Hitler - the nitty gritty

[Erwin]

(From WeBOB)

http://hipsterhitler.com/2010/08/ironic-invasion/

[Erwin]

Nevermind, I see this cartoon already featured here elsewhere.

[undead reindeer cavalry]

not so far from reality, considering how Hitler cancelled the original invasion of Poland at the very last moment and how he believed the invasion would not trigger a world war (not a big deal enough for allies).

[Sergei]

not so far from reality, considering how Hitler cancelled the original invasion of Poland at the very last moment and how he believed the invasion would not trigger a world war (not a big deal enough for allies).

Also, like any true Emo, Hitler made a suicide attempt (although successful)...

[undead reindeer cavalry]

Also, like any true Emo, Hitler made a suicide attempt (although successful)...

lol. also an artist wannabe.

[Erwin]

Ah what a great painter Hitler was... An entire house in a day, and TWO COATS!

(credit to The Producers)

Seriously tho' Hitler had good evidence that GB and France were weak. They didn't do anything when he invaded Austria and Czechoslovakia...

[undead reindeer cavalry]

Ah what a great painter Hitler was... An entire house in a day, and TWO COATS!

(credit to The Producers)

he should have sticked to painting dogs and vases with flowers.

Seriously tho' Hitler had good evidence that GB and France were weak. They didn't do anything when he invaded Austria and Czechoslovakia...

it may have been more important to him that his own position in Germany was getting weak. getting some sleep would have helped as well.

Overy has written a nice small book called "1939 - the countdown to war". it contains nothing really special, but it's a nice light reading about the last hours (days) before the war. a really short book, so nobody should buy it unless there's some compelling need to.

a real eye opener is Tooze's "wages of destruction". anyone interested in WW2 should read that excellent book.

[Michael Emrys]

a real eye opener is Tooze's "wages of destruction". anyone interested in WW2 should read that excellent book.

I second the recomendation...although one could have an interest in WW II without necessarily caring much about this book (if, say, their interest was mainly in the Pacific area [although that raises the question of why they would be reading this thread]).

Michael

[Cuirassier]

"a real eye opener is Tooze's "wages of destruction". anyone interested in WW2 should read that excellent book."

I remember flipping through this book at the library not too long ago but haven't taken the time to actually read it yet. Care to elaborate as to why it was an eye-opener?

[undead reindeer cavalry]

I remember flipping through this book at the library not too long ago but haven't taken the time to actually read it yet. Care to elaborate as to why it was an eye-opener?

simply put it explains the Nazi rationale, the strategic political-economical realities and difficulties, behind many of their big decisions. it answers many fundamental questions most books don't even try to answer. there's too much to summarize, so i recommend you read some Amazon reviews (or similar) to get an idea.

[undead reindeer cavalry]

I second the recomendation...although one could have an interest in WW II without necessarily caring much about this book (if, say, their interest was mainly in the Pacific area [although that raises the question of why they would be reading this thread]).

Michael

i have to agree. besides theatres not directly related to Nazi Germany, there are also a lot of people who are mostly (if not solely) interested in the battles, equipment and such. Wages is most likely not interesting to them, as it does not deal with such subjects.

yet in a sense it may offer some pleasurable extra depth even to people who are "only" interested in something like the StuG and it's daily usage at and around the front. knowing what it took to build that machine etc adds a whole new layer to it all.

[Michael Emrys]

I think the great value of Tooze's book is that it elucidates the interrelations between German society, economy, grand strategy, policy, and the individual personalities that enacted and carried it out. While strictly military matters are considered, they are only a part of the equation. That Tooze is able to do all this in a book that is that is actually pleasant to read rather than ponderous and tedious is little short of a true miracle.

Michael

[undead reindeer cavalry]

yeah. i agree. totally. i wish you would post replies to all my posts, making my looney sh*t sound rational, sound and all.

[Michael Emrys]

...making my looney sh*t sound rational, sound and all.

You don't ask for much, do you?

Michael