WW2 in Europe in 7 minutes

[Klaiber]

I thought this was very cool.

 

http://io9.com/watch-the-second-world-war-unfold-over-europe-in-7-minu-1440082473

 

Gives you a much better idea as to the nature of stalemate throughout the course of the war.

[Britchot]

I didn't realize there was fighting in Ethiopia until I saw this. Thanks, Klai.

[Erhardt]

Thanks for posting this, was a lot of fun to watch.

If I remember correctly the Italians started fighting in Ethiopia before world war 2,

as Il Duce wanted to carve out a new Roman Empire in Africa.

[Klaiber]

If you're interested, WW1 in Europe in 3 minutes.

 

http://www.jg1.org/tabid/117/g/posts/t/4855/WW1-in-Europe-in-3-minutes.aspx

[Britchot]

There was a lot more movement in the East than I thought. Good history lessons for me.

[Klaiber]

Yeah, the Eastern Front in WW1 definitely had a lot of mobility to it.

 

In fact, it's been said that the "roots of Blitzkrieg" were forged in the East from 1914 to 1917.

 

From The Roots of Blitzkrieg, pg. 7, by James S. Corum (a book I highly recommend):

 

"Almost all of the tactical experiences of the British, French, and American armies in World War I came from the western front, where the war was dominated by the problem of attacking and defending a continuous front of strong trenches. The Germans' experience was dramatically different from the Allies' because a large part of the Imperial Army served on the eastern front, where an extremely long front, open terrain, and fewer soldiers per mile meant that the war of maneuver was a normal feature of eastern tactics. In August 1914 the outnumbered German Eighth Army, using the superior mobility of the German rail system and possessing more artillery firepower, surrounded and destroyed the Russian Second Army at Tannenberg. In May 1915 the German Eleventh Army, commanded by General von Mackensen with Colonel Hans von Seekt as his chief of staff, opened the Gorlice offensive with a short but heavy artillery barrage and rolled over the Russians with the whole army. For six weeks the Germans advanced at a rate of 6.5 miles per day, capturing 240,000 prisoners and 224 guns for a loss of 40,000 casualties."

 

[Erhardt]

Thanks for posting Klaiber!

As Britchot I didnt know that there was so much movement in the east.

Also interesting to see the difference between a defeated Germany in WW1 compared to WW2.