Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

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Tom from Cornwall
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#16

Post by Tom from Cornwall » 03 Dec 2019, 21:51

Hi,
OpanaPointer wrote:
02 Dec 2019, 03:15
Okay, you can browse this book in Google Books. "Logistics Support Group" and "LSG" would be good starters.
Good stuff! That looks like a well-researched piece of work that illustrates the complexities of the issues needed to be solved before the British Pacific Fleet could make a contribution. Thanks.

Regards

Tom

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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#17

Post by OpanaPointer » 03 Dec 2019, 22:52

It came highly recommended, one of the few books I didn't have already.
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Carl Schwamberger
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#18

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 04 Dec 2019, 04:24

King despised the press. However, a few months after appointment as Navy CoS he began changing Navy policy from 'Tell Them Nothing' to a much more team like arraignment. As part of this he started inviting key members or the Washington press, reporters, editors, and managers/owners to his home for cocktails several times a month. In these sessions he discussed general strategy and other details over the line of secrecy. This gave the in crowd among the press context and clarification of the mass of news stories they wrote on the military, cultivated allies for King in the press, and developed a professional relationship. King still did not like them, but as Alan-Brooke remarked he was shrewd . Kings change in policy gave the mass of Americans a better understanding of what the Pacific war was all about and a much stronger sense of connection to the USN. The cinema news reels showing dead Marines and destroyed vehicles on the shore of Betio Island at the end of 1943 shocked the public. And it gave them a dose of understanding just how serious or difficult finishing the war was going to be. Kings decisions concerning public information honesty worked and were a model lost to later generations of military leaders.

I suspect that if King had personal feelings about the Brits he shrewdly suppressed them. Note that when the US was down to a single aircraft carrier in the Pacific in the winter of 1942-43 King did not reject a Brit carrier operating as part of the Enterprises Task Force. Look up the USS Robin if you don't know this story.

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#19

Post by Sid Guttridge » 04 Dec 2019, 11:50

Hi Guys,

It appears that King was not blindly anglo-phobic. I recently read a memoir by the British Admiral Somerville, who was posted to Washington later in the war, who had notably cordial relations with him. However, the fact that this surprised almost everyone shows that King certainly had that reputation.

Cheers,

Sid.

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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#20

Post by OpanaPointer » 09 Dec 2019, 19:28

How did Dudley Pound get along with him?

Also, any comments on this during the ABC-1 Talks?
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Delta Tank
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#21

Post by Delta Tank » 10 Dec 2019, 04:00

Sid Guttridge wrote:
04 Dec 2019, 11:50
Hi Guys,

It appears that King was not blindly anglo-phobic. I recently read a memoir by the British Admiral Somerville, who was posted to Washington later in the war, who had notably cordial relations with him. However, the fact that this surprised almost everyone shows that King certainly had that reputation.

Cheers,

Sid.
Well, it didn’t help when Mountbatten pulled a pistol and shot a block of “Pykrete” and the bullet ricocheted and went through Admiral King’s pant leg!!😳. At least that was one story!!😂

Mike

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Nickdfresh
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#22

Post by Nickdfresh » 19 Dec 2019, 23:20

Sheldrake wrote:
03 Dec 2019, 16:16
...

Did King hate all Brits? Or anyone who crossed the US navy?
I think the wider question is did King hate anyone who crossed him within and without the US Navy. It's been a few years since I've read anything, but I recall coming away impressed with King's ability for organization and building and having the penchant for bureaucratic minutia. He had his faults as being demanding and cantankerous, but I think calling him an anglophile is a bit of exaggeration, he seemed to hate as many American officers as he did British.

He was also an avid drunk and womanizer, then, there were of course his bad points... :)

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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#23

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 20 Dec 2019, 04:27

Nickdfresh wrote:
19 Dec 2019, 23:20
...
He was also an avid drunk ...
What brand did he drink? Send a case to all the admirals

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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#24

Post by Delta Tank » 21 Dec 2019, 17:12

Carl Schwamberger wrote:
20 Dec 2019, 04:27
Nickdfresh wrote:
19 Dec 2019, 23:20
...
He was also an avid drunk ...
What brand did he drink? Send a case to all the admirals
But, he gave up drinking during the War!! Well, that is what I read, but apparently “giving up drinking for the duration” meant whiskey!! Alcohol in other forms was okay!😂

Mike

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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#25

Post by OpanaPointer » 21 Dec 2019, 17:35

Save the good stuff for the victory party.
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Nickdfresh
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#26

Post by Nickdfresh » 21 Dec 2019, 22:39

Carl Schwamberger wrote:
20 Dec 2019, 04:27
Nickdfresh wrote:
19 Dec 2019, 23:20
...
He was also an avid drunk ...
What brand did he drink? Send a case to all the admirals
I think it was in Rick Atkinson's Trilogy I read this, I'll check. I think he might have been a gin man...

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Nickdfresh
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#27

Post by Nickdfresh » 21 Dec 2019, 22:41

Delta Tank wrote:
21 Dec 2019, 17:12
Carl Schwamberger wrote:
20 Dec 2019, 04:27
Nickdfresh wrote:
19 Dec 2019, 23:20
...
He was also an avid drunk ...
What brand did he drink? Send a case to all the admirals
But, he gave up drinking during the War!! Well, that is what I read, but apparently “giving up drinking for the duration” meant whiskey!! Alcohol in other forms was okay!😂

Mike
IDK, it seemed he was the guy could carouse all night and show up early at the office in neatly pressed uniform.. :D

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Nickdfresh
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#28

Post by Nickdfresh » 21 Dec 2019, 22:49

Upon further review, King enforced sobriety on his subordinates while being a pile of "Blue Falcon" lush himself during prohibition. He was a c#nt, but an immensely talented one...

Rob Stuart
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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#29

Post by Rob Stuart » 02 Jan 2020, 14:40

Sid Guttridge wrote:
04 Dec 2019, 11:50
Hi Guys,

It appears that King was not blindly anglo-phobic. I recently read a memoir by the British Admiral Somerville, who was posted to Washington later in the war, who had notably cordial relations with him. However, the fact that this surprised almost everyone shows that King certainly had that reputation.

Cheers,

Sid.
Hello Sid,

I had no idea that Somerville ever wrote a memoir. Could you provide any more info on it?

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Re: Anglophobic Americans in service during WWII

#30

Post by OpanaPointer » 02 Jan 2020, 22:05

This sounds interesting: Somerville, James (1996). The Somerville Papers: Selections from the Private and Official Correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Somerville, GCB, GBE, DSO. Navy Records Society, London. ISBN 978-1859282076.
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