World War II Paperless Archives

To any historian, there's nothing quite like primary documents to get the heart pumping in excitement. Sometimes getting to those primary documents is a chore, especially when you're nowhere near any federal archive or library.

That's where it's handy to let someone else do the work. BACM Research - PaperlessArchives.com compiles a nice selection of World War II declassified government documents, all on a handy CD.

Here's just a small list of what you can find there:

• FBI files on Adolph Hitler
• Artwork done by U.S. Navy war artists for D-Day
• Winston Churchill correspondence 
• Military field manuals
• German U-Boat captured documents 

Prices range from around $10 per CD, and you can also purchase complete sets at a discount. No matter which way you look at it, it's a heck of a deal, and just might save you a trip to the National Archives.

Antony Beevor's The Second World War

Throughout his career, noted British historian Antony Beevor has certainly done his best to capture the truth of war. He's extensively covered the European side of the war, including Stalingrad, Berlin, and Paris following its liberation.

With the massive scope of World War II, however, Beevor certainly had his work cut out for him, yet there is no doubt that he delivered with The Second World War. It's mammoth, coming in at nearly 800 pages, and has a bibliography that's a treasure trove for any historian of World War II.

This is mostly a military history of the war rather than a social one, though Beevor includes fascinating tidbits from numerous points of view. Beevor starts with the first few months before the war in 1939, when Hitler was planning his invasion of Poland, and takes us all the way through to September 1945 and Japan's defeat.

Make no mistake about it - this is a dense book. But its chock full of details, battle tactics, personalities, and just about everything in between. Beevor devotes nearly equal time to both the European and Pacific Theaters of war. His prose isn't heavy or plodding, but highly readable. His writes of the common soldier, the politician, and the generals, weaving a solid narrative filled with tidbits of information that truly make history come alive. For example, when Hitler heard of the German surrender at Stalingrad, he apparently stared into his vegetable soup. One wonders what he saw.

Beevor's discussion of the Soviet war with Finland is particularly jarring, shedding light on a conflict that tends to disappear within the larger narrative of World War II. Likewise, he doesn't blink in describing the gruesome atrocities committed by the Japanese, Soviets, and Germans alike.

Don't be dissuaded by the thickness of this book. It's well worth your time, and though this may be a cliche to say, it belongs on every World War II historian's book shelf.

Christmas at the Front

"Sitting around a miniature Christmas tree and opening a Christmas package are (front row, left to right) S/Sgt. John F. Suchanek; and Pfc. Joseph G. Pierro; and (back row) Sgt. Charles M. Myrich; and Sgt. Leon L. Oben. All are members of F. A. Bn., 3rd Div. Pietramelara, Italy. December 16, 1943." - From the U.S. Army Center of Military History 

"Pfc. George E. Neidhardt, with 9th Army in Germany, opens a holiday package sent from his home. Dec 1944" - From the U.S. Army Center of Military History

WW2-era Christmas Card

Merry Christmas!

Remember Pearl Harbor

Veterans Day 2012

Thank you to all the veterans, past and present, who have served. 

Your sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Charles Schulz and World War II

The creator of the famous comic strip, Peanuts, once served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

This service forever changed his life, molding him from a shy young kid into a confident, strong man. His time in the army also served as material for many of his later comic strips. Charlie Brown epitomized Schulz's angst in basic training and Snoopy showed what it was like to be an infantryman in several D-Day tribute comics.

You can read all about Schulz and his WW2 experiences in my article feature in the December 2012 edition of America in WWII magazine, available on newsstands now!

Flight from Berlin by David John

I'm always very pleased when a first-rate World War II thriller shows up on the "New Releases" list, but I'm every more pleased when the book delivers on its intended promise.

Flight from Berlin by David John does just that.

Although the 1936 Berlin Olympics have been covered in fiction before (see Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver for another engrossing read), John's debut novel takes a slight twist in featuring one of the Olympic athletes as a main character. Spoiled and maybe  too keen on partying, Eleanor Emerson is an Olympic swimmer en route to the Olympics when she gets thrown off the team for getting drunk and dancing all night. She is then given the job of being a journalist covering the games, and she meets English journalist Richard Denham.

Denham has lived in Berlin for several years. His ex-wife and young son live in Britain. Denham has seen the seedy underbelly of Nazism and he senses there's a story to be found when he discovers that Hannah Liebermann, a talented fencer, is the only Jewish athlete on the German Olympic team. Further investigation reveals that the Nazis are threatening to harm Hannah's family if she doesn't participate.

