This is an apolitical forum for discussions on the Axis nations and related topics hosted by the Axis History Factbook in cooperation with Christian Ankerstjerne’s Panzerworld and Christoph Awender's WW2 day by day.
Founded in 1999.
Published on Jun 7, 2018
Recorded on January 25, 2018.
“Joseph Stalin, Soviet dictator, creator of great power, and destroyer of tens of millions of lives …” Thus begins this episode of Uncommon Knowledge, which dives into the biography of Joseph Stalin. This episode’s guest, Stephen Kotkin, author of Stalin: Waiting for Hitler, 1929-1941(https://www.amazon.com/Stalin-Waiting...), examines the political career of Joseph Stalin in the years leading up to World War II, his domination over the Soviet Union, and the terror he inspired by the Great Purge from 1936–38.
“Why does Joseph Stalin matter?” is a key question for Kotkin, as he explains the history of the Soviet Union and Stalin's enduring impact on his country and the world. Kotkin argues that Stalin is the “gold standard for dictatorships” in regard to the amount of power he managed to obtain and wield throughout his lifetime. Stalin stands out because not only was he able to build a massive amount of military power, he managed to stay in power for three decades, much longer than any comparable dictator.
Kotkin and Robinson discuss collectivization and communism and how Stalin’s regime believed it had to eradicate capitalism within the USSR even in regions where capitalism was bringing economic success to the peasants, with the potential of destabilizing the regime. This led to the Great Purge, a campaign of political repression that resulted in the exile and execution of millions of people.
The Italian Home Front in World War II presented by Lou DiMarco
Streamed live on Sep 6, 2018
A wide variety of complex and diverse aspects defined the Italian experience as both enemy and ally during World War II. Lou DiMarco will lead an examination of these themes, drawing on topics such as daily life in Italy during the war, the role of the Mafia and the Italian resistance movement. The Italian experience was unique in many ways and greatly impacted the formation of the post-war Italian Republic.
The Fighter Pilot with a Thousand Faces: The Birth of the Knights of the Air - Michael Hankins
Streamed live on Nov 2, 2018
The airplane began the First World War as primarily a reconnaissance tool, but through the years of bitter fighting, it evolved quickly. By 1918, aircraft in many shapes and sizes performed a variety of roles including bombing, ground support, interdiction and air-to-air combat. Intertwined with this evolution in technology was a similar evolution in culture. Pilots that focused on “pursuit” (air-to-air combat), began developing their own subculture. Partly as a response to the bleak conditions of trench warfare on the ground, pursuit pilots valued their independence and aggressiveness, and tended to see themselves as heroes in the mold of Greek myths or medieval knights. This culture was a constructed abstraction of reality. For some it was a veneer to cover the fears associated with flying, or the pain of losing comrades, and in some cases it was an accurate reflection of individual personalities. For all involved, this culture—itself a romanticization of reality—was a call back to a romanticized past. Yet it was powerful force that both brought pursuit pilots together and separated them from other types of fliers and soldiers. The main tenets of the subculture of the “knights of the air” that was formed in the First World War have been passed down through the decades and remain the key elements of fighter pilot culture 100 years later.
Dr. Michael Hankins, Assistant Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Air Force's eSchool of Graduate PME, the distance learning component of the Air Command and Staff College
Lecture given as part of the National WWI Museum and Memorial's 2018 Symposium, 1918: Crucible of War.
In the fall of 1942 and spring of 1943, the British-led Allied forces in Burma were defeated by a smaller but better-prepared and better-led Japanese army. At this crucial time, a little-known officer named Lieutenant General William Slim took command of the multinational force that had known only defeat at the hands of the Japanese. Slim had the daunting task of forging the British, Nepalese, Indian (Hindu, Sikh and Muslim troops), West and East African, Chinese and American forces into a fighting element that could meet and best the Japanese army. David Cotter shares this fascinating tale and answers the question: could Slim change defeat into victory?
National WW I Museum and Memorial has added presentations they do this once and awhile you need to check up on them and the quality does vary
Myths of the Luftwaffe. A REALLY Bad presentation
The Russian 2nd pacific Squadron Voyage of the Damned for a LOL funny and for the Russians sadly true account of this force see the books:
The Fleet that Had to die
The Tide at Sunrise
The Tsar's last Armada
Frank Jack Fletcher commanded carrier task forces in the critical first year of World War II in the Pacific. He served as senior commander in three famous naval battles (the Coral Sea, Midway and the Eastern Solomons), winning all three and damaging the Japanese Navy, which prevented it from accomplishing its operational objectives. John Kuehn leads an exploration of Fletcher’s accomplishments and examines why the commander has been largely forgotten by history.
TIK has a number of presentations on WW II and they have just started one Battlestorm Stalingrad a day by day account that goes down to battalion/ Regiment level!!!
Operation Ichigo the Largest offensive in the history of the IJA has some presentations on youtube
The Largest Japanese Offensive you have never heard of (okay could have been better)
Operation ichigo China's Turning Point ( not good too much not battle related)
Chaig Kai-Shek and the japanese Ichigo offensive of 1944 ( I could barely understand the presenter)
porvenirtexas.org is a account of the Porvenir Massacre when in jan 1918 the Texas rangers, local ranchers and US cavalry rode into the town of Porvenir Texas searched the town and confiscated a revolver and a Winchester rifle. Then the Rangers and Ranchers rounded up 15 Mexican American men and boys and shot them dead. What the US cavalry did while this was going on is not clear.
For more information wiki:
Porvenir massacre
Bandit war (of Texas)
Book:
The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution The Bloodiest Decade
I know that you folks are probably right at the moment, but I just like the looks of the car and what it stands for.
And just maybe someone will figure out a better and cheaper way to accomplish hydrogen re-fueling as "they" are figuring out better and cheaper battery technology. It will be worth it to see how Riversimple handles it.
There were naysayers with the EV-1 too
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