One thing I noticed in Normandy Monty would use Canadians, New Zelanders, or other common wealth soldiers to weaken German positions the send in Brits for the big win. Has anyone else noticed that? Or am I off base here?
Young Winston, That Model was liked by Hitler makes me suspect his abilities as a commander. The Fuhrer prized loyalty above all other things, including competence. Model did help large amounts of troops escape the Falaise pocket when he took over from General Kluge. But his reaction to the British Paras at Arnhem could be described as unconciously comedic. Maybe better choices of German comanders would be Von Manstein, Rommel, Guderian and even some SS commanders such as Paul Hausser, Felix Steiner, Wilhelm Bittrich and Sylvester Stadler.
Del Boy, I do not believe anyone is worshipping Germany's WW 2 prowess. It would just be remiss to take such a naive view to suggest that because they took a thrashing and lost the war, we shouldn't take and use what was brilliant in their military doctrine. We must remember, the reason for Germany's brubbing can be traced back to the idiotic decisions of that madman Adolph Hitler, and not the military neccessarily. He bit off more than he could chew, let alone swallow.The constant worshipping of Germany's WW11 military prowess leaves me cold.
They called all the shots and lost every single one at the final count. To me that spells defeat, second best at best, humiliation at worst. So why not simply accept that they took a tremendous thrashing all around the wicket, as well as losing all respect by virtue of the regime they were so enthusiastically devoted to.
I consider that the Germany we see now does not need the white knuckle clinging to the reputation of such gigantic losers.
It seems to me that we now see the Germany which is a real winner in world leadership. No-one could be more delighted than me to have lived to see that success and to welcome it.
errol, I believe Model's expertise was his ability in rebuilding mauled and broken units and shoring up fronts which where near cracking. If I'm not mistaken he brought stability to the Eastern Front in May and June of 1944. But it appears he was of the school of no retreat. His un-elastic approach to defensive warfare would inevitably lead to more waste, ala Stalingrad. It appears to be an unrealistic position he shared with his Fuhrer. But I have only read of model's escapades quite a while ago. Would you suggest further reading.
Papashah 41 there was a Junior SS Battalion with many only in the their early teens in the Battle around Caen and this SS Battalion fought around the airfield that the Canadians were trying to take, when they were eventually over run there was just six survivors from this battalion. Also it should be remembered that out of the nine German Division in action opposing the allied landings six of these Germen Divisions were dug in and in depth opposite the British & Commonwealth lines. When the Americans made their break out they were opposed by three German Division, and no I am not knocking what the Americans did as we were all in the same fight. Still this is one of the reasons that it took the British & Commonwealth Forces so much longer to close the Falsie pocket as we had to fight far heavier defences.
Now if call a 700 tank advance peicemeal then what do you call a mass attack. Rommel and Montgomery were old foes since 1941. Now they faced off once again in Normandy. Operation Goodwood was the largest tank assault in the Normandy campaign, as over 700 tanks in three British armoured divisions attempted to bust out of the bocage country. After all, the objectives were only seven miles distant. Rommel, his forces armed with over 200 tanks including Tiger I and Tiger IIs, plus more than 75 dreaded 88mm guns, ripped apart Montgomery's plans. Soon the wheatfields ran red with blood and burned with hundreds of British tanks.
See the link for a report on the fighting
http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/tours/normandy/battle.html
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Max Hastings book "Overlord" backs up what you are saying Papa.
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