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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” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
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. Also visit our general discussion thread

"R.A.F. IN THIRD MAJOR RAID ON GERMANY..."

I just started reading a book called "Tail-End Charlies: The Last Battles of the Bomber War, 1944-45" in which the author states that the RAF bomber crews received a great deal of vilification from their countrymen shortly after the war because of Dresden and other raids. He compared their treatment to that of U.S. troops returning from Vietnam.

I had no idea. I'm not surprised that leftist-types would do this, I just didn't realize it happened immediately after the war and was apparently not isolated to those on the fringe of English society. Does anyone have any insight on this?

June 3, 1942:

"Jews revolt in Breslau, Germany.
"In Warsaw, Nazis shoot 110 Jews in a prison on Gesia Street.
Ten Jewish policemen are among the victims.

"The Markuszów (Poland) Ghetto was liquidated on May 9, 1942, a day when the ghetto's remaining 1,500 Jews were deported to the Sobibor death camp.
This and other May deportations from ghettos in the region signaled the beginning of Sobibor's mass-extermination program.
However, a few of Markuszow's Jews escaped to the Parczew Forest, located about 25 miles northeast of the city.
There, men and women--ill-trained, poorly armed, and underfed--organized as partisans and resolved to take the measure of their persecutors."

"Gestapo chief Reinhard Heydrich and his wife, Lina, attend a concert in Prague on May 26, 1942, the night before he was ambushed and mortally wounded by Czech partisans.
Also the Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia, Heydrich was charged with rooting out and destroying the increasingly effective underground movement that operated along the Czech countryside.
Toward this end, thousands of Czechs were arrested and hundreds killed."

"When you remember my one-time aversion to the medium tank, you may be surprised at my suggestions concerning them, but you and they have certainly made a convert of me." - George S. Patton to General Devers
Flying boats from Midway spot ships from the Midway Occupation Force. An attack on the transports later that day by Catalinas carrying torpedoes and B-17s only resulted in a minor hit on an oiler.
A fog descends on the Nagumo Force as they approach the critical point when they need to make their southward turn towards Midway causing a debate to erupt as to whether or not to break radio silence. Captain Oishi makes the argument, "The Combined Fleet operation order gives first priority to the destruction of the enemy forces. Cooperation with the landing operation is secondary. But the same order specifically calls for our air attack on Midway Island on 5 June. This means that the air attack must be carried out exactly as scheduled. provided that no enemy task forces are located by the time we are ready to launch. If we do not neutralize the Midway-based air forces as planned, our landing operation two days later will be strongly opposed and the entire invasion schedule will be upset." The decision is finally made to break radio silence in order to make the turn towards Midway. Though there is no record of the Americans picking up this transmission, it was picked up clearly on the Yamato 600 miles to the rear of Nagumo's force.
"An attack for the purpose of capturing Midway is expected. The attacking force may be composed of all combat types, including four or five carriers, transports and train vessels. If the presence of Task Forces 16 and 17 remains unknown to the to the enemy, we should be able to make surprise flank attacks on the enemy carriers from a position northeast of Midway. Further operations will be based on the result of these attacks, damage inflicted by Midway forces, and information of enemy movements. The successful conclusion of the operation now commencing will be of great value to our country. should our carriers become separated during attacks by enemy aircraft they will endeavor to remain within visual touch." - Admiral Spruance
0243 - Planes from the Ryujo and Junyo take off and strike Dutch Harbor in the first events of the Battle of Midway.
0800 - Admiral Yamamoto orders Vice Admiral Takasu's Guard Force to break off from the Main Body and proceed to cover Aleutian operations.
0900 - Admiral Tanaka's flagship Jintsu reports that the Transport Force has been detected by enemy search planes 600 miles west of Midway.