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Bob Slaughter

Today I read the sad news that Bob Slaughter died. I have met Bob in 2005 in Bedford at the D-Day…See More
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april-june 1945 | the ryukyu islands: the final step to japan

OKINAWA: THE FORGOTTEN BATTLE

A Reexamination of the Japanese Capitulation in 1945

By SCOTT LYONS   

The Battle for Okinawa, long over-shadowed amidst the vast chronicle of the Second World War, was the single-most crucial engagement of the War in the Pacific. This epic struggle, nearest to the home islands of Japan, and the closest among all previous Pacific engagements, became “The Rising Sun’s” last opportunity and hope of stopping the Allied forces from entering the mainland – epitomizing for Japan, the term: “total war.” Japanese citizens – young children, old men, even women – were prepared to fight alongside the remaining two-million Japanese soldiers in the event of an Allied invasion of the home islands. That apocalyptic-like scenario, for either adversary, failed to materialize. Saving hundreds of thousands of lives, some historians even suggest millions,  for both sides from the carnage of war in Japan was the largest land-sea-air battle in history – the Battle for Okinawa.


The Allies achieved victory on Okinawa in June of 1945. Six weeks later Japan surrendered – the war was finally over. But what had transpired between 1 April and Japanese Emperor Hirohito’s surrender message to his people on 15 August? Much had happened – the largest land-air-sea battle in history occurred. Mankind entered the nuclear age forever with the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan; the first on Hiroshima (6 August ‘45) and the second on Nagasaki (9 August ’45), both incinerating thousands of Japanese civilians. The Soviet Union renounced its pact of non-aggression (the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact) with Japan and invaded Manchuria on 9 August 1945 – thereby creating the potential for the largest pincer movement in military history – save for the Sea of Japan.

» Full story |
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 »"With the Old Breed"

The World at war in june

Normandy, France: 6 June 1944 D-Day: The Landings at Normandy » 'D-Day' is widely regarded as the pivotal moment and turning point for the Allies during the War in Europe. The images of Allied troops disembarking from Higgins boats onto the beaches of Normandy earns its place at the top of the many iconic images from World War II.  Full Story and video



Midway Atoll, Pacific Ocean: 6 June 1942  The Battle of Midway »
The Midway Atoll, northwest of Hawaii would see one of the most important naval battles of the second world war. The Japanese Imperial Navy had just four carriers instead of eight, due to the invasion of the Aleutian Islands and two carriers in repair from the Battle of the Coral Sea.  Full Story and video



Caen, France: 6 June 1944
The Battle for Caen »
The Battle for Caen would last from the 6th of June until the 6th of August 1944. Allied involvement featured troops from Canada and Great Britain. General Montgomery was the key commander for the Allies while Field Marshal Erwin Rommel led his eight Panzer divisions in defense of the city.  Full Story

 


The Philippine Sea: 20 June 1944  Battle of the Philippine Sea » 
The US Fifth Fleet, led by Admiral Spruance was ordered By Admiral Nimitz to protect the invasion force at Saipan. The battle, often referred to as the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot” was not only one of the more lopsided naval battles in history, but was also unique in that the American and Japanese fleets in the engagement never saw each other.  Full Story


The Island of Okinawa: 22 June 1945  The Battle of Okinawa ends »
The battle for Okinawa was the last island battle of the War in the Pacific before the tragic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. In terms of losses it was also the costliest with 12,281 Americans and 110,000 Japanese fighters killed. Tragically more than 100,000 Okinawan civilians lost their lives during the three month long battle. Full Story

» The Month of May

Forum

Rugged mountains yield hundreds of WWII-era plane crashes of lost "Hump Airmen"

Started by Randy Gann in LATEST NEWS May 24. 0 Replies

 Nothing James Browne learned in flight school prepared him for “The Hump,” a  perilous, Himalayan no-man’s land that became a graveyard for hundreds of  fearless WWII-era fliers who battled Japanese fighters, impossible weather and a  supply route…Continue

Tags: india, japan, burma, china, the

M-36B1 "Jackson" Tank Destroyer 1/35 scale model

Started by David Nemeyer in WAR IN EUROPE. Last reply by Scott Lyons May 13. 2 Replies

When the allies landed in Europe they brought with them the best armor they had at the time to do battle with the Panzer Divisions and their lethal Panther, Tiger I, and King Tiger tanks.  They quickly learned how outgunned their own armor was…Continue

M4A1 Sherman

Started by David Nemeyer in LATEST NEWS May 5. 0 Replies

This is an older 1/35 scale Italeri kit of an M4A1 Sherman that I modeled a few months back after it has been sitting on my shelf un-built since the early 1990s. Not my finest work by any means as I missed a few details because the kit was over 20…Continue

Oregon Paratrooper's remains found in the Netherlands

Started by David Nemeyer in WAR IN EUROPE May 2. 0 Replies

I found this article in the local news paper this morning about an 82nd Airborne Paratrooper who died during Market Garden and how his remains were recently unearthed by a Dutch farmer.  It is one of those classic stories of a family that never was…Continue

Air Corps Training Base early war photo of part of the flightline

Started by David Nemeyer in ARMY AIR CORPS May 2. 0 Replies

Found this old, unmarked photo in a randomly mixed box of family photos, so we are not sure if it is one of my dad's uncles or my grandfather on my mom's side.  Both served in the Army Air Corps, but my guess is that this is likely my grandfathers;…Continue

Invasion of Guam

Started by David Nemeyer in USMC. Last reply by David Nemeyer May 17. 6 Replies

Good afternoon,I am new to this page and would like to commend all of you for such a wonderful adventure in the history of our world.  My grandfather's brother was killed during the invasion of Guam and with that there is a deep hole in our family…Continue

 
 
 

WWII NEWS: THE TELEGRAPH

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"in the company of heroes"

Dr. Guy LoFaro Lectures on the 82nd Airborne Division's Contribution during WWII

By SCOTT LYONS

Historian and author Guy LoFaro, former West Point professor and alumnus, recently presented to a full audience at the North Atlanta-area independent bookseller ‘Acworth Bookstore’ on the research behind his 2011 book 
The Sword of St. Michael: The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II.
 Full Story»

 

"With the Old Breed" Conversations of Wartime with a WWII-era US Marine

By SCOTT LYONS

I had the recent privilege of listening to World War II history first-hand from Mr. and Mrs. H. Paul Bailey, through in-person interviews. Paul was a U.S. Marine from 1943 to 1946, who fought in the same division, 1st Marine Division (3/7), on Okinawa as Eugene Sledge (3/5), author of
With the Old Breed and subject of HBO’s
The Pacific.
 Full story »

 

top wwii documentaries

Updated! From the website: "Lost Airmen of Buchenwald is a documentary that chronicles the little-known story of Allied airmen imprisoned at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp in the waning months of World War II. In the summer of 1944, 168 airmen from the US, England, Canada and other Allied countries were captured in Paris by the German Gestapo and sent to the ...   Read more »     

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