WWII Myths

[Flashman]

Interesting list:

http://www.ranker.com/list/world-war-2-facts-and-myths/mike-rothschild?ref=rltdlsts&pos=15&a=25&l=354939<ype=l&g=3

Number 18 would make a great new Axis and Allies unit.

[General Veers]

Didn’t know the lies my mom fed me along with carrots came from Britain, I always figured the myth was an American invention.

The Philadelphia Experiment would be a fun tech for the US to play with.

[CWO Marc]

@Flashman:

Number 18 would make a great new Axis and Allies unit.

I guess these Soviet human/ape hybrid soldiers would be considered an Infantry upgrade tech.

For another story along similar lines, I recommend the 1962 Mexican film “Las Luchadoras contra el medico asesino”, which features a mad doctor who tries repeatedly to create human/ape hybrids by transplanting the brain of a gorilla into the body of a beautiful woman.  His test subjects keep dying, for some strange reason.  He eventually succeeds, however, and the resulting super-strong woman takes up a career as a masked female wrestler.

[KurtGodel7]

Lists of this nature are seldom 100% accurate, and this list is no exception. On the one hand, I give the author credit for having dispelled a number of myths (such as carrots causing better night vision, Hitler having only one testicle, and Polish cavalry charging German tanks). On the other hand, the author apparently did little or no research before writing “myths” 5, 12, 24, and 29.

“Myth” 5: “Nazi Germany only invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 because the Soviets were about to invade Germany.”

This “myth” is actually true or probably true. Had the author read Suvorov’s (very well-researched, convincing) book, he would know that. A clear case of having dismissed something as a “myth” without having done his homework.

“Myth” 12: “President Roosevelt had advanced knowledge that Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor, and allowed the attack to take place as a pretext for war.”

Fact: During the months leading up to Pearl Harbor, FDR embraced a two pronged strategy of escalating provocations against Japan and consistent refusal to negotiate in good faith with the Japanese. (Or even to meet with the Japanese prime minister at all, despite his repeated requests for a meeting.) That FDR wanted to provoke Japan into throwing the first punch is clear and obvious. That he knew the blow was coming is also obvious, in light of the fact that we had broken Japan’s diplomatic codes. Whether he expected to get hit at Pearl Harbor is more speculative.

The claim (#24): " Nobody knows how many died in total at the hands of the ‘gentleman soldiers’ of the German Army, but it could be as high as 10 million."

Fact: the 10 million number was apparently pulled out of thin air. That number is a propaganda claim, not a historical statement.

The claim (#29): “Also, six decades of use have found [fluoride] to be safe and extremely effective for whitening teeth.”

Fact: Fluoride is a neurotoxic byproduct from industrial processes (such as the production of fertilizer). Proper disposal of this toxic substance is expensive. Large corporations had the thought that, rather than pay money to dispose of their toxic waste, why not receive money from its disposal? They therefore conducted a massive publicity campaign to persuade the gullible public that fluoridation of the water supply is perfectly safe, and results in improved dental health. “Research” on the supposed safety of a fluoridated water supply was either not done at all, or was performed by groups funded by fluoride waste producers. On the back of any tube of fluoridated toothpaste, you will find the phone number for Poison Control, and instructions to call that number if toothpaste is swallowed. That is clear evidence that fluoride is toxic, and that those contaminating our water supply with it realize its toxicity.

[Flashman]

True: it saps and impurifies all of our precious bodily fluids. I mean, just look at us!

[KurtGodel7]

Flashman:

I mean, just look at us!

Indeed. 75% of Americans are overweight or obese. There are more obese Americans than Americans who are overweight without being obese. Back before we began fluoridating our water supply, the overwhelming majority of Americans were neither overweight nor obese.

Of course, a correlation between A and B is not evidence that A caused B. It could also be that B caused A, or that C caused A and B. Or it could just be coincidence. There are a number of non-fluoride explanations for America’s obesity epidemic (such as fast food, bad gut bacteria, reduction in agricultural quality standards). But the effect of a fluoridated water supply should be included in that discussion as well.

Fluoride is like arsenic in two ways: both are poisonous, and both build up in your system over time. This is a link to a three minute news documentary about some of the harmful effects of consuming fluoride-contaminated water. Note that, among the deleterious health effects they mention, they include the fact fluoride exacerbates hypothyroidism. The main effects of hypothyroidism include reduced metabolism, tiredness, feeling cold, and weight gain.

