What are your Military History interests other than WWII, i?

[Fridolin]

What are your Military History interests other than WWII, if any?
Have they any relationship with WWII? Did they start after you read about WWII or was it the other way round, you started elsewhere and ended up in WWII matters?

[Prit]

Hi Fridolin!

Greeks and Romans, the crusades, French revolutionary wars, American civil war. I became interested in all of them at the same time, really.

Prit

[Commissar D, the Evil]

Hi Guys,

Greeks, Romans and Carthaginians!
Islamic Conquests
The Mongols
WWI at Sea
Korean War
Vietnam

All real good stuff. I even remeber my interest in Frigate warfare, you know, how the French and English used to fight at sea then the American Frigates beat both of them!!! Cheers, D

[Jason Pipes]

Well, my interests in WWII Germany began as a direct result of my father involving me at a very young age in his research about the Pipes family name in military history, mainly during the American Civil War and Revolutionary War. I recall fondly spending time digging around in dusty archives with him and looking for ancestors in grave yards in Kentucky. When I was only 10 years old he took me there and during our stay the local paper even did an article on us! It was all very exciting and the interest never left me. During my later high school years my interests gradually moved from the ACW towards WWII and then to Germany in particular. So I can say my own family military heritage and the various American Wars of the last 200+ years is and remains another area of interest.

Being that I'm almost totally English and Irish (funny ey, no German in me at all, although my grandfather-in-law fought with the Germans against the Soviet Union so one day my kids will have a closer connection!) I also have a deep interest in some pretty obscure topics like bagpipe players in combat units during the last few hundred years. Another British interest is in Land Rovers and their various military uses around the world.

[D.W.]

Hi Fridolin,

I also have read quite a bit on the American Civil War. After that I have dabbled a little in reading about the Vietnam war and the Revolutionary war.

[Abwehr]

Anything up to about the American Revolutionary War. The Napoleonic Wars and the American Civil War don't interest me for some reason; my interests renew at the turn of the 20th century.

[MCO]

Besides WWII history, I occasionally will read something on The War for Southern Liberation, often erroneously referred to as the [American] Civil War (I am sure DCC will disagree with me on this one ). Specifically, the role of certain North Carolina regiments in "The Lost Cause."

Lately, I've been concentrating on individual and group behavior in war (examples, combat stress reactions, unit cohesion, etc.).

When I get the time, which I should have in the very neard future, I would like to read a little more on edged weapons and swordsmanship.

[Fridolin]

Lately, I've been concentrating on individual and group behavior in war (examples, combat stress reactions, unit cohesion, etc.).

Hi MCO. Also interested in that. I've read a few works on the subject (Achilles in Vietnam, From Melos to My Lay, Men Under Fire, Firing Line, The Scars of War, Cohesion and Disintegration... But I'd love to have more recommendations. Any suggestion?

I would like to read a little more on edged weapons and swordsmanship.

For classics, I'd recommend Burton's The Book of the Sword.
As for modern books, Clemens two books on practical Medieval and Renaissance swordmanship are excellent and full of practical tips.

[D.W.]

I've read a few works on the subject (Achilles in Vietnam, From Melos to My Lay, Men Under Fire, Firing Line, The Scars of War, Cohesion and Disintegration... But I'd love to have more recommendations. Any suggestion

Fridolin, one that I would recommend that deals with these issues is The World within War by Gerald F. Linderman. An exceptionally well written book, it contains the following chapters.

1) Battle: Expectation, Encounter, Reaction
2) Battle: Coping with Combat
3) Fighting the Germans: The War of Rules
4) Fighting the Japanese: War Unrestrained
5) Discipline: Not the American Way
6) The Appeals of Battle: Spectacle, Danger, Confusion
7) The Appeals of Battle: Comradeship
War Front and Home Front.

Full of well-written first hand accounts on subjects many authors omit from their work, the book really gives an insiders view, albeit an American look, and it discusses many issues (incompetence, cowardice, survivors guilt, the gulf of privilege between officer/enlisted, etc.) that others barely touch on.

[Fridolin]

Thank you Dan,
I'll try to obtain it

Best Regards

[adrian]

I've been having a bit of a Korean War kick (with a Aussie bias naturally!) of late. Its fascinating I believe,a nice mix of WW2 gear with post war reasons.
I'm reading a fair bit on Vietnam (in particular the Tet offensive of 1968) as well as the Borneo 'Confrontation of the early 1960's. The latter is IMHO the text book on how to fight COIN war.

best regards,
adrian

[Lupo Solitario]

First of all, anything concerning italy, in general....in huge terms, classical (greek-roman) and medieval overall ....after it XVI century, napoleonic XIX century and WWI.
I don't think there's a specefic relation with WWII, I like Military history anyway. the mystery is why I don't reach to find interest in XVIII century campaigns......

[schwerepunkt]

My interest in WW2 was first. It started when my grandmother planted a "seed" in my brain by telling me about a book she had read about Paulus' 6th army in stalingrad. From then on, i've been interested in WWII Germany, Britain (Mostly mainland stuff, couldn't get into NA, Italy is interesting though). Im also interested in the Napoleonic Wars, especially the 100 days, the Mongol Invasion of Europe, and coinciding with that The Crusade into Novgorod and the Battle of Lake Peipus. And any of the Colonial Wars in the C19, and Finally Frederick the Great and the Rise of Prussia. Oh, and i've tried but just couldnt get into the USCW either.

[Tiwaz]

Generally "old" times. Romans, Greeks and others from those times and medieval times to more or less extent. I'm rather interested about Japanese warfare during the feudal times.

[Sam H.]

Generally, anything miitary. I tend to root for the underdog, so I tend to consentrate more on the lossing side.