Author Topic: Whats the best WW2 non-fiction book you've read ?? (Read 1637 times)

Gixer · « **Reply #45 on:** September 07, 2002, 10:05:08 PM »

My favourite by far is:

From Omaha To The Scheldt the story of 47 Royal Marine Commando

Mainly because this is my Uncles Commando and he's mentioned a number of times in this book. Also my cousin was in the same Commando and is now serving in the Special Boat Squadron.

...-Gixer
The Horse Soldiers

Saurdaukar · « **Reply #46 on:** September 08, 2002, 04:47:33 PM »

"JG26 Top Guns of the Luftwaffe"

Moose1 · « **Reply #47 on:** September 08, 2002, 05:40:50 PM »

Most of my favorites have gotten mentioned already--"Samurai!", "JG26", "The Longest Day", and "Blood, Tears, and Folly". "Enemy at the Gates" is also pretty good.

Two others that have stuck with me, but I don't remember all the details about them: A book I read several times when I was a kid, called "Iron Coffins." I don't recall the author's name, but he served on five different U-boats from 1939-1945 and was one of the very few captains to survive the war. Awesome book, it really shows the terror and claustrophobia of life on a U-boat.

The other one was a book about the attack and sinking of the USS Indianapolis. I'm damned if I can remember the title, though.

It was a good read, that much I do remember.

I just got through reading David Frasier's biography of Erwin Rommel, "Knight's Cross." Get it if you're into Rommel at all. It's astounding what Rommel did with the Afrika Korps before he met his match in Montgomery--and Rommel's WW I exploits were pretty impressive too.

AKSWulfe · « **Reply #48 on:** September 08, 2002, 10:21:18 PM »

Fighter Pilot's Summer by Norman Franks & Wing Cmdr Paul Richey

The American Airman in Europe by Roger A. Freeman.

Red Tails Black Wings by John B. Holway.

WWI:
Over The Battlefronts by Peter Kilduff (he has Richtofen book that is also good)

Lafayette Escadrille by Herbert Molloy Mason Jr.
-SW

greentail · « **Reply #49 on:** September 08, 2002, 10:37:02 PM »

Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut. Sort of non-fiction anyway, but based on reality. A great protrayal of what it was like to be under that carpet bombing. Oops, sorry. Strategic bombing with the Norden "Bomb in a pickle barrel" bombsight.

BGBMAW · « **Reply #50 on:** September 09, 2002, 12:23:13 PM »

Moose..Iron Coffins was written by Herbert Wener....

excellent book

Opening scene....

They are going out on his firts patrol...just a test run...

Dive DivE....Dive!!!!!!!!!

OHHH mY GOD WEa re TAKING on WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are sinking........OH MY GOD we are going to die on a our first run!!!!!!!!!!!

They hit the bottom of the ocean.."LUKY the were in shallow water!!!!!!!!!!!

OK..who left the wrench in the exahust valves of the diesls!!!!!!!!!

The valve got jammed open!!!!!!!!!!

They surived...but ...That is one hell of a way to start a tour!!!!!!!

poor--Poor..U boat sailors:(

BiGB
xoxo

Soulyss · « **Reply #51 on:** September 09, 2002, 01:12:01 PM »

To Fly and To Fight. Been mentioned before but it's a great read, not just WW2 but well worth it. Col. Anderson has led an amazing life. He incidently was NOT Yeagers wingman as some people have heard. Anderson and Yeager were both flight leaders the only time they flew wing was on their final mission where the went for a joyride and buzzed just about everything in France and Spain.

Also I enjoyed

Fire In The Sky by Eric Bergerud, in depth historically analysis of the war in the south pacific... very dry reading but very informative, I couldn't fly through it like I've done with other books but I picked away at it for a few weeks and I'm glad I did.

Curval · « **Reply #52 on:** September 09, 2002, 01:17:18 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Mathman
I know some of the history snobs scoff at his work, but I kind of enjoy Stephen Ambrose's books. I really liked his book on D-Day. Though they are not as in depth as some of the other books out there, the y are veryreadable, something i look for when reading about the land war (some of that crap is very boring to me). I really enjoyed the section about the 2nd Rangers and Point du Hoc. Those guys were straight out studs.

I like Ambose too...which is why I bought The Wild Blue. But it was about as "wild" as a church group outing.

He is starting to use his name and reputation to sell crap IMHO (in a very Stephen King kinda way).

Wanker · « **Reply #53 on:** September 09, 2002, 03:30:30 PM »

"The Rising Sun" by John Toland.

An engrossing look at WWII from the Japanese viewpoint. My favorite part of the book is the description of the Battle of Guadalcanal. The hardships the Japanese soldiers endured during their time on Guadalcanal is amazing.

Dune · « **Reply #54 on:** September 09, 2002, 06:07:40 PM »

War Diary of Helmut Liepfert - By Helmut Liepfert (sp), 200+ kill ace on the Eastern Front. He flew with JG 52

A Bridge Too Far

Six Armies at Normandy

To Fly and Fight - Bud Anderson

No End Save Victory: Perspectives on World War II - Collection of short stories. From the Poles' defense at the beginning to an interview with a kamakazi pilot who survived his attack run during Leyte Gulf.

Soldier - Guy Sajer, infantryman on the Eastern Front.

And there is another book written by a platoon leader who landed in Italy and fought there. But I can't remember the name.

senna · « **Reply #55 on:** September 09, 2002, 06:14:19 PM »

Jolly Rogers is my favorite but if you read that then you must also read BaaBaa Blacksheep as that book is really in terms of events and warzone a precurser to Jolly Rogers within span of a month as VF-17 came on station in the Solomans, Boyington went missing in action.

Funny, read alot of books on war but I also know alot of people who have experienced it in two different armies. Its basically the same, you do what your told and sometimes you dont like it and it gets you killed. War is HELL. What I get from these books is the story of these young men and who they are and how they did things when they were young. Not how many kills or how they were heros or whatever. In real life, I pick my friends the same.