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Subject: Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2
TriggaFingaz    6/7/2004 4:49:37 PM
I thought in World War 2 the USMC was entirely dedicated to the Pacific theatre! But they were also present (tiny numbers) in the European Theatre of Operations! http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/smith200406040851.asp Very revealing isn't this?
 
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ambush    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   6/7/2004 7:38:21 PM
I have read the same thing before. Interservice rivalry basically kept the Marines out of the ETO and their contribution was limited to the OSS, sea duty and guarding Iceland. I did however read that they did handle the German POWs on the beach after D-Day. You have to wonder if there was an unwillingness to also learn form the Marine Corps. Some of the problems with the D-Day invasion were a lack of Naval Gunfire (only a 30 minute bombardment) and of course the loss of the DD tanks due to surf conditions. The Navy and Marines learned the need for massive naval fires in the Pacific. Instead of the DD tanks would Amtracs have been a better option? This of course assumes there would have been enough Amtracs to cover both the ETO and PTO.
 
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Aristotelian    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   7/5/2004 8:58:08 AM
I have read somewhere that the First Marine Division was sceduled to participate in Operation Torch (North African Landings), but they were then diverted to the Pacific after the Japanese built Henderson Field on Guadal Canal. I also rad that the First Marine Division did train with the First Infantry Division.
 
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Aristotelian    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   7/5/2004 9:01:45 AM
Re: The Marines on the Battle Ship. What kind of recent training would these Marines have had? Would they have had any training in scaling cliffs? I suppose they could have climbed the rope ladders if the Ranger had control of the top of the cliff at the time.
 
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Horsesoldier    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   7/5/2004 9:26:57 AM
>>The Navy and Marines learned the need for massive naval fires in the Pacific. << However, there were no Micronesian politicians or generals as part of the Allied forces to raise complaints about possible collateral damage in the Pacific. I believe the Army knew exactly what it needed to do to the beaches, but fear of civilian casualties constrained them.
 
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Kadett    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   7/5/2004 1:33:12 PM
I don't think either side cared about civilian casualties during WWII, unless Dresden took great care to avoid killing civilians..
 
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Aristotelian    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   7/5/2004 2:57:11 PM
Dresdon was enemy civilian causalities,, Nor Allied. I don't think it would have mattered how much bombardment there was.. they missied.
 
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rangers911    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   7/5/2004 11:52:41 PM
they also wanted to limit the amount of forces commited to this if they bombarded for hours then sent troops like they did it could possibly have caused germany to send it's full reserves to meet and throw back the asault. i don't think the 84 marines that were fresh were going to be much better than the rangers who had been training for this for months with the SAS. this is not a dig towards the corps just saying that the corps was kept out probably for several reasons the army wanted toe glory also they needed people to keep the japanese at bay. due to the fact they felt germany was the greater enemy in this war and their strategy and logistical support shows this. the marines did a fantastic job in the pacific i think they beat everyone's expectations fighting the japanese but it would have been a much different fight with the germans who were heavily mechinized didn't use the hey diddle diddle you run up the middle strategy to fighting.
 
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VPI-AV8R    RE:Marine's contribution to European theatre of WW2   1/9/2005 10:20:07 AM
IMHO - it goes back to First World War. USMC 4th Brigade grabbed a relatively large share of the press/glory for Belleau Wood. ("Teuffel Hunden," "Retreat Hell, We Just Got Here!") Marshall and Eisenhower were both staff officers during this conflict - maybe they didn't want to see it happen again. ------------------------------------------- "Retreat, Hell - We Just Got Here!" -Major Lloyd B. Williams, USMC -VPI Class 1907.
 
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relicmanatholland       12/10/2006 11:34:50 AM
Hi there,
you might not believe my story immediatly, but my grandpa(still living) joined the marines in ww2 and fought in North-Africa, Sicily, futher Italy and Germany. I can't find information about it around the internet except what is told here. He has still got his usmc dogtags, beret (remarkably not a garrison cap), artic shoes, medals and insigna and some other stuff. I can show pictures if you don't believe me(sadly many do).
 
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Carl S       12/11/2006 8:14:19 AM
 
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