Book recommendations

[Speedy]

The following book is set on the Eastern Front but I had to mention it.

The book is: Stalingrad by Antony Beevor

Warning! This is one of those books that fall into the unputdownable category, do not attempt to read this book if you have to go to work in the morning.

Fionn I think you would like it as it contains many first person accounts of the battle from both sides that the author uses to help explain events and conditions in Stalingrad (also breaks myths, like number of Russian deserters etc.). Another thing I got from the book that I never realised was how many Hiwis served in the 6th Army. Hence from this you realise how under reported the actual number of Axis casualties are with no accurate number of casualties for Soviet citizens fighting in the 6th Army.

[This message has been edited by Speedy (edited 12-03-99).]

[Maus]

Hi all!

Some thoughts:

-A bit off topic - Semper Fi, Mac (sorry about not having the author but I let my father borrow it - if you are interested, email me and I will get the name for you). It reads along the lines of an Ambrose book but it cover the experiences of some US marines in the neglected pacific theater.

-The Good War by Studs Terkel covers the experiences on the home front in the US. I know it sounds boring but the narratives provide interesting insights into the US propoganda machine.

-I agree with almost all the above criticisms of Ambrose but I applaud him for his effort to gather first person accounts. If you go into reading his books knowing he looks at WWII through US tinted glasses you will have a great read.

-I second the suggestion of Soldat by Knappe. It was an interesting read esp. the sections dealing will his time as a Russina POW. If accounts of life as a POW interest you there is a small but interesting part of von Luck'v autobio(can't remember the title right now)that should be right up your alley.

-In the spirit of the thread I was wondering if anyone had more favorites that are oral histories of those on the front lines, from either the Axis or Allies side. I'm tired of "textbooks" and I really don't care what a certain historian's opinion is. That's not a slam on historians but rather just a personal preference.

-I apologize if my post seems a little slanted toward the US side of things. I know people are sick and tired of the "american" perspective (I am too!) but I live here and it is hard to get away from. Besides, for the front line soldier, life was hell and hell is pretty much the same from any point of view.

Cheers,

maus

[This message has been edited by Maus (edited 12-03-99).]

[Los]

Given all the ggod stuff coming out here you guys have forced me deeper into the recesses of my library to spit out a few gems...

First some Fiction:

"Attack in the Forest": Harold Calin (about the hurtgen) Just started it but good so far.

"SS kampfgruppe Peiper" James Lucas. Fictinal but very well written account of Peiper's famous ride behind the lines on eth russain front to rescue a trapped German division.

Non-Fiction:

"Freineux and Lamormenil-The Ardennes" George Wilson. A CM scenario designer's dream: A whole book (well it's only a hundred pages) devoted to a single small unit action between the 3rd Armored and 2SS. Great maps and pictures.

"The Breaking Point: Sedan and the Fall of France, 1940." By Robert Allan Doughy Detailed if dry account of this crucal and ill covered battle.

"Take These Men": Cyril Jolly. A great story by a British Tank platoon leader in Normandy.

Some good unit histories:

"Fallschirmjager Regiment 3 (vol 1+2)" Excellent history (well mostly thousands of photos) about this one storied regiment.

"History of the 12SS Panzerdivision Hitlerjugend" By Hubert Meyer. Standard german written unit history but lots of detail on the fascinating formation and training of this division and it's action in Normandy.

"The Brandenburgers" By F. Kurowski. Everything you ever wanted to know about German Special Operations conducted by this secretive unit, a great book.

"Grenadiers" by Kurt "Panzer" Meyers. This guy porbabbly doesn't need much introduction. Autobiography of his career.

And before you fall in love with the WW2 Germans too much:

"Ordinary Men: The Role of German Police Battalion 101 in the final solution." A fascinating read, triply pertinent in today's world.