Denham and Eleanor team up to uncover the story, and in the process, discover that Hannah's father has a dossier on Hitler that the head Nazis want back very badly. What they are willing to do to get it back puts Richard and Eleanor on a collision course with evil itself.

John places you right smack in Berlin in 1936, and his vivid, sensory descriptions and flawless narrative deliver a terrific read. Also enjoyable are his inclusions of a Zeppelin airship, the Hindenburg, real-life personages - Martha Dodd, daughter of U.S. Ambassador William Dodd, plays a major role - and spot-on historical detail.

I look forward to more great reads from David John, and highly recommend Flight from Berlin for its fast-paced action, gripping detail, and well-rounded characters.

*Disclosure. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes only.

John Huston Documentary: "Let There Be Light"

Post traumatic stress disorder was not given a name until sometime in the 1980s. But that didn't mean veterans returning from wars were not subject to psychological trauma.

Even in the 1940s, this trauma was recognized, but kept hush-hush. Renowned film director, John Huston, made a documentary on this subject in 1946. However, the U.S. Army blocked its release, and it was not revealed to the public until 1980. By that time, however, the quality of the film itself was in such bad shape that watching it was impossible.

Thanks to the National Archives, the film was fully restored and can be watched for a limited time at this link.

http://www.filmpreservation.org/preserved-films/screening-room/let-there-be-light-1946

This is a no-holds barred look at the psychological trauma suffered by World War II veterans, and further shows how we need to remember what these brave men and women went through. That the U.S. Army banned its release for so many years, however, is not only telling, but shameful.

Free Lectures on World War II

The Harvard University History Department and Extension School has now made it easier for you to learn about World War II without having to pay a dime.

Free video lectures (or audio - your preference) are now available through their website. Taught by Charles S. Maier, PhD, Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History, Harvard University, this course begins with the end of World War I and goes all the way through to the origins of the Cold War.

Here is the full link:

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/open-learning-initiative/world-war-history

Enjoy!

The Sentinels: Fortunes of War

Gordon Zuckerman's first book in his Sentinels trilogy, Fortunes of War, starts off a unique series that focuses on the Six Sentinels, six graduates - men and women - of an elite California economic doctoral program in the 1930s who uncover a plot by German industrialists to finance the Third Reich by squirreling away hundreds of millions in illegal war profits. 

It's an intriguing premise, to be sure, but it starts off a little slow. The pace picks up somewhat and Zuckerman delivers on the promised action and suspense. The six main characters - the sentinels - each have excellent connections both financially and through their families, making it possible for them to infiltrate the upper echelons of European society. Danger dogs their every step, however, as they try to stop the outbreak of World War II. 


Zuckerman knows his stuff, and well he should considering he is a graduate of Harvard Business School. He's also studied banking, international finance, and history, making him the perfect candidate to tell this story. It's definitely a different story than the typical World War II fare and should find a ready audience.

The Hidden Legacy of World War II

We tend to think of those who served in World War II as the "Greatest Generation." And in many ways, they were. But when we hear those words, we don't think of alcoholism. We don't think of post traumatic stress disorder. We don't think of nightmares and flashbacks. We don't think of what happened to those soldiers who came back from the war after the parades and thank you's.

We have perpetuated a myth, and that myth is this: that soldiers of World War II returned home from war, resumed their normal lives, and never had any problems.

This is not a myth for some. There were those who adjusted to civilian life just fine. But for too many, this was not the case, and for too long, we have ignored their stories.

In The Hidden Legacy of World War II: A Daughter's Journey of Discovery, Carol Schultz Vento gives us an intimate, in-depth look at the deep emotional and psychological wounds suffered by combat veterans of the war. Her father, immortalized in the 1960 movie, The Longest Day, was Arthur "Dutch" Schultz, a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day.

Growing up, Carole suffered through her father's drinking, his inability to hold down a job, and the endless fights between him and her mother. Little did she know that several other children of World War II combat veterans were suffering the same fate. Yet no one talked about it, least of all the veterans themselves. The U.S. Army told many of them they were suffering such emotional turmoil because they'd "had a difficult childhood" or were "psychologically weak." No one seemed to understand, or wanted to understand. Some soldiers tried to relieve the constant pain through dramatic means like lobotomies. Others used alcohol and drugs. Still others committed suicide.

