have it, read it and enjoyed it. There is also the next book out on the Continuation War. Both are loaded with maps but way too many pics and not enough detailed text dealing with the battles to my liking. Good, but not great.
On the opposite end: "Hitler's Nordic Ally" and "Finland's War of Choice" are also good but disappointed me in having enough useful material for ASL scenario design.
Researching Finland in English is time consuming--you look for bits and pieces of detail and when you find them they often conflict with the other source!
But, in the end, for me--ALL books are valuable and worth buying. For my wife ALL books are a waste of my money. :D
Thank You Brian for your review...I have not read anything of detail on the 'Finland wars', and I thought I should before I finally dive in to Haaka Paalle. Those 2 volumes should suffice since I'm just looking for an overview and not research material for a term paper.
BTW, your last sentence applies in my house as well ;)
 

Yuri0352

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"I have been considering buying 'Finland at War: The Winter War 1939-40' by Vesa Nenye. Apparently this is the first of a trilogy which will include volumes on the continuation war and the Lapland war.
Just wondering if anyone here has read this one yet and what was their opinion? The books sound promising as their author is a veteran of the Finnish army."--Yuri 0352
I have it, read it and enjoyed it. There is also the next book out on the Continuation War. Both are loaded with maps but way too many pics and not enough detailed text dealing with the battles to my liking. Good, but not great.
On the opposite end: "Hitler's Nordic Ally" and "Finland's War of Choice" are also good but disappointed me in having enough useful material for ASL scenario design.
Researching Finland in English is time consuming--you look for bits and pieces of detail and when you find them they often conflict with the other source!
But, in the end, for me--ALL books are valuable and worth buying. For my wife ALL books are a waste of my money. :D
Thank You Brian for your review...I have not read anything of detail on the 'Finland wars', and I thought I should before I finally dive in to Haaka Paalle. Those 2 volumes should suffice since I'm just looking for an overview and not research material for a term paper.
BTW, your last sentence applies in my house as well ;)
 

xenovin

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"I have been considering buying 'Finland at War: The Winter War 1939-40' by Vesa Nenye. Apparently this is the first of a trilogy which will include volumes on the continuation war and the Lapland war.
Just wondering if anyone here has read this one yet and what was their opinion? The books sound promising as their author is a veteran of the Finnish army."--Yuri 0352
I have it, read it and enjoyed it. There is also the next book out on the Continuation War. Both are loaded with maps but way too many pics and not enough detailed text dealing with the battles to my liking. Good, but not great.
On the opposite end: "Hitler's Nordic Ally" and "Finland's War of Choice" are also good but disappointed me in having enough useful material for ASL scenario design.
Researching Finland in English is time consuming--you look for bits and pieces of detail and when you find them they often conflict with the other source!
But, in the end, for me--ALL books are valuable and worth buying. For my wife ALL books are a waste of my money. :D
The best book on Finland that I read was Carl Van Dyke's "the Soviet Invasion of Finland 1939-40". Might be a little too academic for some but I found it well written and some good info for scenario design. Still not the definitive work in English but a good start.
 

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Just finished The Dambusters by Paul Brickhill.
For those who don't know - Brickhill was an Australian and there were many Aussies in 617 during WW2.

It's an old book and very much style-of-the-time which is something I really appreciate, though some things are deliberately vague being written so close to the end of the war.
By an estimate of what I have and other books that I've seen around, I think that there are perhaps more books about 617 Squadron and the members of it than another other squadron that flew during WW2.
 

Gunner Scott

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Howdy-

Can anybody recommend any books on the battles for downtown Stalingrad? I know Chuikov did "The battle for Stalingrad." But are there other books that are detailed also?


Scott
 

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Not responsive to Scott's request, but I wanted to plug The Peculiar War: Impressions of a Reporter in Korea, by E.J. Kahn, Jr. as a potential source for at least one KWASL scenario. Kahn describes an evacuation of British troops during the first Chinese offensive in which tanks were used to carry out the more seriously wounded men, with the consequence that the tanks could not traverse their turrets to deal with attackers (i.e., the tankers were trying to avoid triggering the last sentence of D6.21).
 

