If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
Steve Hix wrote in message ...
In article , (Lisakbernacchia) wrote: WW II in Westeren Europe began on D-day Before that it was just a load of inefffective feints I would love to see you tell a veteran of Crete/Greece, Italy etc that the campaigns they were involved in were ineffective feints. Italy (in particular the Battles of Cassino) drew a large number of crack German troops away from France etc (some of these troops had served in Stalingrad, so clearly were experienced by this time), and had the effect of keeping the Germans occupied. The Allies also learned a lot from Anzio (ie how to not conduct a seaborne landing), and after Crete the Allies also learned not to stage an airborne invasion in broad daylight. Crete was almost a victory for the Allies - they surrendered because they had lost communications, so were not aware that they had the upper hand. If the battles in Italy did not take place, then the Germans would have directed their troops & other resources elsewhere - to wait for an invasion from England perhaps? I am not saying that Cassino was not stupid - any person with half a brain could stand at the various cemeteries around Cassino (all of which have a view of the monastery) and draw their own conclusions as to Mark Clark's ability to conduct a military campaign (count the crosses - 4300 in the Commonwealth Cemetary alone, including my great uncle and my grandfather's best friend). I just feel that you do The US 5th Army (which included Poles, Indians, Ghurkas, British, Canadian & New Zealand soldiers) a great disservice by stating that the Italian campaign was an ineffective feint - Rome taken before D-Day, 20,000 Germans dead, and the German Army pre-occupied with holding the Gothic line until the war ended. Furthermore, I haven't even mentioned the Dambusters Raid (clearly ineffective - the Ruhr dams bombed and destroyed, German steel production put back 6 months.....), and the Battle of the Atlantic (to destroy German shipping and U-Boat activity). |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
What is a nth Generation fighter? | Tom Nealon | Military Aviation | 64 | December 17th 03 10:18 PM |
Joint Russian-French 5th generation fighter? | lihakirves | Military Aviation | 1 | July 5th 03 01:36 AM |