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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.

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Soviet Summer and Fall Offensives: Operations, 17 July-1 December 1943
Allied Advance to Volturno River, Reorganization, and Attack on Gustav Line (17 January-11 May 1944)
India-Burma, 1942: Allied Lines of Communication, 1942-1943
South Pacific Operations: Advance to Bougainville, 27 October-15 December 1943
New Guinea and Alamo Force Operations: Clearing the Huon Peninsula and Securing the Straits, 19 September 1943-26 April 1944
Cartwheel, the Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls, and Concurrent Air and Naval Operations, 30 June 1943-26 April 1944
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941: Original Allied Strategic Concept, May 1943; Situation in Pacific, 1 November 1943

I have mixed feelings when reading about the Patton incident here. On one hand, I admire so much the standards of respect and dignity toward the individual expected because such conduct was “fair” and “American” and that Patton’s behavior was dealt with on this basis.

On the other hand, I’m sad to see how as far back as 1943, how much weight the opinion of the press carried in important strategic and political decisions like Patton's future. I’ve always wondered why journalists who are scribes for a newspaper are treated like they have some kind of special expertise whose opinions should carry so much weight. Their expertise is in writing and reporting what they see. That doesn’t make them experts about what they see.

Here, it looks like the journalist’s decision to “drop it” may have saved Patton’s skin. I know Eisenhower was very politically sensitive which generally served him well as Allied Commander. It would be a tough role – having to maintain coordination of a multi-nation war effort while not allowing the opinions of others to dictate your decisions about what’s best for America and the American troops.

A few articles on Shell shock. One article today says 90% returned to jobs but doesn’t present the cure. None of us know how we would act after so many days. As always there was a range of causes and symptoms and cures:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWmental.htm Interesting note here is that it was originally thought to be an effect of exploding shells, thus the name. Symptoms of officers and enlisted were different. electrotherapy was one treatment. quite a variety of symptoms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_stress_reaction
interesting contrast between ww1 and ww2. Interesting contrast if the various countries. 90% treated near the front, returned but on 40% of moved to rear.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWshellshock.htm
Bursting shells create a vacuum and allow air into the brain was original theory. WWI generals discounted this. Patten would have been old school thought on this from his interest in history?

http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/24/6/225.full
Shell shock had a major influence on development of psychiatry and psychology. Again officers and enlisted had different problems.

Dear classmates,
I am not sure if you are aware of this, but archive.org offers countless hours of original recordings of contemporary news broadcasts of the events covered by this course.

Here is a link to the reports from 1943:

https://archive.org/details/WWII_News_1943

There are similar archives from 1932-1945