WW2 Naval Warfare

It made the war a mobile battle field!

Between the armed forces, navy, and air force, about 13 million American men and women served in WW2 (450,000 died, 950,000 were injured).

The First World War, from 1914 to 1918, was trench warfare, while the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945 was not. During WW2, the fighting was in the open countryside, with mobility and lots of movement. Soldiers only "dug in" below ground level when they stopped for the night, to give themselves protection from artillery or mortar rounds. By being below ground level, they were protected against anything except a direct hit on their small hole in the ground. A trench is a long narrow linear excavation that could run for miles, and be occupied by hundreds of men. Trench warfare died in ww2 with the early success of the Germans new form of mobile and combined arms(Air and Ground) warfare. Fixed positions were simply bypassed or attacked from the rear or the air by paratroopers/glidertroops. Limited trenches were used during the Italion campaign when the Germans used trenches and fighting positions to tie in fortified positions along the Gustav Line (Monte Cassino). The weather was terribly cold and men ,from both sides, were found frozen to death in their fighting positions. As in ww1 disease was rampant with the flooding of the lower area and typhoid was rampant with those who weren't vaccinated. Add to this a lack of clean drinking water or proper sanitation, rats, lice, filthy uniforms and living conditions. These conditions affected men on both sides. One only has to feel the North Atlantic Wind coming across the Atlantic ocean in the winter time along the Belgium and French Coast to imagine the severity of the cold and storms in the trenches along the Atlantic Wall. == == Trenches where STILL used in the WORLD WAR 2 in the Italian Invasion of Greece and in The Siege of Moscow and Stalingrad what happened is that some people think Western Allies only fought the World War 2.

One is that we live in a much more dangerous world after entering the Nuclear Age.

Audie Murphy left the war and went to Hollywood. Pappy Boyington wrote a couple of books and made a career as a professional wrestler. Eisenhower became President of the US. Several who were unknown in the war went into politics and also became Presidents like Kennedy, Nixon, Ford and Bush.

Charles Upham is New Zealand's most celebrated veteran of WW II,

famous for winning the Victoria Cross twice.

In addition, many famous celebrities enlisted and fought in WW2, some of them on the front lines (not just in support roles). A significant number of US professional baseball players and Hollywood actors of the time served. A short list would include Jimmy Stewart, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

Definitely a failure.

But only a failure if you define things based on that day alone.

I take the wider view, that without the "lessons learned " on that day in August 1942, the D-Day landings in 1944 would have been a failure ,too.

In point form........By landing in full daylight, with out a massive sea power barrage, and without sufficient air power, the raid was doomed, BUT, by looking at better ways to do it, the future chances were enhanced greatly.

The need to replace or greatly improve radios was shown. The swimming tanks were unable to get off the beach, which promted the development of "The Funnies" that could go over walls and ditches, or even lay their own bridges.

Co-ordination of fire power, from both the sea and the air, to concentrate on points of resistance, and dedicated "on call' aircraft to attack reinfocements coming up to the beaches.

Improved demolition charges and equipment to cut wire obstacles, along with specialised vehicles to take out concrete bunkers and gun pits.

All of the above came out of "lessons learned" after Dieppe.

And finally, remember this fact..............Dieppe was NEVER intended to be an invasion of Europe, it was a ONE DAY RAID. To keep the Germans focused on the western wall, and keep many German Army Divisons tied up defending it, instead of in the east, fighting the Red Army.

By closing the 'air gap'. That is the parts of the ocean that was not able to be covered by air recconaisance. Submarines were vulnerable to detection & attack from the air and long range aircraft such as Catalina & Liberator made a huge difference. But they needed bases to fly from. The denial of such a base in the Irish Republic cost Britain dear for many months. Also, of course Asdic & better depth charges & increased range & effective escort vessels made a difference as time went on. In the beginning of the Battle of the Atlantic the Germans were sinking ships faster than they could be built. Many, many ships were sunk & huge amounts of stores & war material were lost. Britain was, for a time, in a very perilous position both to submarine & surface ships sinking unarmed merchant ships.

WWII-Not counting approximately 10,000 airplanes destroyed in US stateside training accidents:

US Airplanes lost fighting Germany-USAAF lost 22,948

US Airplanes lost fighting Japan-USAAF lost 4,530 and USN lost 8,592

The British were fighting for money and pride. The Americans were fighting for their freedom and homes. Sure, we ran a lot and got the French to fight, but that's part of our charm. At least back then, we always knew what fights to give to other people. And as for your question, I think the British entered the war thinking they could win because they'd never lost. who'da thunk that a rag-tag army of farmers could beat the best fighting force in the world?

My great grandfather brought his family of 7 ,his wife and 5 kids age 1mo. to 7 to the usa in that time ,the voyage took 33 days ,they brought their food and water,the cost per child was approx.35 cents .he sold his 3 acre farm ,cattle,and all his clothes except the "Dungarees "he wore ,and he still had to borrow to make the voyage ,all survived the journey,even though the death rate on famine ships was 50%

Had to strong disavantage because we had a more ship to attacked and it would be easy to for to get back and we would have to boom it and it great coverge for the people who lived there to attack them.

