SOVIET INSISTS FLINT SAILED; BERLIN REPORTS CONFLICTING (10/29/39)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, McHenry Library, U.C. Santa Cruz | 10/29/39 | G.E.R. Gedye

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime”.)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

EVOLUTION OF PLAN YELLOW OCTOBER 1939-JANUARY 1940

This map will also be posted on my profile.

[Jet Jaguar]

Bump

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Winston S. Churchill, The Gathering Storm

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Seized Ship at Sea – 1-2
The International Situation – 2
Incidents in European Conflict – 3
New Stress Put Now on Cavalry – 4-5

[iowamark]

General Jonathan Wainwright commanding horse cavalry in Texas. Would be transferred to the Phillipines in 1940 and would be the highest ranking American POW 1942-45.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

General Jonathan Wainwright commanding horse cavalry in Texas.

Major General Walter Krueger, Second Division Commander, observed the exercise. He would eventually command troops on New Guinea and Leyte Islands, one of whom was Homer's father.

It is interesting to compare this article with the latest version of Plan Yellow, released by the Germans today. I guess they plan on having horse-drawn artillery along on the expedition, but it looks like their cavalry will all be of the motorized variety.

[DManA]

It is startling to see American soldiers practicing fighting with horses as late as 1939. We really weren’t ready were we?

Amazing how fast we were able to get up to speed though.

[DManA]

To my untrained military eye the “plan” looks like everyone charge the line and beat the c**p out of ‘em.

[LibertyRocks]

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for posting all of this... I’ve been “away” from FR for a while and have to get caught up (and share with my kids, too...).

The first article was REALLY interesting - especially when they detailed how difficult it was to travel in Soviet Russia at the time (Papers, please?). MAN, I cannot even IMAGINE what that must’ve felt like to have to get permission from the police to travel at ALL. Pure insanity!

[LibertyRocks]

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for posting all of this... I’ve been “away” from FR for a while and have to get caught up (and share with my kids, too...).

The first article was REALLY interesting to me - especially when they detailed how difficult it was to travel in Soviet Russia at the time (Papers, please?). MAN, I cannot even IMAGINE what that must’ve felt like to have to get permission from the police to travel at ALL - or to be an ambassador trying to deal with Potemkin, or ANY communist and all the (really) RED tape. Pure insanity!

I also found it refreshing that the NY Times printed an apology of sorts to Mr. Potemkin for their previous reporting. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if there were still journalists of the same caliber today?

[LibertyRocks]

OOPS! Sorry about that — don’t know how that happened! LOL

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for posting all of this... I’ve been “away” from FR for a while and have to get caught up (and share with my kids, too...).

Welcome home.

I also found it refreshing that the NY Times printed an apology of sorts to Mr. Potemkin for their previous reporting. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if there were still journalists of the same caliber today?

Today's journalists refrain from writing critically of our enemies so they won't have anything to apologize for. Our politicians, on the other hand, travel the globe apologizing for our crimes against humanity.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

To my untrained military eye the “plan” looks like everyone charge the line and beat the c**p out of ‘em.

It's more scientific than that. You have to make your arrows go through the blue hoops. You also must have the correct number of X's on your little squares.

[DManA]

See, that’s why I come here. To hear from the experts and learn.

[ichabod1]

I think the squares must be divisions and the X’s indicate the number of regiments that are attached to it at the time.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I think the squares must be divisions and the X’s indicate the number of regiments that are attached to it at the time.

That is the right idea. According to the key posted on my profile:

II = Battalion
III = Regiment
X = Brigade
XX = Division
XXX = Corps
XXXX = Army
XXXXX = Army group

[ichabod1]

I think the Germans used horses throughout the war, but not as a replacement for mechanized cavalry. I think it probably made a lot of sense to use horses to get things from place to place. For the US, we would have had to ship the horses themselves over, and I don’t think that would have made economic sense. But, there is a scene toward the end of Band of Brothers where Nixon is disparaging the Germans for using horses, but I don’t see it as a desperation move — people had just not gotten away from using draft horses as much as they have today.

[ichabod1]

Well, it seems like wars are fought at the Brigade/Regiment level, with those being roughly the same thing. Then and today. If I’m not mistaken, a Division, composed of two-five brigades or regiments, is largely an administrative entity.

[ichabod1]

So much fuss over a captured freighter. I can understand the concern, but knowing the way the Times operates, I can’t help but wonder what it is they DON’T want us to be looking at.