KhandidGamera

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I ran across in last couple weeks and got The Crimean Campaigns 1941-1944 by Wilhelm Tieke. This is a translation of the original from German to English put out in 2014 by JJ Fedorowicz Publishing - meaning not cheap. The original German book was put out in 1975 and before that same author put one out on the Caucasus Campaign in 1970. Haven't read much yet into it, but can tell in the intro its an unabashed German perspective on things. Skimming through it, seems like a lot of content is stitching together original combat reports, and the maps seem to be real combat maps and very detailed. Takes some getting used to read all the German spelling of Russian place names. Expect to find some very good material relevant to ASL scenario design.
Some good appendices also. The other bonus is a stand alone double-sided about 18x24 multi-map covering the 1942 and 1944 battles for Svestapol(German notes on Russian language maps), a general German language detailed military topo map of Svestapol and then on reverse a German Language map of Southern Ukraine/Romania/Crimea w/o Kerch area then separate very detailed map of Kerch area. This separate double-sided map is worth a lot in itself - should really help in re-reading Where the Iron Crosses Grow.

Am curious if others are familiar with this and have read it and what their thoughts were.

Posted elsewhere but there's a very new 2014 general history of the Crimea by Neil Kent - I like the content and presentation mostly, but he glaringly got it wrong on commander 11th Army, says Rundstedt not Manstein. Some places I think I get what he's saying, but it seems like he could have written clearer - unnecessary wordiness. Not enough reviewers on Amazon to judge the work and accuracy, but certainly a starting point.

I also picked up Orlando Figes' Crimean War-reading the first part of this really puts into sharp relief the import of a Turkish jet shooting down a Russian one - draw a line from Syria to the Crimea and you find some pretty big historical fault lines. I do know this guy has a very solid reputation for Russian history from Natasha's Dance which I have had for a while, but not read.
 
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thedrake

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WW2 ground war books: The Sword Behind the Shield by Norbert Szamveber--operational-level book of the Budapest Konrad operations.

Squadron book on Italian Truck-Mounted Artillery--lotta pics and descriptions of the different types of truck-mounted artillery used by the Italians in both world wars. Inspiring me to solo play more desert/Mediterranean early war stuff.

WW2 air war book: Malta:The Hurricane Years by Christopher Shores--day by day accounts of the fighting over Malta by Hurricane squadrons vs the Axis. Shores' books are must buy for me.

Also the Osprey series of books Aircraft of the Aces,each book featuring one type of aircraft and the aces that flew them and their Aviation Elite series with actions of particular squadrons throughout the war. Both are incredible series of books IMHO.
 

Srynerson

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I also picked up Orlando Figes' Crimean War-reading the first part of this really puts into sharp relief the import of a Turkish jet shooting down a Russian one - draw a line from Syria to the Crimea and you find some pretty big historical fault lines. I do know this guy has a very solid reputation for Russian history from Natasha's Dance which I have had for a while, but not read.
I'll put in a plug for Figes' A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924 if you're interested in 19th-20th Century Russian history, except for one small flaw relating to word choice, it's a great book -- very readable and the broader historical coverage really put a lot of the events of the revolution and civil war "proper" into context.
 

KhandidGamera

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I'll put in a plug for Figes' A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924 if you're interested in 19th-20th Century Russian history, except for one small flaw relating to word choice, it's a great book -- very readable and the broader historical coverage really put a lot of the events of the revolution and civil war "proper" into context.
I saw that probably on my list of eventual reads - its interesting he goes back that far to look at the origins of the revolution. Probably a lot like Evans did in his trilogy on the Third Reich.
I took a course on Russian history 1855-present in college and some of it I still remember. Interested to know who the guy is on your avatar.
 