Yet we do not hear about this side of the war. We have sanitized World War II and in doing so, we have turned these men into something they're not - supermen. Are they heroes? Unquestionably. But they are also human, and their suffering is very real.

Though not nearly as many studies have been done on World War II veterans and PTSD as have been done on Vietnam veterans and the wars of today, Vento has done her research, and it shows in her well-written narrative. We read of a daughter's frustration and fear, insecurity and helplessness, all emotions experienced by several other children of World War II veterans as documented in Vento's book.

It's a powerful book and can and should be read in conjunction with Thomas Childers' work on the subject, Soldier from the War Returning: The Greatest Generation's Troubled Homecoming from World War II. 

As William Tecumseh Sherman said, "War is hell." Yes, even World War II, the "Good War" was hell. We must never forget this. For many WWII combat vets, they've continued to endure the hell of war for more than sixty years. While we must continue to honor them, we also must continue to chip away at the myth of the stoic warrior who was unaffected by the horrors of war. We do them a disservice when we refuse to acknowledge the post-war difficulties they endured, and they do not deserve that. Instead, they deserve our thanks, our gratitude, and most importantly, our acceptance of their humanness.
_____________

For more information or to read other stories of children of the Greatest Generation, visit Daughters of D-Day, a site started by Carol and another daughter of a D-Day veteran.

68th Anniversary of D-Day

"Crossed rifles in the sand are a comrade's tribute to this American soldier who sprang ashore from a landing barge and died at the barricades of Western Europe. This picture was made by a Coast Guard Combat Photographer who went in with the invaders of France." - Source, WWII Archives

The Invasion of France began on this day 68 years ago. It has been documented in films like The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan. But no one will ever be able to accurately depict the horror of charging up those beaches. Only the brave men themselves who partook in this historic moment will ever know the truth of those seconds, those minutes, those hours of fighting.

But we must remember them, both those who died and those who lived. Both made sacrifices. Both endured terror. All of them deserve our respect and our gratitude. 

Website Review: WWII Archives

If you're looking for an absolute treasure trove of historical documents, photographs, and lots and lots of other information on World War II, the WWII Archives website should be a required stop on your World War II research journey.

Shortly after the landings on the French coast, two Yanks make friends with the younger element. In most cases, the Armies of Liberation met with overwhelming receptions from the civilian population. France. 9 June 1944.

Their mission statement reads as follows:

"Sixty years have past since the end of World War II and, as time goes on, the commitment and sacrifice of the greatest generation is being forgotten. Over 400,000 Americans died and by some estimates almost 80 million people from around the world died. A chapter in a history book cannot help someone understand the magnitude of this event in history. WWII Archives was founded to ensure that the commitments, sacrifices and the lessons learned from the most import event in modern history are never forgotten. Our mission is to bring together the most information, documents, photographs and video about World War II into a single site. WWII Archives will present information to researchers, historians and enthusiasts in a single and consistent interface to make researching the most important event in modern history easier."

Their photograph collection contain numerous images that have rarely been seen, both from the Pacific and European Theaters of War, and their documents collection includes actual images of U.S. ship diaries. Other documents include German code books, radio intelligence summaries, war diaries, and action reports.

Battle histories that include photographs, a list of casualties, maps, investigations, and summaries are also incredibly well done.

If you have a moment or an hour or ten, you can easily get sucked into the wonderful content on this site. It's well worth whatever time you invest in it, then some.

Remembering...

World War II combat artist Ed Reep painted this picture the morning after 17 men were killed on the beachhead at Anzio, Italy. He was very fortunate that he was not among them.

The ingenious men of the U.S. Army had dug a movie theater into the ground to avoid the shells lobbed at them by the Germans. That night, Reep decided to stay in his foxhole rather than go to Bing Crosby's Going My Way. While he was in his foxhole, a German 155mm shell landed between his foxhole and the theater. He heard screams of agony, and, already terrified, tried to pull himself together to go help. A second shell struck and he stayed put.

The next morning, haunted by the experience and wondering if he could ever paint again, he made a decision. He decided to paint right then and there.

This painting is called The Morning After. "It depicted dazed soldiers stripped to the waist and emotionless, gathering up the remnants of clothing and equipment for the fallen men and stacking it in neat piles," Reep said.

