Russia to mark 70 years since Battle of Stalingrad

[August]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

They gave up on those Banzai Charges after Saipan. After that, it largely became a matter of fighting to the last man, like they did on Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, etc.

Don't know where you heard that but AFAIK Banzai charges were held in all of those battles you list except Okinawa. There were several at Iwo Jima including a failed attempt to recapture Suribachi.

But for every Banzai charge there were more suicides, often in groups by Japanese soldiers who still had the means to resist. Militarily that is a waste of resources.

This attitude, which had been intstilled in the home civilian populace, is what would have made an invasion of the Home Islands so incredibly costly, and why the atomic bombs were used.

I agree that it would have been incredibly costly in any case.

[Takeda Shingen]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banzai_charge

The last and largest Banzai attack of the war took place in the Battle of Saipan in 1944 where, at the cost of almost 4,300 dead Japanese soldiers, it almost destroyed the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 105th U.S. Infantry who lost almost 650 men.

[Jimbuna]

Thought this topic was European theatre not Pacific

[Takeda Shingen]

Sorry. We'll leave you guys to your bar fight.

By the way, it's maestro.

[August]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banzai_charge

It might have been the largest but it most certainly wasn't the last:

Iwo Jima Feb/Mar 1945
http://m1pencil.wordpress.com/2010/0...rge-aftermath/

Corregidor Feb 1945
http://www.thedropzone.org/pacific/calhoun.html

Originally Posted by Oberon

In what battle?

in the whole battle for Atlantic

So you say that the successfull channel dash wasn't somewhat a miserable event to Royal Navy ?

Jimbuna, what was that about #46 ?

Failed to understand the question, sorry

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Troublous_Haze

Jimbuna, what was that about #46 ?

Failed to understand the question, sorry

No problem....Churchill lost power to a Labour government straight after the war and because of the politics that evolved at the time the VE parade in 1946 was missing one important ally from the war....Free Poland.

Russia and Yugoslavia weren't their either but that was to be expected.

Many believe had Churchill still been in power at the time, he would have ignored the stance taken by Stalin and the Poles would have been in attendance.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Troublous_Haze

in the whole battle for Atlantic

Well, without the Uboats there wouldn't have been a Battle for the Atlantic! However, one has to remember that aside from two or three peaks, once the convoy system had gotten its act together, and technology advanced enough to allow long range aircraft escort, the uboats became less and less effective. They missed their opportunities due to a lack in numbers at critical times. If Doenitz had had his three hundred uboats at the outbreak of war, then perhaps things could have been a bit different, but instead resources were pumped into making battlecruisers that had minimal impact on the war.

Originally Posted by Troublous_Haze

So you say that the successfull channel dash wasn't somewhat a miserable event to Royal Navy ?

Not particularly, it was war, sometimes the enemy does things you don't expect them to. In the short term it was a bit embarrassing, but in the long term it was actually good fortune, because it took them out of the Battle for the Atlantic and put them in a completely useless theatre of operations.
Even the German Naval staff called the Channel Dash a 'tactical victory but a strategic defeat'.

Out of curiosity, where are you from?

[August]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Not particularly, it was war, sometimes the enemy does things you don't expect them to.

Very true. The battle of the Bulge was a great example of that. The Germans achieved surprise in that battle precisely because attacking in that place at that time was such an obviously bad idea that nobody expected them to do it.