Yuri0352

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I am reading 'Browned Off and Bloody Minded' by Alan Allport, a study of post WWI British working class society and the characteristics of the men who served in the British army during WWII. The book also describes the military culture of the pre-war army,especially it's officer corps. Certainly offers a perspective which explains many of Britain's military setbacks prior to 1942. I particularly enjoyed reading about the joint efforts of generals Adam and Brooke towards enhancing the fighting abilities of the post-Dunkirk conscript army. I also was stunned by the massive casualty numbers sustained by the British during the war, especially when compared to those of the First World War.

Overall, highly recommended and certainly serves as a detailed compliment to Charles Markuss' Tommy Atkins articles from the General.
 

KhandidGamera

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I am reading 'Browned Off and Bloody Minded' by Alan Allport, a study of post WWI British working class society and the characteristics of the men who served in the British army during WWII. The book also describes the military culture of the pre-war army,especially it's officer corps. Certainly offers a perspective which explains many of Britain's military setbacks prior to 1942. I particularly enjoyed reading about the joint efforts of generals Adam and Brooke towards enhancing the fighting abilities of the post-Dunkirk conscript army. I also was stunned by the massive casualty numbers sustained by the British during the war, especially when compared to those of the First World War.

Overall, highly recommended and certainly serves as a detailed compliment to Charles Markuss' Tommy Atkins articles from the General.
Reminded of TOT's treatment of late war British in April 1945 module near Bremen fighting the beached Kriegsmarine guys - both sides had low ELR, CVP caps common for the Brits.

I also connect - right or wrong - to the tone of "Tommy" and Pink Floyd "the Wall" - after Britain's Second war, with as you say lot's of casualties: had to disband divisions because of that.

The expression on the face of the soldier as King George VI gives his speech, quality of the speech in the movie come to mind too.

Some other things too, but will stop there.
 

Justiciar

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....
I also connect - right or wrong - to the tone of "Tommy" and Pink Floyd "the Wall" - after Britain's Second war, with as you say lot's of casualties: had to disband divisions because of that.....
Have a listen to "The Final Cut" album, and the song Southampton Dock...Waters at his best perhaps...

They disembarked in 45
And no-one spoke and no-one smiled
There were to many spaces in the line.
Gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with the hand on heart
To sheath the sacrificial Knifes.
But now
She stands upon Southampton dock
With her handkerchief
And her summer frock clings
To her wet body in the rain.
In quiet desperation knuckles
White upon the slippery reins
She bravely waves the boys Goodbye again.

And still the dark stain spreads between
His shoulder blades.
A mute reminder of the poppy fields and graves.
And when the fight was over
We spent what they had made.
But in the bottom of our hearts
We felt the final cut.
 

KhandidGamera

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Have a listen to "The Final Cut" album, and the song Southampton Dock...Waters at his best perhaps...

They disembarked in 45
And no-one spoke and no-one smiled
There were to many spaces in the line.
Gathered at the cenotaph
All agreed with the hand on heart
To sheath the sacrificial Knifes.
But now
She stands upon Southampton dock
With her handkerchief
And her summer frock clings
To her wet body in the rain.
In quiet desperation knuckles
White upon the slippery reins
She bravely waves the boys Goodbye again.

And still the dark stain spreads between
His shoulder blades.
A mute reminder of the poppy fields and graves.
And when the fight was over
We spent what they had made.
But in the bottom of our hearts
We felt the final cut.
Hadn't thought of that, but sure does make the point.
Electing Atlee in 1945 also underlined it.

My perception is that collective feeling about wars in general and getting into ANY of them affects Europeans to this day, hangs over like a dark shadow.
I stand corrected if I'm wrong in that by European's on this board.

Just went back and read the wiki on Water's about he lost his dad around Anzio - which ended up in the movie as:

WHEN THE TIGERS BROKE FREE
"It was just before dawn
One miserable morning in black '44
When the forward commander
Was told to sit tight
When he asked that his men be withdrawn
And the generals gave thanks
As the other ranks
Held back the enemy tanks for a while
And the Anzio bridghead was held for the price
Of a few hundred ordinary lives

And kind old King George sent mother a note
When he heard that father was gone
It was, I recall, in the form of a scroll
With gold leaf and all
And I found it one day
In a drawer of old photographs, hidden away
And my eyes still grow damp
To remember
That his majesty signed
With his own rubber stamp

It was dark all around
There was frost in the ground
When the tigers broke free
And no one survived from the Royal Fusiliers, Company see
They were all left behind
Most of them dead
The rest of them dying
And that's how the high command
Took my daddy from me"

Wiki says it was Aprilla and Feb.18.1944 where/when his dad was killed and the place was called "The Factory" - believe there's an ASL scenario located there if not that action. Wiki on Anzio and the 167th (1st London) Brigade covers the action.

