Recent reading

[chickenfeet]

I just finished MRD Foot's SOE; a history of the Special Operations Executive, the British organisation responsible for sabotage and resistance in enemy territory during WW2. You would think it hard to make such a subject dull but Foot manages to pull it off. Maybe he considered the more exciting bits too well known to be worth repeating. The main feeling I got from reading the book was "how on earth did the allies manage to win despite their apparent complete incompetence?" I suspect that the answer to that, like most "how on earth did the allies win"? questions boils down to the Soviet Union though in this case the almost equal ineptitude of German counter intelligence seems to have played a major role.

Comments

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

The Soviet Union did well enough. Can't say a bad word about their fighting ability. But they'd have had a hell of a time doing it without the British and American Arctic convoys that ferried home the vast allied military aid, both resources and finished goods, that travelled down the Murmansk railroad into the Soviet factories. We know, we tried our damndest to cut it off.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

If I recall correctly, the vast bulk of American aid was shipped via the Trans-Siberian. Not doubting it's importance, especially to Soviet logistics, though.

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

it's importance

Ach y fi! I expected better of you!

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

we all make mistakes