One of the last from "The Great Escape" dies aged 92

Bismarck

@CWO:

@Wolfshanze:

Amazing research, btw… Armschwimmfahigkeitgeratsamt…

One of my favourite non-invented German words is the term that Germany used in WWI to designate tanks: Schutzengrabenvernichtungspanzerkampfwagen, or, roughly, “trench-destroying armoured fighting car.”  German tanks of WWI were physically as cumbersome as that term, so in preparation for WWII Germany devised more practical tanks and a more practical designation (“Panzer”).  Unfortunately for Germany, the American, British and Russian words for this type of weapon – “tank” – consists of only one syllable, whereas “Panzer” has two syllables, so the US, UK and USSR armoured forces in principle had a 50% advantage over the German armoured forces in speed of pronunciation.  On the other hand, the French word “char” only consists of one syllable too, so in principle the French and German armoured forces should have fought each other to a draw in May-June 1940…so clearly this theory doesn’t hold up in reality as well as it ought to on paper.

ROFLOL :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sounds great.

I read the book about him. Very awesome story. Read the book, then watch the movie.  :-D

@GoSanchez6:

The Last Battle I am familiar with was written by Cornelius Ryan who also wrote A Bridge Too Far and The Longest Day. I read the Last Battle twice it was a fantastic read. All of it is actual accounts of people from generals,civilians and soldiers who were somehow involved in the Battle for Berlin. Check it out guys you will love it.

Me too…thought that’s what this topic was about.  A great read…I like it better than The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far in many ways (although I think ABTF is my favorite overall of the 3), and it was an appropriate conclusion to the European theater.  Freaking scary thinking about being a German in Berlin at that time, though.

Garg’s link was also incredibly interesting, I’m not familiar with this battle.  I know castles did play a small role in WW2, though.

All respect to those who died in these valiant wars (whether Allied or Axis) but here we go again with more Nazis. It could happen in the US though. Hate groups are on the rise.

Well considering Italian troop quility of the time, Italy may have decended into revolution even before the Russins in this case. :-o

@Frontovik:

@shermantank28:

Read Antony Beevor’s Stalingrad, by far the best work on the subject

that is unbelievebly true
i have Berlin and D-day too
those books are very good and well-detailled

Yes, I have read all of them…all good reads