Author: Antonio Thompson
Publisher: Univ. of Tennessee Press
ISBN: 1572337427
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Book Description
Examining the largest prisoner-of-war handling operation in U.S. history, this book offers a meticulous account of the myriad history, this book offers a meticulous account of the myriad problems—as well as the impressive successes—that came with problems—as well as the impressive successes—that came with housing 371,000 German POWs on American soil during World War II. Antonio Thompson draws on extensive archival research to probe the various ways in which the U.S. government strove to comply with the Geneva Convention’s mandate that enemy prisoners be moved from the war zone and given food, shelter, and clothing equal to that provided for American soldiers. While the prisoners became a ready source of manpower for the labor- starved American home front and received small wages in return, their stay in the United States generated more than a few difficulties, which included not only daunting logistics but also violence within the camps. Such violence was often blamed on Nazi influence and control; however, as Thompson points out, only a few of the prisoners were actually Nazis. Because the Germans had cobbled together military forces that included convicts, their own POWs, volunteers from neutral nations, and conscripts from occupied countries, the bonds that held these soldiers together amid the pressures of combat dissolved once they were placed behind barbed wire. When these “men in German uniform,” who were not always Germans, donned POW garb, their former social, racial, religious, and ethnic tensions quickly reemerged. To counter such troubles, American authorities organized various activities—including sports, arts, education, and religion—within the POW camps; some prisoners even participated in an illegal denazification program created by the U.S. government. Despite the problems, Thompson argues, the POW-housing program proved largely successful, as Americans maintained their reputation for fairness and humane treatment during a time of widespread turmoil.
Men in German Uniform
Author: Antonio Thompson
Publisher: Univ. of Tennessee Press
ISBN: 1572337427
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Book Description
Examining the largest prisoner-of-war handling operation in U.S. history, this book offers a meticulous account of the myriad history, this book offers a meticulous account of the myriad problems—as well as the impressive successes—that came with problems—as well as the impressive successes—that came with housing 371,000 German POWs on American soil during World War II. Antonio Thompson draws on extensive archival research to probe the various ways in which the U.S. government strove to comply with the Geneva Convention’s mandate that enemy prisoners be moved from the war zone and given food, shelter, and clothing equal to that provided for American soldiers. While the prisoners became a ready source of manpower for the labor- starved American home front and received small wages in return, their stay in the United States generated more than a few difficulties, which included not only daunting logistics but also violence within the camps. Such violence was often blamed on Nazi influence and control; however, as Thompson points out, only a few of the prisoners were actually Nazis. Because the Germans had cobbled together military forces that included convicts, their own POWs, volunteers from neutral nations, and conscripts from occupied countries, the bonds that held these soldiers together amid the pressures of combat dissolved once they were placed behind barbed wire. When these “men in German uniform,” who were not always Germans, donned POW garb, their former social, racial, religious, and ethnic tensions quickly reemerged. To counter such troubles, American authorities organized various activities—including sports, arts, education, and religion—within the POW camps; some prisoners even participated in an illegal denazification program created by the U.S. government. Despite the problems, Thompson argues, the POW-housing program proved largely successful, as Americans maintained their reputation for fairness and humane treatment during a time of widespread turmoil.
Publisher: Univ. of Tennessee Press
ISBN: 1572337427
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 193
Book Description
Examining the largest prisoner-of-war handling operation in U.S. history, this book offers a meticulous account of the myriad history, this book offers a meticulous account of the myriad problems—as well as the impressive successes—that came with problems—as well as the impressive successes—that came with housing 371,000 German POWs on American soil during World War II. Antonio Thompson draws on extensive archival research to probe the various ways in which the U.S. government strove to comply with the Geneva Convention’s mandate that enemy prisoners be moved from the war zone and given food, shelter, and clothing equal to that provided for American soldiers. While the prisoners became a ready source of manpower for the labor- starved American home front and received small wages in return, their stay in the United States generated more than a few difficulties, which included not only daunting logistics but also violence within the camps. Such violence was often blamed on Nazi influence and control; however, as Thompson points out, only a few of the prisoners were actually Nazis. Because the Germans had cobbled together military forces that included convicts, their own POWs, volunteers from neutral nations, and conscripts from occupied countries, the bonds that held these soldiers together amid the pressures of combat dissolved once they were placed behind barbed wire. When these “men in German uniform,” who were not always Germans, donned POW garb, their former social, racial, religious, and ethnic tensions quickly reemerged. To counter such troubles, American authorities organized various activities—including sports, arts, education, and religion—within the POW camps; some prisoners even participated in an illegal denazification program created by the U.S. government. Despite the problems, Thompson argues, the POW-housing program proved largely successful, as Americans maintained their reputation for fairness and humane treatment during a time of widespread turmoil.