"Death Dealer: Biography of Auschwitz Camp Commander Rudolf Hess." Another fascinating read. (Not to be confused with the more famous bf110-piloting Rudolf Hess)

Los

[SimonFox]

Heaven and Hell Martin Poppel

Interesting memoir of a German paratrooper especially the mindset of the era and the way his attitude progresses (he used his diary). He is a bit dismissive of his opponents, though he gives the Kiwis and Aussies a pretty good rating , but also fairly dismissive of his own side too. Interesting accounts of fighting Russians too, none of that crazy mass attack stuff, actually makes them seem pretty competent.

[Los]

I get the distinct impression he didn't care very much for Col von der Hedyte :

"But the Regimental Commander is always right, or at least he thinks he is..."

And what did he say about the Italians in Sicily? "The fact that we've got to hold out on behalf of these faithless sods, it's enough to make you puke.

He has some hillarious moments. It's what makes H&H such a fun read.

Los

[Renaud]

'Overlord' by Max Hastings. I later read 'D-Day' by Ambrose and while not a bad book, Hastings' 'Overlord' stands head and shoulders above it. 'Overlord' makes you feel what it must have been like to fight in Normandy. The real stories of numerous soldiers are intertwined throughout the book, creating a superb sense of unity. These personal accounts are action packed and taken from interviews conducted by Hastings with British, American and German survivors. The book was published in 1984 so many more survivors were available for interviews than today. He interviewed hundreds evidently. The book changes focus back and forth from high strategy to in-the-hedgerows accounts quickly enough that you don't get bored.

Of special note are the letters and poems written by men about to go into a battle.

[Guest Lokesa]

I'm 30 pages into the 1500 page "the rise and fall of the third reich" by Shirer and am already disagreeing with his personal opinions, and speculations

Don't believe I've read any Shirer before, we'll see what he's about.

[JWorthing]

Has anyone read A Thin Red Line?

It is fiction but James Jones does a real

good job of illustrating the horrors of war.

He also goes into explaining the psychology of combat soldiers very well...the transformation that goes within your mind from becoming a recruit to a vet.

There's this one part where mortars are falling all around them and it is really done well. You really feel the fear, the helplessness, you know? Very intense.

I've only read a few history texts but someone was asking about oral histories...

There is one I know of that you might like...

As soon as i get the title (from the library)

I'll post it...

[Los]

The Thin Red Line is one of the best Fiction War books ever written. (BTW, James Jones was a WW2 infantryman on Guadalcanal) It's realsitic, funny as hell, introspective etc etc etc. Too bad this fine book has been vomited all over by terence mallick (sp?) trying to remake it in his own image.

Los

[Rommel]

no kidding, i loved "the thin red line" book, but was disgusted at how bad the movie was, they said that terrance mallick hadn't made a movie in like 22 years prior to this, well i think he shouldn't make another one for another 22 years. And god don't let it be a war movie.

Personal favorite warbook, "the forgotten soldier"

[dumbo]

As others have mentioned "The forgotten Soldier" by Sajer is really good.

For fiction dont forget the "naked and the Dead" by mailer.

Out of period but for me one of the best war books ever is "Dispatches" by Micheal Herr, its about Vietnam but a helluva good book.

[Speedy]

SimonFox that Heaven and Hell sounds like a good book, you wouldn't happen to have the name of the publisher and/or ISBN number?

I quite enjoy reading the personal accounts of the common soldiers. One such book that sticks in mind is 'Stoker'can't recall the author (lent it to my brother a year ago and havn't seen it since). The book is written by a bloke who was in the 6th Div 2AIF. He was captured in either Greece or Crete, later escaped from a POW camp in northern Poland an was recaptured a couple of miles from the Swiss border. Under Gestapo interogation he wouldn't tell how he got his false papers (made in POW camp and were apparently very good). Because he wouldn't talk they sent him to Auschwitz-Birkenau(Sp?) for a year. His job was to stoke the fires used to burn the bodies of the dead and from what I read in the book the bodies of the living who collapsed while working there. Anyway that is just a brief synopsis of the book and I recommend it as it is a very good read.