[DesertFox_96]

I like the polish cavalry one because its always brought up in documentaries. While Poland still used cavalry it was not in an offensive role and served more for recon since the polish army did not posses any scout cars like other nations. there was one time when a Calvary unit attacked a small German infantry unit but were counter attacked by a group of panzer ii’s but it was not a cavalry charge against entrenched or armored units.

[Colt45554]

@KurtGodel7:

Lists of this nature are seldom 100% accurate, and this list is no exception. On the one hand, I give the author credit for having dispelled a number of myths (such as carrots causing better night vision, Hitler having only one testicle, and Polish cavalry charging German tanks). On the other hand, the author apparently did little or no research before writing “myths” 5, 12, 24, and 29.

“Myth” 5: “Nazi Germany only invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 because the Soviets were about to invade Germany.”

This “myth” is actually true or probably true. Had the author read Suvorov’s (very well-researched, convincing) book, he would know that. A clear case of having dismissed something as a “myth” without having done his homework.

“Myth” 12: “President Roosevelt had advanced knowledge that Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor, and allowed the attack to take place as a pretext for war.”

Fact: During the months leading up to Pearl Harbor, FDR embraced a two pronged strategy of escalating provocations against Japan and consistent refusal to negotiate in good faith with the Japanese. (Or even to meet with the Japanese prime minister at all, despite his repeated requests for a meeting.) That FDR wanted to provoke Japan into throwing the first punch is clear and obvious. That he knew the blow was coming is also obvious, in light of the fact that we had broken Japan’s diplomatic codes. Whether he expected to get hit at Pearl Harbor is more speculative.

The claim (#24): " Nobody knows how many died in total at the hands of the ‘gentleman soldiers’ of the German Army, but it could be as high as 10 million."

Fact: the 10 million number was apparently pulled out of thin air. That number is a propaganda claim, not a historical statement.

The claim (#29): “Also, six decades of use have found [fluoride] to be safe and extremely effective for whitening teeth.”

Fact: Fluoride is a neurotoxic byproduct from industrial processes (such as the production of fertilizer). Proper disposal of this toxic substance is expensive. Large corporations had the thought that, rather than pay money to dispose of their toxic waste, why not receive money from its disposal? They therefore conducted a massive publicity campaign to persuade the gullible public that fluoridation of the water supply is perfectly safe, and results in improved dental health. “Research” on the supposed safety of a fluoridated water supply was either not done at all, or was performed by groups funded by fluoride waste producers. On the back of any tube of fluoridated toothpaste, you will find the phone number for Poison Control, and instructions to call that number if toothpaste is swallowed. That is clear evidence that fluoride is toxic, and that those contaminating our water supply with it realize its toxicity.

Agree 100% with each point

[SixUnder]

The definition of irony….

“The French army was let down by indecisive leadership, poor tactics, bad logistics, and commanders trying to fight a defensive war and avoid the high casualties of World War I.”

[Narvik]

@KurtGodel7:

“Myth” 5: “Nazi Germany only invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 because the Soviets were about to invade Germany.”

This “myth” is actually true or probably true. Had the author read Suvorov’s (very well-researched, convincing) book, he would know that. A clear case of having dismissed something as a “myth” without having done his homework.

That myth could have fooled me. I always believed that Hitler attacked Russia because he had promised to do so in his book Mein Kampf, written in 1920, long before Stalin was even remotely able to make plans about invading Germany

[Wolfshanze]

There are tons of books, claiming tons of things… even more so with websites… but just because somebody writes a book or puts something on the internet and calls it “Fact” doesn’t make it true.

