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from the if-it's-silly-but-it-works,-it's-not-silly dept.
Here's a story of the interestingly designed tanks that helped the Allies win on the D-day beaches of Dieppe. Tanks designed by an unconventional thinker (but who wants to think conventionally?). This is the story of 'Hobart's Funnies'. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160603-the-strange-tanks-that-helped-win-d-day
On 19 August 1942, Allied armies put their plan for an invasion of Occupied Europe to the ultimate test – by landing troops on the beaches and trying to capture a French port [Dieppe].
The landings were a disaster.
In less than 10 hours, more than 60% of the 6,000 British, Canadian and American troops who landed on the beach were either killed, wounded or captured. All of of the 28 tanks which came ashore alongside them – essential if the troops were going to be able break through the German strongpoints – were knocked out. Many were stranded, unable to move on the loose shingle, and picked off by anti-tank guns.
The failure of the Dieppe landings provided many lessons. Trying to capture a heavily defended port was likely to fail, commanders realised. Troops would have to land on sandy beaches, and their tanks would have to be able to make their way across these beaches and punch holes through the seawalls or other concrete obstacles the Germans had built up.
One man, it turned out, had a solution. And two years later, his fleet of highly specialised – and often bizarre-looking tanks – would be one of the major reasons why the D-Day landings were a success.
My personal favourite: the Sherman DD swimming tank. Or as the Americans discovered, the Sherman submarine.
(Score: 2, Funny) by tractatus_techno_philosophicus on Wednesday June 08 2016, @08:37PM
Sources, please?
No moral system can rest solely on authority. ~A.J. Ayer
(Score: 4, Insightful) by VLM on Wednesday June 08 2016, @09:15PM
Surprisingly the beeb isn't at bbc.co.uk its rebranded (recently?) to bbc.com
Unlike OP I'm pretty cool with the BBC. You can't get good coverage of Germany on DW or America on VOA or the corporate propaganda channels or Russia on RT. Thats just a given. So naturally its going to be total shit show WRT UK WWII coverage, how could it not be. BUUUUT the bbc is pretty good at non-local stuff, just ignore anything they say about the UK. Especially any of their propaganda about brexit or any of that.
There is a weird exception to the aura of failure in that the "World at War" documentary miniseries from the BBC about 40 years ago is a pretty awesome documentary. Think of all the cliches about bottom tier American style filler documentaries and toss them all out, because BBC's WaW rocked. Well worth the effort to torrent to whatever as appropriate.
(Score: 1) by tractatus_techno_philosophicus on Wednesday June 08 2016, @09:31PM
There is a weird exception to the aura of failure in that the "World at War" documentary miniseries from the BBC about 40 years ago is a pretty awesome documentary.
I'm glad you brought this up. I've watched said documentary and enjoyed it thoroughly. I make a point of looking for books and documentaries written or produced as close to actual events as possible. Though not always a solid way of finding accurate information, it at least gives you better insight into the pervading frame of mind present at the time. Someone recalling an event from first-hand experience is generally more reliable than some wanker with a political agenda trying to spin history into suiting their cause.
No moral system can rest solely on authority. ~A.J. Ayer