Art has the power to show us reality in all its many facets. Reep's painting shows not only the physical tragedy of war, but the emotional tragedy on the human being.

Many veterans, past and present, lived with those emotional scars. And far, far too many soldiers died a physical death. Both sacrificed. And on Memorial Day, both must be remembered.

What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown?

Charles Schulz is famous for creating the beloved cartoon, Peanuts. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Linus, Marcy, and of course, Snoopy, have become icons throughout the world.

But what many people might not know is that Charles Schulz served in World War II as a staff sergeant. He was in Europe with the Twentieth Armored Division after D-Day and saw combat.

The war affected him deeply, and it appeared in his cartoon strips in various ways. But in 1983, he created a short cartoon called What Have We Learned, Charlie Brown? that was a tribute to the soldiers of World War I and World War II.

In the (too) short cartoon, Charlie Brown, Linus, Marcy, and Peppermint Patty, along with Snoopy, are in France as exchange students. While headed for the coast of Normandy, they take a wrong turn, and end up right near Omaha Beach. When Linus realizes where they are, he recalls the lessons he learned about D-Day and the Allied invasion and shares them with the other children. Real footage is blended within the cartoon to create an intriguing piece of art that manages to show the bold sacrifice and courage of that day without being frightening for the children's audience it was intended for.

As the kids explore the American cemetery, Dwight Eisenhower's voice emerges, discussing the Allies' fight for freedom against the tyranny of the Axis' powers. The next day, the kids end up in a field filled with poppies, and Linus recites the poem "In Flanders Field" by John McRae. Red poppies cover this particular cemetery that is filled with the fallen from World War I, and the words are haunting.

It is at the end of this poem that Linus turns to Charlie Brown and says, "What have we learned, Charlie Brown?"

The question is never answered, and this makes the short film all the more powerful. It is a question for children and adults, and it is one that is open-ended for a reason.

What have we learned?

Wartime Newsreels Online

The University of South Carolina has put a terrific resource online - the Fox Movietone Newsreels from 1942 to 1944.

From the website:

“Fox Movietone News: the War Years, 1942 – 1944,” a collaboration between the University of South Carolina and the Library of Congress, provides online access for the first time to over two hundred Fox Movietone News newsreels released in American theaters from September 1942 through August 1944. Before the era of television news broadcasts, newsreels were shown in theaters across the country to inform and entertain audiences. During the war, two newsreels per week were released by each of the five major American newsreel companies (Fox Movietone News, Universal News, Hearst News of the Day, Paramount News, and Pathé News).

These 8 to 10 minute Fox Movietone News newsreels record how the world appeared on screen to the American public during the war. As a whole, the collection helps us better understand how the war was waged on the home front. The films reveal a concerted effort to sustain a sense of “normalcy” in America even as war ravaged much of the globe. Battlefield victories (and losses) were interspersed with beauty pageants and ball games. But even when light-hearted news dominated much of a newsreel, the war was an inescapable reality."

Amazing stuff.

"My Dear Little Boys..." A Christmas Letter

Marine 1st Lt. Leonard Isaacks was serving in the Pacific during World War II when he wrote this Christmas letter to his two young sons. He not only captures the spirit of the season, but beautifully communicates why he was fighting.

Title: HEADQUARTERS 5TH MARINE DIVISION


December 17th, 1944

My dear little boys:


I am writing to you today, just a week before Christmas eve, in the hope that you will get this little note at Christmas time. All of this coming week will be holidays, and I can just imagine the fun you will be having, especially when you know that it is just a few days before Santa Claus will be coming. If it were possible, I would like to come down the chimney myself and crawl right in to your stocking, wouldn't that be a surprise? I would enjoy it even more than you, but since your Dad is far away and Santa Claus has the only reindeers that will fly through the air, I'm afraid we will have to let Santa Claus use them. After all he has so many places to go in such a short time.

I won't be able to give you a Christmas present personally this year, but I do want you to know that I think of you all the time and feel very proud of the way you have been helping your Mother while I am gone. I know that it is only natural for young, healthy and strong boys like you are to want to play and have fun all of the time; but I do want you to think about helping Mummie, because it is hard for her to do everything while I am gone. I know that you would like to give me a Xmas present too, so I will tell you what you can do, and this will be your Xmas present to me. Everyday ask Mummie if there are any errands that you can do for her, and when there are errands to run, say, "sure Mummie" and give her a big smile; then during the day go up to your room and look around, if there are toys scattered all around, or you left some of your clothes on the floor, pick them up; also, when Mummie is busy trying to clean up the house, don't leave her by herself, but ask Mummie if you can help take care of baby sister. If you do those things for me, that will be the finest Xmas present that you could give me. Oh yes, and CC, are you eating your meals like a real man now?

