WW II Historical Thread, Discussion, Pics, Videos

Equation

Lieutenant General
This is for Memorial Day and worth reading.
disturbed by reports from the South China Sea. Currently the national forces of the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China are interacting in increasingly dangerous ways.

But there is still plenty of hope for secure relations between our countries. Why?

History.

This Memorial Day, join The Tai Initiative in educating Americans and Chinese alike on our shared history and how it unites us. This weekend, many of my fellow Americans are taking time and energy to remember the sacrifices of those who gave their lives in defense of others. In this new century, these remembrances should include the thousands of Chinese and Americans who fought alongside one another in battle seventy years ago. Together, we shed blood and gave everything we had to defend one another against fascism in the 20th century.

"Chinese Expeditionary Force" - in traditional Chinese characters, the official script of the ROC

Several different types of troops are depicted, each assembled in parade-like rank and file.

Public recognition of the American and British friends' contributions to China's defense
Often we remember such deeds with monuments. The Tai Initiative was recently privileged to be escorted to the fabulous new monument you see pictured here. We are happy to report it is a monument to both Chinese and foreign heroes alike. You can find it by traveling (physically or virtually) to 24°44'23.31"N 98°54'20.34"E, near the peak of Songshan and
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which it commemorates. In that battle, General Stilwell, depicted here among Chinese troops and American advisors, led the Chinese Expeditionary Force in a bloody struggle to destroy a key Japanese stronghold overlooking the logistically critical Huitong bridge over the Nu (then Salween) River.

Those who know their Chinese history will likely also recognize the other significant contribution this monument makes to the national narrative in China: the Chinese being honored are solely Nationalist. Twenty years ago such a monument would have been impossible to erect, but no longer. Mainland Chinese are learning to honor the Nationalist contributions to their history; this is a crucial kind of change on which to reflect as Americans, and to be thankful for.


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Clockwise, from bottom left: 7,600 Chinese gave their lives. General Stilwell is depicted at the front left corner of the assembly. They face the battleground, the peak of Songshan. The cultural impact of the terracotta warriors discovered in Xi'an cannot be denied. Songshan was the first place in China where Jeeps were used during the war.
Likewise, Chinese remember and are thankful for the sacrificial efforts of Americans and other foreigners in their defense. This is particularly true in the southern portion of China, where a mere two generations of story-telling (accompanied by large numbers of P-40 Warhawk parts & supplies) has contributed substantially to the otherwise limited public education on the complete history of their War Against Japanese Aggression.

Remembering Americans who defended China is only half the equation. Chinese have defended America as well. Many of the heroes to be remembered this Memorial Day were first- and second- generation immigrants from China defending America and its allies. The Chinese American Forum, Cathay Post 384 & Kimlau Post 1291 of the American Legion, the National Council for Chinese Americans, the Committee of 100, and many other subnational institutions have dedicated themselves to understanding and reporting this proud heritage.

This Memorial Day, reflect proudly on the intangibles manifested so powerfully in our nation’s monuments and cemeteries. Do so with the understanding that our American monuments do not stand alone on this Earth.
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Miragedriver

Brigadier
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A Broken down and deserted Soviet T-35 heavy tank of the 8th Mechanised Corps. On the Dubno - Plycza highway, Rivne Oblast (province) of western Ukraine.
June/July 1941

This T-35 was from the 8th Mechanized Corp and deployed into the 67th and 68th Tank Regiments of the 34th Tank Division.
In June 1941, the 8th Mech Corps had 858 tanks, including 71 KVs, 100 T-34s, 49 T-35s.

The Battle of Brody was an engagement at the beginning of the 'Operation Barbarossa' in June 1941.
Once in Dubno, the 8th Mech Corps was surrounded by the 11th and 14th Panzer Divisions and cut to pieces.

During Operation Barbarossa and the summer of 1941, ninety percent of the T-35s lost by the 67th and 68th Tank Regiments were lost due to mechanical breakdowns, lack of maintenance, fuel, and often sabotaged by their crews abandoning them. These figures can be explained by its sheer size and the fact it was overweight for its engine and transmission (similar to the T-28).


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Miragedriver

Brigadier
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A paratrooper from the American 17th Airborne Division gets a light from a Churchill tank crewman of 6th Guards Armoured Brigade near Dorsten in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, 29th of March 1945.

(Nb. The US paratrooper is wearing a souvenir Wehrmacht belt)

'Operation Varsity'
The 17th Airborne Division gained its fourth Medal of Honor on the 28th of March, when Technical Sergeant Clinton M. Hedrick of the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment received the award posthumously after aiding in the capture of Lembeck Castle, which had been turned into a fortified position by the Germans.


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Miragedriver

Brigadier
With thunderous applause The Nazi’s celebrated the annexation of Austria in 1938
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Hitler announced a plebiscite in which the Austrians asked voters if they accepted him as a leader and therefore the accession of Austria to the Third Reich.
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This is the Austrian plebiscite ballot. Besides presenting little subjectivity, where the large circle means "yes" and the small "no", the option of a secret ballot contemplated, having to fill in front of SS officers. Logically annexation took place with 99.73% of the vote.



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Miragedriver

Brigadier
The Unknown War (The Great Patriotic War) is an American documentary television series. The 20-part series documents the World War II conflict between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Each episode is about 48 minutes long, similar in format to The World at War. The footage was edited from over 3.5 million feet of film taken by Soviet camera crews from the first day of the war, 22 June 1941, to the Soviet entry into Berlin in May 1945. Most of these films have never been seen outside this documentary series.

The series is hosted by Academy Award Winner
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, who spent three weeks in eight cities in the USSR for location filming. Film footage from Soviet archives comprises a major portion of the series, supplemented by film from both the United States and
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. Appearing in exclusive interviews would be Russian Commanders like Georgi Zhukov and Vasily Chuikov. Other interviews shot for the series included Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev and
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, who was U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union during WWII.

The series was produced with Soviet cooperation after the release of The World at War, which the Soviet government felt paid insufficient attention to their part in World War II. Released in 1978, The Unknown War is sympathetic to the Soviet struggle against Nazi Germany. It was quickly withdrawn from TV airings after it ran in 1978, possibly because its tone was at odds with the growing tensions between East and West after the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. Later it returned to airings on cable, including A&E, the History Channel and YouTube.



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