[FreedomPoster]

>>The Germans had the best machine gun, probably the best artillery

We (the Americans) had the best artillery fire control. We had the ability to bring all fires from a division and even corp-level assets onto a spotter’s target. This was devastating.

VDH also thinks two other aspects of American artillery were game changers. First, the proximity fuse. Second, the time-on-target barrage. The last gave a much better chance of catching enemy troops out in the open, the first a better chance of getting them in their foxholes/trenches.

He talks about this in his The Second World Wars lectures he did with Hillsdale College. Worthwhile.

https://online.hillsdale.edu/landing/the-second-world-wars

[marktwain]

You are correct about the American artillery fire control, and the American proximity fuse.

[major_gaff]

VDH's book on WWII (from which these lectures were probably taken) is
excellent. Not a WWII chronology, but more of a dissertation on why the
Allies won from a leadership, logistics and numbers stand point. I couldn't
put it down.

One of the lessons beaten into my skull in Marine Corps NCO school
is that NCO's are expected to make command and control decisions
(at the squad or fire team level) if the need arises. VDH points to this as
one of the huge advantages that US Infantry had over the Hun in the ETO.

[sauropod]

bkmk