[WarInEur] History of WW II

[Karl Gaarsoe]

OK, no politics, but...

History is VERY poorly taught in our (American) Schools. 

And some things are still very controversial, on the Radio this morning (OK, NPR) there was a story about how Arkansas ("Always low wages, always") was going to have a new 7th/8th grade semester of (on) State History, replacing a semester of World History.  

As for WWII, well, it's not so much give the Germans a break, as a basic difference of opinion.  Everyone on this list should read David M. Glantz, the Historiography of the Eastern Front (Exact Title? or something like that);  It used to be on the Foreign Military Studies (Fort Leavanworth) web site. 

http://leav-www.army.mil/fmso/documents/failures.htm

OK, this isn't the exact work I had in mind, but a nice starting point.

Basically, the German Version got here first, and is embedded in most English language accounts of the War.  COL Glantz, following up on the work of John Erickson, had done a tremendous job of filling in many of the gaps in the English Language literature, but the popular tone is set.  You can go into any chain bookstore or Public Library and find at least one of the three main (German) sources from which we still derive our impressions of the war. 

Hey, look at the Optional Counters in BWiE;  All those "Optional" 7-10/6-10 Motorized divisions (You did read the rules and realize that they were a REPLACEMENT (Individually) for 8-8 PzG didn't you?), plus some other useful stuff.   120+  optional German counters, plus the Axis Minors, etc. 

OK, we did get a few 8-8 and 9-8 Guards Tank Corps for the Russians.  I still say if the SS rate as 13-8, the (Russian) 1944 Guards Mechanized Corps should also rate as 13-8.  I'm not sure if the 4-8 Mcz Cavalry are particularly worthwhile.
(What are the Production coasts?)

The Basic Soviet OB is an early 1970's impression of the Soviet Army in 1941;  With a few add ons to carry it through the (Board) War in the East Campaign Game.

Yes, the basic force structure (June 22, 1941) is "correct";  But the simulation of the evolution and Mobilization of the Russian (Soviet) army leaves a great  deal to be desired.

(OK, one of my personal hobby horses, where is the Cavalry?).

Later, what is Victory?

Karl Gaarsoe


 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.halisp.net/pipermail/warineur/attachments/20071106/745fd5db/attachment.html