Well my boys, I guess you often wonder why people fight and have wars, and why lots of daddies have to be away at Xmas time fighting, when it would be so much nicer to be at home. That's a hard question to answer. But, you see, some countries like Japan and Germany, have people living in them, just like some people you and I know. Those people want to tell everybody what they can do and what they can't do. No one likes to be told how to live their life. I know that you wouldn't like it if one of the boys in the neighborhood tried to tell you what church you should go to, what school you should go to and particularly if that boy would always be trying to "beat up" some smaller or weaker boy. You wouldn't like it, would you? And, unfortunately the only way to make a person like that stop these sort of things, or a country like Japan or Germany, is to fight them and beat them... and teach them that being a bully (because after all, that's what they are) is not the way to live and that we won't put up with it. What does all of this mean to you? Just simply this, my boys, Dad doesn't want you to ever be a bully, I want you to always fight against anyone who tries to be one; I want you to always help the smaller fellow, or the little boy who may not be as strong as you; I want you to always share what you have with the other fellow; and above all, my boys have courage, have courage to do the things that you think are right. Never be afraid to fight for what you think is right. To do those things, you need a strong body and a brave heart; never run away from someone you may be afraid of; if you do, you will always feel ashamed of yourself and before long you will find it so easy to run away from the things that you should stand up and fight against. If you and lots of other boys try to do the things that Dad has been talking about in this letter, it may be that people will not have to fight wars in the years to come and then all of the Daddies in this world will be home for Christmas and that is where they belong. Perhaps, some of the things that I have been talking about,... you don't quite understand, if you don't, Mummie will explain them to you, as she knows......


A Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year... God Bless you,


Daddy


Lt. Isaacks was killed two months later on Iwo Jima. But his spirit lives on.

Thanks to the National World War II Museum for posting this letter and accompanying picture.

Review: The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

Sometimes, a book is so beautifully written that you love the writing just as much as you love the story. That was the case with Margaret Leroy's unforgettable novel, The Soldier's Wife.

Set in the small island of Guernsey just after the German occupation, this novel shares the journey of Vivienne de la Mare, mother of two girls, and wife to a husband fighting in the British army. Life changes for everyone on the island with the arrival of the Germans, but Vivienne has to put up with a group of German officers living right next door. It's not a situation she ever would have wanted, but it's made worse when she finds herself inexplicably attracted to one of the officers named Gunther.

In the midst of shortages and restrictions, Vivienne tries to keep her household going. Her fourteen-year-old daughter, Blanche, is blossoming into a woman and her five-year-old daughter, Millie, is precocious and adventurous. Also in Vivienne's care is her mother-in-law who, unfortunately, is in the beginning stages of Alzheimers.

Against her better judgment, Vivenne starts an affair with Gunther. The two have their own island within the confines of Vivienne's bedroom. Here, the war does not touch them. This is their sanctuary. And finally, Vivienne finds the love she never had.

But Gunther is the enemy, and fraternizing with said enemy is not to be tolerated. Vivenne lives in fear that her secret will be unearthed, but it's made all the more so when she begins to clandestinely help one of the slave laborers on the island. His fate will be inextricably tied with the fate of Vivenne and Gunther's relationship.

Most intriguing about this novel is how we view our enemy. During World War II, propaganda made sure that our enemies were demonized, and made to look less than human. And in some cases, they were less than human - the Holocaust and the atrocities committed by the Japanese are testament to this. But there were good people on both sides trying their best to survive.

Is there ever a point when a relationship with the enemy is permissible? That is the question that The Soldier's Wife seeks to answer. 

Leroy's beautiful descriptions of Guernsey and her lilting, poetic language make this a pleasure to read. But it is Leroy's portrayal of the human struggle to shift and bend with the changing times of war that make it a must-read.

70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

To all the men who lost their lives that day...we remember you.

Veterans Day 2011

Thank you, to all veterans, past, present and future. You gave us hope. You gave us honor. You gave us freedom.

God bless you.