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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.

[On] November 15, 1939, when Hitler was trying vainly to buck up his generals to launch an attack in the West, Raeder instructed the Naval War Staff to examine “the possibility of invading England, a possibility arising if certain conditions are fulfilled by the further course of the war.” It was the first time in history that any German military staff had been asked even to consider such an action. It seems likely that Raeder took this step largely because he wanted to anticipate any sudden aberration of his unpredictable Leader. There is no record that Hitler was consulted or knew anything about it. The furthest his thoughts went at this time was to get airfields and naval bases in Holland, Belgium and France for the tightening of the blockade against the British Isles.

William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

you have to love the fins. i wonder when the russians actually invaded and how long that war took? i guess the US looked the other way, hoping to keep stalin on board? be curious how the current border of finland relates to the border when WW2 broke out. have the finns ever got their teritory back?

fascinating article on how japan views the situation. pearl harbor is two years away, but japan is calling out the US as a possible war adversary, but only after Germany finishes off the europeans. just guessing but i bet the Japanese thought that after Hitler got as far as Moscow suburbs in december 1941, that the war was pretty much over so they could attack. oops.

also, fascinating that the Japanese dont see the US Navy as a credible opponent. In this they were pretty much right, up until 1944 the USN had poorer ships, planes. By then of course, US production kicked in and the US produced in that year alone new ships, carriers, planes greater than the entire Japanese Navy, essentially producing a new Navy per year. The Japanese were unable to replace their losses. Interesting statistic, but the US produced over 400,000 combat planes in WW2. the japanese around 50,000.

I guess the other lesson from the Japanese 1939 view is that weakness invites attack.