Alternative History WWII

Part of the problem that the US Navy ran into when it went to war was that – like many military forces before or since – it had to learn some things for itself before it believed them.  The British had over two years of experience fighting the Battle of the Atlantic at that point, but the Americans didn’t feel that they needed any advice from them on the matter.  It didn’t help that Admiral Ernest J. King was an Anglophobe, in addition to having a generally abrasive personality.  (His wife reputedly once said: “Ernie is the most even-tempered man I’ve ever met.  He’s always in a foul mood.”)  As a result, the Americans made mistakes in their early ASW methods of operations which could have been avoided.  In fairness, the US Army had similar learning-curve problems in North Africa, notably at Kasserine Pass if I remember correctly.

He used it in the same manner as Hitler ( incorrectly) used Stalingrad to engage the bulk of German forces that are not bearing down against Moscow.

The Battle of Wake Island began simultaneously with the attack on Pearl Harbor and ended on 23 December 1941, with the surrender of the American forces to the Empire of Japan. It was fought on and around the atoll formed by Wake Island and its islets of Peale and Wilkes Islands by the air, land, and naval forces of the Empire of Japan against those of the U.S., with Marines playing a prominent role on both sides.

The island was held by the Japanese for the duration of the Pacific War; the remaining Japanese garrison on the island surrendered to a detachment of United States Marines on 4 September 1945.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Wake_Island

The Marines at Wake Island held out against the Japanese early in December 1941 before being overwhelmed.  Do you guys agree that it was truly an episode of heroism?

Here’s an odd item I came across.  During WWII, the narrow-gauge Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway (located in Kent) operated a miniature armoured train, which it used to patrol the coast in case of invasion. It carried two Boys anti-tank rifles and four Lewis machine guns, and was manned by the 6th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry.  It supposedly shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109, a Heinkel He 111 and a Dornier Do 17.  There are two pictures of it here:

http://liberalengland.blogspot.ca/2009/05/romey-hythe-dymchurch-goes-to-war.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Romney,_Hythe_and_Dymchurch_armoured_train.jpg

I have read the Newt Gimgrich and William Forstchen  what if Gettysburg trilogy. Could not put them down.
Loved reading about generals I knew in a different context, but am aware is not WW2.

Then there is the other side of the war, the Pacific theater.  I don’t think any events in Europe regarding Hitler (or even Churchill) would have affected the decision by Japan to annex Manchuria in 1931, China proper (at least as much as they could get) in 1937, and then to attempt the quick strike at Pearl along with the dash to the oil-rich Dutch East Indies in 1941.

WWII, at least in the Pacific, was pretty much going to happen regardless of events in Europe.  Considering the culture of the Japanese (essentially controlled by the military leaders) at the time, I don’t think the change of any single person in Japan (even the emperor considering the Japanese military could and did replace emperors when convenient for them) could have altered this course.

and you Razor prob. meant Heinrich Himmler who was responsibil for a lot of killed Jews…Heinz Guderian was to busy Fighting in Poland, France,Russia and for respect from Gen. Kleist… 8-) :lol:

@Imperious:

http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/list.html

They even had one on Gilligan’s Island.

Yeah, but that one only lasted 3 hours.  Well, it was supposed to anyway…