Author Archives: secondbysecond

This week in the War, 23–29 October 1944: The Battle of Leyte Gulf

Posted on October 26, 2016 by secondbysecond

One of the major naval battles of the Second World War, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, took place near the Philippines this week in the war, between 23 and 26 October 1944. American troops had landed on the Philippine island … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 23–29 October 1944: The Battle of Leyte Gulf

This week in the War, 16–22 October 1944: The Volkssturm—Germany’s national militia

Posted on October 21, 2016 by secondbysecond

After so many setbacks on the Eastern Front, the Germans had realized that the quick Blitzkrieg victories of the past would not be repeated and that henceforth an all-out effort would be required. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels introduced the concept of … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged | Comments Off on This week in the War, 16–22 October 1944: The Volkssturm—Germany’s national militia

This week in the War, 9–15 October 1944: Death of Erwin Rommel

Posted on October 12, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel died by suicide. The Gestapo believed that Rommel was complicit in the July Bomb Plot to assassinate Hitler. Postwar investigations suggest that this was likely true, although the evidence is not completely conclusive. … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 9–15 October 1944: Death of Erwin Rommel

This week in the War, 2–8 October 1944: Dam-buster style raid against the seawall at Walcheren in Holland

Posted on October 4, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 3 October 1944, the RAF successfully attacked the seawall on the Dutch island of Walcheren. Aircraft dropped the same kind of ‘Barnes Wallis’ bombs that had been used by the Dam Buster squadron to breach German … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 2–8 October 1944: Dam-buster style raid against the seawall at Walcheren in Holland

This week in the War, 25 Sept–1 Oct 1944: Colditz and The Red Fox

Posted on September 29, 2016 by secondbysecond

British Army lieutenant, Michael Sinclair, was killed this week in the war, on 25 September 1944. Sinclair, known to the Germans as The Red Fox, was shot and killed while attempting to scale the outer-perimeter fence of Colditz Castle, Germany’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Book, Movie | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 25 Sept–1 Oct 1944: Colditz and The Red Fox

This week in the War, 18–24 September 1944: Finland makes peace

Posted on September 21, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 19 September 1944, the Moscow Armistice was signed between Finland, the Soviet Union and Great Britain. As a result, Finland would no longer fight on the side of Germany. The conditions of the armistice … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 18–24 September 1944: Finland makes peace

This week in the War, 11–17 September 1944: Operation Market Garden

Posted on September 15, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, 17 September 1944, saw the opening of Operation Market Garden. Allied parachute and glider troops landed behind German lines in three locations in Holland. The object was to seize the bridges near Arnhem, Eindoven and Nijmegen. The … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 11–17 September 1944: Operation Market Garden

This week in the War, 4–10 Sept 1944: First V-2 rockets are launched

Posted on September 9, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war saw the first V-2 rockets launched against Paris and London and, soon after, Antwerp. Unlike the much slower V-1 flying ‘bombs,’ which RAF Spitfires could sometimes chase and shoot down, the liquid-oxygen powered V-2 was capable of exceeding … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 4–10 Sept 1944: First V-2 rockets are launched

Book review: A Chill Wind Blows

Posted on August 30, 2016 by secondbysecond

The Second World War ended more than seventy years ago and there is no shortage of photographs of jubilant crowds celebrating the liberation of cities such as Brussels or Paris. The German occupation was over. The Nazis had left. Yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Book review | Tagged , | Comments Off on Book review: A Chill Wind Blows

This week in the War, 28 Aug–3 Sept 1944: Liberation of Brussels

Posted on August 28, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 3 September 1944, Brussels was liberated by the Welsh Guards (part of Lieutenant General Brian Horrock’s XXX Corps, British 2nd Army) amid widespread jubilation. The 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade (known as the Brigade Piron after … Continue reading →

Posted in World War II | Tagged , , | Comments Off on This week in the War, 28 Aug–3 Sept 1944: Liberation of Brussels