I read years ago the more contemporary books such as enemy coast ahead about this and its amazing how much new information can be found about this. The negative reviews of the raid seem to be by people who don't actually have a sufficient level of knowledge but are willing to repeat cheap shots to be clever.
I watched James Holland's Race To Smash The Dams programme last night and it's the best programme on the subject. He's a very good speaker. I wonder if he'd do something on R. V. Jones.
I think, following the description of the way in which it was decided to embark upon the dams raid, there's a field of study out there to look at the way WW2 was managed in the combatant countries. We have a certain amount of information for Germany, Russia, and Japan, but for the UK it's often quite obscure, and the roles played by Churchill and the War Office seem to be relatively obscure. I would say that in a war many mistakes are made by the leaders of the combatant countries, even to the point that wars are 'won' by the country that makes the smallest number of mistakes. Some were killed off, e.g. his desire to invade the Balkans, others, e.g. Norway or the invasion of Italy, were rather more questionable. There are also serious questions about the air war, and the way that Harris was able to run very much his own private war carpet bombing German cities, when there is a case that this was ineffective and a waste of resources.
Two important points seem to be left out from all podcasts and books or articles and which appear in the book : " The Dambusters" 1 As a last ditch effort seeing all the high command was refusing to go along the inventor , through a high placed friend, managed to get the plan directly to Winston Churchill who approved it after asking only one question. How many planes would be involved? 2 the second planes bomb which flew over the dam took out the 2 german firing positions when it exploded. Both of these were much more detailed in the book which said that the inventor who was totally devastated by the death of almost half of the aviators .
When I saw the title of this talk I thought it would be some kind of terrible Social Justice angle, pointing out all the "racism", "sexism" and "white supremacy" going on. Thank God I was wrong.. ;-)
Lol because you love white supremacy, racism and sexism? As and foul knows the RAF was stock full of men and women from all over the world. Thanks to our Empire, dominions, allies and friends the brave airmen and wider RAF support was incredibly diverse. We won thanks to their efforts and courage.
this guy is brilliant!! His Battle of Britain lecture is one of the best!! wish all my history teachers had been this interesting and enthusiastic.
Could you supply link for the Battle of Britain lecture please?
@@pamelaandrew8138 th-cam.com/video/rf8QeiosCeQ/w-d-xo.html here’s one
His book on the subject is outstanding.
Great presentation of a great subject.
Great talk by a great historian.
Well done James , really enjoyed your presentation on the Dambusters
I read years ago the more contemporary books such as enemy coast ahead about this and its amazing how much new information can be found about this. The negative reviews of the raid seem to be by people who don't actually have a sufficient level of knowledge but are willing to repeat cheap shots to be clever.
James Holland does some good documentary work!
Jman
I watched James Holland's Race To Smash The Dams programme last night and it's the best programme on the subject. He's a very good speaker. I wonder if he'd do something on R. V. Jones.
Fascinating detail, engaging and thought-provoking delivery
Abboluty, brilliant, your completely correct.
I think, following the description of the way in which it was decided to embark upon the dams raid, there's a field of study out there to look at the way WW2 was managed in the combatant countries. We have a certain amount of information for Germany, Russia, and Japan, but for the UK it's often quite obscure, and the roles played by Churchill and the War Office seem to be relatively obscure.
I would say that in a war many mistakes are made by the leaders of the combatant countries, even to the point that wars are 'won' by the country that makes the smallest number of mistakes. Some were killed off, e.g. his desire to invade the Balkans, others, e.g. Norway or the invasion of Italy, were rather more questionable. There are also serious questions about the air war, and the way that Harris was able to run very much his own private war carpet bombing German cities, when there is a case that this was ineffective and a waste of resources.
Two important points seem to be left out from all podcasts and books or articles and which appear in the book :
" The Dambusters"
1 As a last ditch effort seeing all the high command was refusing to go along the inventor , through a high placed friend, managed to get the plan directly to Winston Churchill who approved it after asking only one question.
How many planes would be involved?
2 the second planes bomb which flew over the dam took out the 2 german firing positions when it exploded.
Both of these were much more detailed in the book which said that the inventor who was totally devastated by the death of almost half of the aviators .
When I saw the title of this talk I thought it would be some kind of terrible Social Justice angle, pointing out all the "racism", "sexism" and "white supremacy" going on. Thank God I was wrong.. ;-)
Lol because you love white supremacy, racism and sexism? As and foul knows the RAF was stock full of men and women from all over the world. Thanks to our Empire, dominions, allies and friends the brave airmen and wider RAF support was incredibly diverse. We won thanks to their efforts and courage.
😂 Exactly! You never know….😅
This guy has no idea how close he was t speaking German. We just barely won that one. Without the US. You would not have prevailed.
Germany lost WW2 on September 1st 1939
And without the British the US would have let Fascism take over Europe and much of the world.
Isn't Harris the monster who prescribed the Dresden Massacre?
No, I understand a vegetarian politician Mr A. Hitler was responsible
What a prat!!!!......the amount of deaths was debunked years ago.....it was a legitimate target.....not saying anything about Coventry????