It was when both Soviet Russia and the US competed against one another to see who could build the most nuclear weapons, and who could build them the fastest.

The nurses of World War 2 were already nurses. They left their job positions to join the military branches and go overseas. Some nursing students were rushed through their nursing programs to finish and join up. Many nurses switched from civilian jobs to military jobs to serve in the USA so other existing military nurses could go overseas. Some nurses joined the Red Cross.

none, but US would have lost them if they where in harbor at the time of the attack.

----------------------------------New Answer-------------------

Dec 7 1941.

7:55 AM the attack on Pearl Harbor begins

Within 12 min the Battelship USS Arizona is down with over 1100 men. Many of them Fathers and Sons

The Battleship USS Oklahoma Rolls over trapping over 200 sailors inside

The Battleship USS California sinks in her berth.

The Battleship USS UTAH is destroyed.

The Battleship USS Nevada without her caption makes a run for open water but the Japanese see a chance to sink her in the channel, therefore blocking the accesses to the ocean for all the ships. She takes 6 bombs and a torpedo hit. The crew runs her aground at "Hospital Point" This prevents her from sinking and keeps her guns above water and in the fight

The USS Vestal (Repair ship) takes several hits. When the Arizona explodes the deck crew on the Vestal is completely blown off the ship, including her caption. He swims back onboard and countermands the order to "Abandon ship." He beaches his ship which is badly listing and keep fighting with his 30 calibers and several small 5in guns. She is not a fighting ship by design. But she fight.

One of the destroyers, without her caption, makes it to open water where she has a better chance to fight. The crew is commanded by four junior Ensigns who have less than 1 year in the service and no "Combat Experience". It's 4 days before the Captain makes it back onto his ship.

The Dutch Cruse liner JAGERSFONTEIN who sailed in from Holland, had machine guns mounted onboard to protect her from possible attack while crossing the Atlantic. She open fire on the Japanese attackers, thus becoming the first foreign nation to assist the United States.

In all eight Battleships are hit. Four are destroyed along with 3 cruisers, 3 Destroyers a Mine tender and numerous smaller ships. 188 aircraft are lost. Over 1100 men wounded and over 2,400 men killed along with 68 civilians.

3 aircraft carriers LEXINGTON, ENTERPRISE and SARATOGA are out on maneuvers in the Pacific and escape any damage.

The Japanese lose 27 planes and five midget submarines.

The German battleship Bismarck was sunk on May 27, 1941 by a British fleet off Brest, France.

One account lists only 115 survivors and 1,995 killed of Bismarck's crew. It is unknown how many were lost after the ship was scuttled, because neither British nor German ships reached most of the men in the water.

The dead included the captain and almost all senior officers, killed on the bridge by a 14-inch shell fired by the British battleships.

First answer: The Eastern front and Western front. The Eastern front: Germans attacked in Moscow. Soviets counterattacked and forced Germans to retreat.

The Western front: Under General Eisenhower, the Allied forces took on Operation Overlord to invade the Nazi occupied parts of Europe. Operation Overlord was the start of D-Day.

Second Improved answer: There were actually three fronts when you include the Mediterranean/Italian Front. This front began in North Africa, then to Sicily & on to Italy. The Allies fought there way north up the boot of Italy into the southern Alps towards Austria & Germany.

Coffee, cigarettes, sucker, gasoline and many other

In world war two there were many jobs for both genders. With the soldiers off fighting, women here had to take on the job roles in factories to continue production as well as send goods over to troops. So jobs during World War Two were:

Factory Jobs

Soldier

General

Nurse

Doctor

Farmer (people still need to eat, even in a crisis)

Government

Messenger

Sniper

Spy

Various jobs on a boat

Various jobs to do with airplanes

That depends. Rifle, shotgun, pistol, cannon, pellet gun, or airsoft? The 16" guns on a battleship can fire a one ton shell about 26 miles, but they are not "on the market". For rifles, the .50 BMG is close to the upper limit. Shotguns- the 10 g 3.5" magnum, and handgun is a tossup- .500 S&W being in the upper ranks, although there are many handguns in rifle calibers (even one in .600 Nitro Express, and one in .50 BMG)

For rifles, it's probablly the Russian PTRS anti-tank rifle. The 14.5 x 114mm cartridge fires a 65.5 gram bullet at 3200 feet per second- far more energcy than the .50 Barrett, or elephant guns such as the .600 Nitro Express or .460 Weatherby magnum.

A list of all the September 11 victims can be found at the Related Link below.

The u boat can dive 200 to 250feet deep

Good Morning,

I have checked the book & can't find an entry for Norman Thomson. The book in question was printed by a company called Lamb which were based in Perth, Australia & there is a foreword in the book by Capt. P.V. McLaughlin, RN dated July 1946. I also have another book about HMS Swiftsure 'Crossing the Line ceremony', December 1944, not sure he would be mentioned in there. A photograph was taken of the whole crew when the ship was in Hong Kong, which I have, he could be on it, as my Grandfather is.