Yuri: put those two books on my shopping list.
 
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Justiciar

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You will find the loss of the father figure figures prominently in Waters...

The Gunner's Dream (Waters)

Floating down through the clouds
Memories come rushing up to meet me now.
In the space between the heavens
and in the corner of some foreign field
I had a dream.
I had a dream.
Good-bye Max.
Good-bye Ma.
After the service when you're walking slowly to the car
And the silver in her hair shines in the cold November air
You hear the tolling bell
And touch the silk in your lapel
And as the tear drops rise to meet the comfort of the band
You take her frail hand
And hold on to the dream.
A place to stay
"Oi! A real one ..."
Enough to eat
Somewhere old heroes shuffle safely down the street
Where you can speak out loud
About your doubts and fears
And what's more no-one ever disappears
You never hear their standard issue kicking in your door.
You can relax on both sides of the tracks
And maniacs don't blow holes in bandsmen by remote control
And everyone has recourse to the law
And no-one kills the children anymore.
And no one kills the children anymore.

Night after night
Going round and round my brain
His dream is driving me insane.
In the corner of some foreign field
The gunner sleeps tonight.
What's done is done.
We cannot just write off his final scene.
Take heed of his dream.
Take heed.
 

von Marwitz

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My perception is that collective feeling about wars in general and getting into ANY of them affects Europeans to this day, hangs over like a dark shadow.
I stand corrected if I'm wrong in that by European's on this board.
The last war the US had on their own territory was the Civil War some 150 years past. So since then you Americans literally went to war that happened elsewhere while your homes and familys are basically safe.

Here in Europe, war has affected not only soldiers but also civilians, settlements and landscape in a very direct and often massive manner. War has much more affected entire populations directly rather than only soldiers that were sent to war.

von Marwitz
 

KhandidGamera

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I gathered that again reading the wiki, but also from the music and the movie.

Kind of why I mentioned Tommy also.

WW1 gave us weird art, WW2 gave us some damn good if tortured British rock artists.
 

KhandidGamera

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The last war the US had on their own territory was the Civil War some 150 years past. So since then you Americans literally went to war that happened elsewhere while your homes and familys are basically safe.

Here in Europe, war has affected not only soldiers but also civilians, settlements and landscape in a very direct and often massive manner. War has much more affected entire populations directly rather than only soldiers that were sent to war.

von Marwitz
That fits very well with what I've thought.

I've also thought that personal experiences of the old Soviet Union impacted the fact the Cold War didn't turn into WW3.
Ronald Reagan was doing movies in Hollywood when Brezhnev and Kruschev were fighting Commissars.

Interesting to compare the European public feeling about war in 1914 verses the American, especially the Southern one - where most of the fighting and civilian experience occurred. 600,00+ dead then would be 5.3 million for us now - worse if you just look at the South.

I've thought recently another way to put it too is that for Americans it was a suppressed/atomized/individual experience for those that went through it directly - the men were just as hurt, but much more stoic. Probably the best service Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, and the Pacific did was to make it more a more collective experience if only indirectly. I'd add Clint Eastwood's two Iwo Jima films in there too.

I can remember talking to a French engineer working at GE in Erie who was from Metz and I could get a sense of that shadow, not just from WW 2, but from WW 1.

This will sound strange, but though they are dark films, watching the Millennium Trilogy, that war shadow seems missing somehow and can't put my finger on what it is - but Sweden didn't experience 2 world wars.

Swedes can correct me if I'm wrong.
 
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