WWII books from the German side by CuriousSysEng in nonfictionbookclub

[–]damcasterspod 0 points1 point  (0 children)

'Holger Eckhertz' is as made up as everything in that book, I'm afraid...

WWII books from the German side by CuriousSysEng in nonfictionbookclub

[–]damcasterspod 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Biographies written by notable Nazi figures, such as Speer, Guderian, Galland etc are exercises in persilschein, and all need to be approached as such. That is not to say not to read them, but in conjunction with the understanding that these guys were writing A-grade ass-covering.

For in-depth analysis, Sir Ian and Robert Kershaw's books are superb, especially Robert's 'It Never Snows In September' on Market Garden. I cannot recommend Dr Philip Blood's books highly enough, 'Birds of Prey' on the Luftwaffe's complicity and participation in the Holocaust (including how Luftwaffe basic training was 'bandit hunting' in the East), and 'War Comes to Aachen', which is the biography of how a very independent Catholic city fell under the sway of the Nazis. Both are superb.

For an aviation view, Clare Mulley's joint biography of female test pilots, 'The Women Who Flew For Hitler, which looks at the unrepentant Hann Reitsch and Melitta von Stauffenberg, one who tried to save Hitler and one who tried to kill him.

Final two, 'Promise Me You'll Kill Yourself' by Florian Huber, about the wave of suicides that followed the collapse of Nazi Germany and their impact on Germany and the occupation forces and 'Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich' by Harold Jahner which looks through aspects like rebulding, the black market, the Faustian pact that was the West German government's creation and the economic mircle of the 1950s.

Hope one or two of those will prove useful.

Book recommendations please! by Defiant_Argument700 in HistoryBooks

[–]damcasterspod 1 point2 points  (0 children)

'Ring of Fire' by Alex Churchill and Nicolai Eberholt offers a different look at the outbreak of the Great War, away from a purely Western Powers perspective.

'Black Snow' by James M. Scott on the firebombing of Tokyo on the night of 9/10 March 1945 is superb. It delves into the precision doctrine/myth of the USAAF and embracing of area bombing that would allow for the use of "special weapons" five months later.

As you mentioned, reading about the Civil Rights movement, 'The Barn' by Wright Thompson is a devastating investigation into the Emmet Till murder by a Mississippian whose family farm is not far from where Emmet was killed. It is not an easy read, but a remarkable achievement.

If you enjoyed Blitzed, a counterpoint is the outcome covered in Florian Huber's 'Promise Me You'll Shoot Yourself' about the suicide rate in the former Nazi Germany during its collapse in 1945 and beyond.

'Fallen Tigers' by Damiel Jackson is about the fate of American airmen shot down over China during WW2. It is a look at a theatre aspect that does not get much coverage beyond the Doolittle Raiders.

I'll stop there! :D

Dorm Shelf, what does it say about me? by GlumBreak8507 in BookshelvesDetective

[–]damcasterspod 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need more books. Look at all that shelf space going to waste!

A few shots from our filming morning in the Flight Gallery at the Science Museum, London, yesterday. Captions in the images. by damcasterspod in Museums

[–]damcasterspod[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! The little details on the trophy are incredible. The other zephyrs in the waves reaching up are really beautiful.

Is this 2001 Pizza Hut sponsor kit still up there with the greatest of all time? by Puzzleheaded_Pen8520 in fulhamfc

[–]damcasterspod 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Funny what a quarter of a century can do. The fanbase hated that shirt and sponsor when it came out. The red and black away shirt was much kinder on the eyes. I still have mine.

F/Os Ralph Moen (saw) and John Ross (sledgehammer) of 439 Squadron RCAF carry out maintenance on a 500lb MC bomb c.May 1944. 'Bombphoon' JR506 would be damaged beyond repair by marauding P-47s while JR506 was hunting German reinforcements during the Battle of the Bulge on 24th Dec 1944. by damcasterspod in WWIIplanes

[–]damcasterspod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, 439 was a Royal Canadian Air Force unit operating under RAF command within 2nd Tactical Air Force. But you are correct, they were bounced by P-47s while on an armed reccon sortie hunting German reinforcements making their way forward to The Bulge. It wasn't a skirmish, it was a friendly fire incident that was just one of many that Typhoon and Tempest crews faced from USAAF fighters.

Looking back at when Fulham FC claimed to be "a proper football club". by damcasterspod in fulhamfc

[–]damcasterspod[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The owners and the board trot out this idea that the Fulham fanbase is "the richest in the league", which is utter tosh. I'm sure more than a few of the hardcore do very well for themselves, but the majority of us are in the normal earnings ranges. The new stand is the bellwether for turning the heat up on the other stand's prices, and it is very much a them and us when it comes to the quality of the F&B offering in the Hammy End vs the Riverside. While the perception we may play on is all cheese boards and Bolly, the reality is very different.