Was war between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union inevitable… most certainly… was the Soviet Union about to invade Germany two weeks after Barbarrossa launched?  Not a chance.  It’s very well documented that Stalin was in shock that Hitler invaded in June 41… and not because he was upset it threw off his planned invasion two weeks later.  He honestly (at that point in the war) thought of Hitler as an ally at best, co-conspirator dictator in divvying up Europe between the two of them at worst.  Stalin, really didn’t see it coming, because he was convinced war was not coming to blows in 1941.  Obviously there was tons of data coming to Stalin that the Germans were preparing for invasion, and many inside the Soviet Union were alarmed and panicking of Germany’s troop movements and intentions, but Stalin was not one of them… he continually thought people were just trying to get them to turn on each other and it was a conspiracy, Stalin honestly felt war was not going to occur in 1941… would Stalin have eventually turned on Germany if Germany didn’t invade?  Probably… but it certainly wasn’t happening in 1941.  There’s so many first-hand accounts of Stalin’s plans and intentions prior to and immediately after Germany’s invasion in 1941, and it’s crystal clear, Russia had nothing in store for Germany in 1941…

[KurtGodel7]

@Narvik:

That myth could have fooled me. I always believed that Hitler attacked Russia because he had promised to do so in his book Mein Kampf, written in 1920, long before Stalin was even remotely able to make plans about invading Germany

You will recall that Hitler was a soldier, who later became a politician. Like other democratically elected politicians, Hitler promised good things to his constituents. As a general rule, democratically elected politicians make many promises, but seldom deliver on those promises. (At least that’s been the pattern in my country, the United States.)

The Soviet Union was the most evil major regime in human history. Hitler’s pledge to bring that criminal regime to justice was a very lofty promise. Ridding the world of Soviet evil would have helped the world more than a cure for cancer. Unless you or someone you know was the victim of Soviet crimes against humanity, it’s hard to fully appreciate the full magnitude of the promise to rid the world of Soviet evil.

However, when a politician pledges to make the world a better place in some way, there is a good chance he’s being insincere. Was Hitler’s promise to make the world better (by destroying the evil of communism) just another hollow campaign promise from another democratically-elected politician? My sense is that Hitler’s promise to destroy communism was made sincerely, and that he really did intend to follow through on the commitment he’d made.

In 1940, Hitler thought he had the luxury of putting off that invasion until a later time. Sure, he would have invaded eventually. But in the meantime, his trade agreement with the Soviet Union was helping Germany wage war against Britain. So why not clean up the mess in the west now (for example by conquering Britain itself, or at least a good share of the British Empire), while putting off the invasion of the U.S.S.R. until some other time?

But the Soviet Union undertook a number of measures which, collectively, convinced Hitler he no longer had the time he’d once thought. A few months after the Nazi-Soviet Pact was signed, the U.S.S.R. invaded Finland. Finland’s Mannerheim Line was probably the best-defended terrain on the surface of the Earth. While the Germans found a way to go around the Maginot Line, the terrain left the Soviet invasion force with no choice but to plow straight through the Mannerheim Line. Such a feat was widely considered impossible, but the Soviets achieved it in only a few months’ time. After having conquered Finland’s defenses, Stalin allowed Finland to retain the bulk of its land. The Soviet government announced the Red Army had fought poorly in that war, and Hitler naively believed those propaganda claims. (Hitler was not normally one to gullibly accept communist lies. In this case, however, Soviet propaganda dovetailed with poor Russian performance in WWI, and with Hitler’s racial beliefs about Slavic inferiority.)

Shortly after his success against Finland, Stalin demanded a slice of Romania. The Romanians had no choice but to acquiesce to that demand, because their nation was far less well-defended than Finland had been. Germany was utterly dependent on Swedish iron ore, and on Romanian oil. With the Mannerheim Line conquered, Stalin was excellently positioned to take the rest of Finland, and to cut Germany off from its Swedish iron ore. With the Soviets having helped themselves to a large slice of Romanian land, and with them strongly hinting at a desire for another slice, the Romanian oilfields were also in jeopardy. During 1940 it had become increasingly clear that the primary focus of Soviet expansionism was westward, and not (as Stalin had claimed) southward.

Hitler began his preparations to invade the Soviet Union several months after the U.S.S.R. had begun gearing up to invade Germany. However, Germany proved quicker on its feet than the U.S.S.R. Partly that was because Germany had a better road and rail network than the Soviets. That was also partly because the Germans had fewer men and machines to ship; and needed to ship them over a much shorter distance than was the case for Soviet men and machines. Finally, Germany had the best-run military of any major participant in WWII. The competence gap between the Germans and Soviets was much larger than Soviet prewar planning had suggested. Germany invaded on June 22nd; whereas the Soviet troop movement to the front had been scheduled for completion on July 10th, 1941.