Deutsche Soldaten
Author: Agustin Saiz
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1932033963
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 159
Book Description
A visual history of the German soldier, providing a unique insight into how they lived, ate, maintained themselves at the front, and how they behaved when out of line, through a collection of personal items and artifacts they left behind.
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1932033963
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 159
Book Description
A visual history of the German soldier, providing a unique insight into how they lived, ate, maintained themselves at the front, and how they behaved when out of line, through a collection of personal items and artifacts they left behind.
German Army Uniforms of World War II
Author: Stephen Bull
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 147283805X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
In the years after World War I, the defeated and much-reduced German Army developed new clothing and personal equipment that drew upon the lessons learned in the trenches. In place of the wide variety of uniforms and insignia that had been worn by the Imperial German Army, a standardized approach was followed, culminating in the uniform items introduced in the 1930s as the Nazi Party came to shape every aspect of German national life. The outbreak of war in 1939 prompted further adaptations and simplifications of uniforms and insignia, while the increasing use of camouflaged items and the accelerated pace of weapons development led to the appearance of new clothing and personal equipment. Medals and awards increased in number as the war went on, with grades being added for existing awards and new decorations introduced to reflect battlefield feats. Specialists such as mountain troops, tank crews and combat engineers were issued distinctive uniform items and kit, while the ever-expanding variety of fronts on which the German Army fought – from the North African desert to the Russian steppe – prompted the rapid development of clothing and equipment for different climates and conditions. In addition, severe shortages of raw materials and the demands of clothing and equipping an army that numbered in the millions forced the simplification of many items and the increasing use of substitute materials in their manufacture. In this fully illustrated book noted authority Dr Stephen Bull examines the German Army's wide range of uniforms, personal equipment, weapons, medals and awards, and offers a comprehensive guide to the transformation that the German Army soldier underwent in the period from September 1939 to May 1945.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 147283805X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 257
Book Description
In the years after World War I, the defeated and much-reduced German Army developed new clothing and personal equipment that drew upon the lessons learned in the trenches. In place of the wide variety of uniforms and insignia that had been worn by the Imperial German Army, a standardized approach was followed, culminating in the uniform items introduced in the 1930s as the Nazi Party came to shape every aspect of German national life. The outbreak of war in 1939 prompted further adaptations and simplifications of uniforms and insignia, while the increasing use of camouflaged items and the accelerated pace of weapons development led to the appearance of new clothing and personal equipment. Medals and awards increased in number as the war went on, with grades being added for existing awards and new decorations introduced to reflect battlefield feats. Specialists such as mountain troops, tank crews and combat engineers were issued distinctive uniform items and kit, while the ever-expanding variety of fronts on which the German Army fought – from the North African desert to the Russian steppe – prompted the rapid development of clothing and equipment for different climates and conditions. In addition, severe shortages of raw materials and the demands of clothing and equipping an army that numbered in the millions forced the simplification of many items and the increasing use of substitute materials in their manufacture. In this fully illustrated book noted authority Dr Stephen Bull examines the German Army's wide range of uniforms, personal equipment, weapons, medals and awards, and offers a comprehensive guide to the transformation that the German Army soldier underwent in the period from September 1939 to May 1945.
German Military Police Units 1939–45
Author: Gordon Williamson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 178096997X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 113
Book Description
The military policeman must be one of the least appreciated yet most indispensable military figures in modern history. In the mobile warfare of the 20th century no army could keep its vital supply routes open without the military policeman. This book documents the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the many and varied German military police units of World War II. Their duties included traffic control; maintaining military order and discipline; collection and escorting prisoners of war; prevention of looting; disarming civilians; checking captured enemy soldiers for documents; collection of fallen enemy propaganda leaflets and providing street patrols in occupied areas.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 178096997X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 113
Book Description
The military policeman must be one of the least appreciated yet most indispensable military figures in modern history. In the mobile warfare of the 20th century no army could keep its vital supply routes open without the military policeman. This book documents the organisation, uniforms and insignia of the many and varied German military police units of World War II. Their duties included traffic control; maintaining military order and discipline; collection and escorting prisoners of war; prevention of looting; disarming civilians; checking captured enemy soldiers for documents; collection of fallen enemy propaganda leaflets and providing street patrols in occupied areas.
