Any military history buffs here?

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An update on this:

1. I think the correct spelling is Wilhelm Konrad Hossë.

2. He made the bomb used in the suitcase, to assassinate Hitler in the July 20 Plot.

3. He was not sought or caught by Gestapo after the plot failed. Someone was protecting him, but I do not know who.

The interesting thing is that most if the sniper weapons used in WWII was that they were accurized versions of rifles issued to regular troops around the beginning of the century.

The bit a bout 'unified command' in WWI (by the Americans) was a political and military fight that Pershing fought with the French, who wanted them just to be individual replacements for their own troops. The destruction of unit cohesion it would have caused might have actually prolonged the war had it been adopted.

The French had been fighting the same way for years. At the time we showed up, they'd actually had mutinies by their own troops. One of their weapons, a light machine gun (Chauchea...no, I'm sure that's not spelled right... was called 'so-so' by the Americans, who would 'lose' them in record numbers...

Ahh, the Chauchat CSRG, undoubtedly one of the worst guns ever fielded by a major power, and that's saying something! A classic designed by committee product, forced on the USMC because of a longstanding feud between the inventor of the far superior Lewis gun and and some Army brass in the procurement department. Only the French would design something that would be used in muddy trenches with an open sided half moon magazine, and then use the extremely complicated long recoil method of operation and have a bicycle factory make them as cheaply as possible. I think Ian V Hogg said it best when he said that early French designers seemed incapable of turning out a firearm that was either functional or aesthetically pleasing...

I wrote a whole exhibit on WWI and the "Polar Bears." But where I worked didn't have enough $$ to publish an exhibit catalog - someday maybe they'll put it on-line.

This site has some of the best archival collections from the NREF a.k.a. the "Polar Bears": Bentley Library at the University of Michigan

Actually, there has been a book written about the whole adventure in Russia by the Americans...written (I think) in the 60s/70s.

I remember some British general or such was ennobled for work there, and elected to be made Count (duke, earl, whatever it was), of Archangle, or something like that.

Should be stuff on the Internet about it.

I am. As a woman, I have grown immune to Viagra commercials on the History Channel and all its off-shoots. My version of calm-down, go-to-sleep, white noise TV is military history on the telly.

I am fascinated with stories about generals and other military/naval leaders. I like stories about Augustus, George Washington, Patton, King Leonidis, Napoleon, Shackleford, and others who have shown exceptional, thoughtful leadership. Even a-holes like Andrew Jackson have something to teach us.

I get chills during the battle scenes of Master and Commander.

I am faschinated by stories of military doctors and nurses. I think with my "detachment" "talents", I'd be an excellent nurse. I always loved M*A*S*H*.

I'll never forget this book I read about an army nurse in Vietnam. Whoa. Painful but I could totally do it.

Also - even though I was raised a "pacifist" - I am fascinated with ballistics. I mean, for every person trying to bomb someone, there's someone on the other side trying to stop them.

The highlight of this past Christmas was visting my brother, who works at the Pentagon as a graphic artist. He gave us a "behind the scenes" tour on New Years Eve - when it was almost deserted. It was SOOOOOO cool. I choked up more than once.

Semper fi.

Oh, sorry if I interrupted the conversation about Russia. I was just answering the post question.

(F***, story of my life.)

MmeLePen:

No worry about interruptions. Some of us are fascinated against our better judgment. I've probably had relatives in most of the U.S. conflicts since the Revolution (except Spanish-American, Korea, and the Gulf Wars). My grandfather was incapacitated as a result of WWI and my father and uncles all served in WWII. When my father and his brothers came back they had no home as their father had died while my father was in training, their mother had died in the early 1930s, and everyone in the family saw them as a burden.

One of my distant cousins survived the Battle of Berlin and Soviet occupation of the German Capital living near the Reichstag. I have letters from her to prove it.

War is Hell.

But war is also filled with emotion, depravity, uncertainty, and heroism. It's hard to not be fascinated and get choked up once in a while.

Z

Do you find yourself somewhat unfulfilled that there aren't more battles IN that film? Or harbouring a desire to hunt down other similar films, only to discover that there aren't any that match up, so you're stuck watching Pirates of the Caribbean again?

I do. They should make more.. there a loads of books.. Its like Sharpe but on water.

That's so funny you say that! Yes! Its like the best part of the movie is in the first 30 minutes! They should have shaved off some of Russell Crow's salary for some more battle animation labor hours!

I have family all the way back, who have served. All the way back to Patrick Henry's army. My dearest Grandpa - who recently passed - served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He was as big of an influence as my hippy mom. As hippy-ish as she is, she works at the US Capitol in Fire & Safety.

My uncle served on the USS Enterprise and my little bro was an army ranger. I myself, was heavily recruited by the air force for my engineering talent - but I chose a life of frustration, aimlessness, uncertainty, and gosh-darnit - serendipity.

I grew up in a military/CIA town - Leon Panetta was our neighbor and congressman. Naval Post-Graduate School and the Defense Language Institute were local employers.

Ah - man - I could go off in a million directions but suffice it to say, I love military history!

Father served in the big one. WWII I still have his photo albums. How he survived and managed to take so many Pics, I don't know. (Some are of French Women, OOOh La La ! !)

I have some family history with the Australian armed forces.

Grandfather - WW II (army)
Uncle - Vietnam (navy)

Two related by marriage:

Grandfather's stepfather - WW I (army)
Stepbrother - East Timor (army)

My Granddad (Father's father) - Storesman for British Army, originally was training as navigator for a Lancaster Bomber crew, until it was discovered he had a congenital hearing defect.

My Poppa (Mother's father) - a cook in the ANZACs during the Italian and North African campaigns, including Cassino.

My uncle has been with the Canadian armed Forces since he was old enough to join.

My grandfather on my Mother's side joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers during World War 2 and was sent to Hong Kong. He was a POW there for 3 years.

ive never been very fond of "what-if" concepts.

but i am very interested in military history, so far, my knowledge is fragmented, but im filling out the holes.

i dunno so much about the american civil war, got enough wars in europe to cover first of all, before i can move on to either asia, africa or the americas

i especially like modern wars, both the big ones, and the more obscure ones, like the chaco war, or the very recent and short lasting declaration of war between chad and sudan

i THINK that was the only declaration of war in a long time, possibly since ww2