Posted on 03/17/2015 4:32:51 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
James Bradley, with Ron Powers, Flags of Our Fathers
Winston S. Churchill, Triumph and Tragedy
#1 - “Rum and Coca-Cola” - Andrews Sisters
#2 - “My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time” - Les Brown, with Doris Day
#3 – “My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time” - Phil Moore Four
#4 - “Candy” - Johnny Mercer, with Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers
#5 – “Accentuate the Positive” - Johnny Mercer, with Pied Pipers
#6 – “Accentuate the Positive” – Bing Crosby, with the Andrews Sisters
#7 - “Rum and Coca-Cola” – Abe Lyman, with Rose Blane
#8 - “Don’t Fence Me In” – Bing Crosby, with the Andrews Sisters
#9 - “A Little on the Lonely Side” - Frankie Carle, with Paul Allen
#10 - “I’m Beginning to See the Light” - Harry James, with Kitty Kallen
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/2/17.htm
March 17th, 1945 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: London: In spite of the efforts of the Allied forces to eradicate the V2 rocket launch sites, the Germans are still managing to strike targets in England and Belgium with them.
When the V2 offensive opened last September the launch sites were in the Netherlands, but were moved temporarily to Denmark during the Arnhem operation. At the beginning of October the rocket units returned to the Netherlands, and by the end of the year they were operating from a large wooded park, the Haagsche Bosch, outside The Hague. During January and February this was attacked repeatedly by RAF bombers and fighter-bombers. Eventually, at the beginning of this month, the Germans were forced to move, and this was the reason for the recent lull. Their new launch area is still near The Hague, this time on the Duindicht racecourse. There is, however, little cover here, and because of lack of time and the high water table, the Germans have been unable to follow their normal practice of constructing underground storage sites. Consequently RAF reconnaissance planes have identified the launch sites and attacks on it are being mounted. This should drive the rockets further east into Germany, putting England beyond V2 range.
A further encouraging factor is that the Allied air offensive against German communications is making it increasingly difficult to maintain supplies of rockets and fuel.
GERMANY: The Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen collapses, killing 28 US soldiers. It is caused the combined strain of bomb damage and heavy use. The advance continues over other bridges now in place.
Coblenz: Patton’s Third Army has jumped the east/west line of the Moselle and swept southwards to threaten from the rear the German forces holding the Siegfried Line in the Saar where Patch’s US 7th Army is attacking. Patton’s columns, supported by American fighter-bombers, are roaming virtually at will, spreading havoc among the enemy. Roads are jammed with German troops and civilians fleeing eastwards to the Rhine, where the last three bridges remain open. Patton is now driving along the west bank from Coblenz to Mainz and beyond. The bag of prisoners taken by Patton and Patch is approaching 100,000.
U-2367 commissioned.
NORWAY: U-321 sailed from Kristiansand on her first and final patrol.
EUROPE: Eisenhower orders Patton not to advance toward Czechoslovakia, although there is nothing to stop him reaching Prague before the Russians.
BURMA: The Chinese Sixth Army captures Hsipaw
JAPAN: Tokyo: Japanese children from the age of seven are to give up school to work in factories to help the war effort, the cabinet ordered today. The drastic new measures will take effect from 1 April for a year. Only primary schools for children up to six will remain open. All other schools, colleges and universities will close, and students and teachers will work in food and munitions factories, air defence, research work and anything else that helps the war effort.
U.S.A.:
Destroyer USS Newman K Perry launched.
Escort carrier USS Saidor launched.
Submarine USS Cutlass commissioned.
Destroyer USS Bristol commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Minesweeper HMS Guysborough is attacked at 1835 and sunk by U-878 (Kapitanleutnant Hans Rodig) at 2000 hrs off Ushant in the Bay of Biscay at 46 43N 09 20W, hit by Gnat. There are 54 casualties. (Alex Gordon)(108)
300 B-29’S SET 12 SQUARE MILES OF KOBE AFIRE
Its a shame the US doesn’t go after ISIS like that, or Iran.
Imagine setting 12 square miles of Tehran afire.
Homer,
Thanks for the thread. I am about finished reading Cooper’s book “Death Traps,” his memoir about being a maintenance liaison for the 3rd Armored Division. He details the fighting covered in the dispatches you post here. It’s a fascinating read in itself, but coupled with the newspaper accounts you post, I am learning a lot.
Those Shermans were pretty porous to German arms, but the men that fought in them, no matter how briefly, used them well. Cooper had high regard for Hodges, who is always mentioned second in almost every report.
Thanks again,
Oldplayer
I like reading the small side articles. The one on the B-32 was enlightening. After researching it I had not realize that it was intended as a backup plane in case the B-29 was a failure.
American and Russian power are approaching their high tide.
German and Japanese power is ebbing very quickly now.
Might be a good day to stay off the Ludendorff Bridge...
So, Montgomery is up north expending vast quantities of resources in preparation for crossing the Rhine.
The First Army got a freebie at Remagen, and they’re already sitting on the autobahn, being held back by Eisenhower.
Watch to see how long it takes Patton to cross, once the Third Army reaches the Rhine...
Don’t blink though, or you’ll miss it.
Or at least that’s what my crystal ball says.
I'll take your word for it. Making myself a reminder note...
There are a lot of German divisions shown on the situation map, but I don't think there is a lot left in them.
I would be seriously cheesed off if I were a Marine still fighting on Iwo and the brass announced the battle over. True, they are starting to ship out Marines, but there is still a lot of fighting and dying left to do.
Well, they’ve already got their eyes on the next meat grinder, the biggest and bloodiest of them all in the Pacific War, which launches in less than two weeks.
It opened my eyes to how truly awful Okinawa was. The battle just seemed to go on for week after week after week. I realized what a blood bath invading the Home Islands would be and eliminated any doubts that Truman made the right decision on the bombs.
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