German Uniforms of the Third Reich, 1933-1945
Author: Brian Leigh Davis
Publisher: Arms & Armour
ISBN: 9781854094209
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
During the Third Reich, almost every German wore a uniform, whether military or civil. Nearly 250 of the most important ones appear here, modeled by their most typical wearers. The paintings -- based on contemporary photographs for accuracy-depict all the primary styles ptive sections explain each uniform's place in the hierarchy, the battle roles of the wearer, and a fascinating range of detail.
Publisher: Arms & Armour
ISBN: 9781854094209
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
During the Third Reich, almost every German wore a uniform, whether military or civil. Nearly 250 of the most important ones appear here, modeled by their most typical wearers. The paintings -- based on contemporary photographs for accuracy-depict all the primary styles ptive sections explain each uniform's place in the hierarchy, the battle roles of the wearer, and a fascinating range of detail.
Comrades in Arms
Author: Tom Smith
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1789205565
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 280
Book Description
Without question, the East German National People’s Army was a profoundly masculine institution that emphasized traditional ideals of stoicism, sacrifice, and physical courage. Nonetheless, as this innovative study demonstrates, depictions of the military in the film and literature of the GDR were far more nuanced and ambivalent. Departing from past studies that have found in such portrayals an unchanging, idealized masculinity, Comrades in Arms shows how cultural works both before and after reunification place violence, physical vulnerability, and military theatricality, as well as conscripts’ powerful emotions and desires, at the center of soldiers’ lives and the military institution itself.
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1789205565
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 280
Book Description
Without question, the East German National People’s Army was a profoundly masculine institution that emphasized traditional ideals of stoicism, sacrifice, and physical courage. Nonetheless, as this innovative study demonstrates, depictions of the military in the film and literature of the GDR were far more nuanced and ambivalent. Departing from past studies that have found in such portrayals an unchanging, idealized masculinity, Comrades in Arms shows how cultural works both before and after reunification place violence, physical vulnerability, and military theatricality, as well as conscripts’ powerful emotions and desires, at the center of soldiers’ lives and the military institution itself.
Field Grey Uniforms of the Imperial German Army, 1907-1918
Author: Michael Baldwin
Publisher: Schiffer Military History
ISBN: 9780764340338
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book is the culmination of many years' work from two authors who have "lived and breathed" the subject for the past forty years: one, a military antiques dealer of international standing; the other, an extremely knowledgeable collector of German World War I uniforms and equipment. Using mostly never before published period photographs as well as a wealth of highly detailed color studio photos of tunics drawn from one of the world's greatest private collections, it is an absolute must for any collector of World War I uniforms. Indeed, for any collector of German World War I memorabilia, laying out as it does in a very clear and precise way, all the variations of tunic, their origins and usage. This reader-friendly book will help guide the novice and experienced collector alike through the often difficult and confusing information on the subject.
Publisher: Schiffer Military History
ISBN: 9780764340338
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book is the culmination of many years' work from two authors who have "lived and breathed" the subject for the past forty years: one, a military antiques dealer of international standing; the other, an extremely knowledgeable collector of German World War I uniforms and equipment. Using mostly never before published period photographs as well as a wealth of highly detailed color studio photos of tunics drawn from one of the world's greatest private collections, it is an absolute must for any collector of World War I uniforms. Indeed, for any collector of German World War I memorabilia, laying out as it does in a very clear and precise way, all the variations of tunic, their origins and usage. This reader-friendly book will help guide the novice and experienced collector alike through the often difficult and confusing information on the subject.
The German Army 1939–45 (5)
Author: Nigel Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782002170
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97
Book Description
This book covers the high command, the developments in unit organisation, the campaigns and the uniforms and equipment of the German Army in the last two years of the war in North-West Europe and Italy. Despite the huge pressure of fighting on three fronts, ever-worsening shortages of manpower and equipment, and Allied command of the skies, Germany's decimated divisions fought on with impressive skill and determination. This period also saw a fascinating mixture of obsolescent, newly designed, and field-made combat clothing which gave the German soldier a radically different appearance from his predecessor of just five years before. Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326, 330 and 336 are also available in a single volume special edition titled 'German Army in World War II'.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782002170
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97
Book Description
This book covers the high command, the developments in unit organisation, the campaigns and the uniforms and equipment of the German Army in the last two years of the war in North-West Europe and Italy. Despite the huge pressure of fighting on three fronts, ever-worsening shortages of manpower and equipment, and Allied command of the skies, Germany's decimated divisions fought on with impressive skill and determination. This period also saw a fascinating mixture of obsolescent, newly designed, and field-made combat clothing which gave the German soldier a radically different appearance from his predecessor of just five years before. Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326, 330 and 336 are also available in a single volume special edition titled 'German Army in World War II'.
World War II German Battle Insignia
Author: Gordon Williamson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780965699
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 116
Book Description
The remarkable war effort of the German armed forces on three fronts between 1939 and 1945 was recognised by a wider range of insignia than seen in the Allied armies. While the Wehrmacht displayed fewer unit insignia than the Allies, a glance at a German soldier's tunic could reveal much more about his actual combat experience. In this book an experienced researcher explains and illustrates the Battle and Assault Badges of the Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe ground troops; the sleeve shields and cuffbands issued to mark service in particular campaigns; wound badges, commemorative medals, and other types of insignia.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780965699
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 116
Book Description
The remarkable war effort of the German armed forces on three fronts between 1939 and 1945 was recognised by a wider range of insignia than seen in the Allied armies. While the Wehrmacht displayed fewer unit insignia than the Allies, a glance at a German soldier's tunic could reveal much more about his actual combat experience. In this book an experienced researcher explains and illustrates the Battle and Assault Badges of the Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe ground troops; the sleeve shields and cuffbands issued to mark service in particular campaigns; wound badges, commemorative medals, and other types of insignia.
We Germans
Author: Alexander Starritt
Publisher: Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316429791
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 157
Book Description
WINNER OF THE DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE A letter from a German soldier to his grandson recounts the terrors of war on the Eastern Front, and a postwar ordinary life in search of atonement, in this “raw, visceral, and propulsive” novel (New York Times Book Review). A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice In the throes of the Second World War, young Meissner, a college student with dreams of becoming a scientist, is drafted into the German army and sent to the Eastern Front. But soon his regiment collapses in the face of the onslaught of the Red Army, hell-bent on revenge in its race to Berlin. Many decades later, now an old man reckoning with his past, Meissner pens a letter to his grandson explaining his actions, his guilt as a Nazi participator, and the difficulty of life after war. Found among his effects after his death, the letter is at once a thrilling story of adventure and a questing rumination on the moral ambiguity of war. In his years spent fighting the Russians and attempting afterward to survive the Gulag, Meissner recounts a life lived in perseverance and atonement. Wracked with shame—both for himself and for Germany—the grandfather explains his dark rationale, exults in the courage of others, and blurs the boundaries of right and wrong. We Germans complicates our most steadfast beliefs and seeks to account for the complicity of an entire country in the perpetration of heinous acts. In this breathless and page-turning story, Alexander Starritt also presents us with a deft exploration of the moral contradictions inherent in saving one's own life at the cost of the lives of others and asks whether we can ever truly atone.
Publisher: Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316429791
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 157
Book Description
WINNER OF THE DAYTON LITERARY PEACE PRIZE A letter from a German soldier to his grandson recounts the terrors of war on the Eastern Front, and a postwar ordinary life in search of atonement, in this “raw, visceral, and propulsive” novel (New York Times Book Review). A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice In the throes of the Second World War, young Meissner, a college student with dreams of becoming a scientist, is drafted into the German army and sent to the Eastern Front. But soon his regiment collapses in the face of the onslaught of the Red Army, hell-bent on revenge in its race to Berlin. Many decades later, now an old man reckoning with his past, Meissner pens a letter to his grandson explaining his actions, his guilt as a Nazi participator, and the difficulty of life after war. Found among his effects after his death, the letter is at once a thrilling story of adventure and a questing rumination on the moral ambiguity of war. In his years spent fighting the Russians and attempting afterward to survive the Gulag, Meissner recounts a life lived in perseverance and atonement. Wracked with shame—both for himself and for Germany—the grandfather explains his dark rationale, exults in the courage of others, and blurs the boundaries of right and wrong. We Germans complicates our most steadfast beliefs and seeks to account for the complicity of an entire country in the perpetration of heinous acts. In this breathless and page-turning story, Alexander Starritt also presents us with a deft exploration of the moral contradictions inherent in saving one's own life at the cost of the lives of others and asks whether we can ever truly atone.