Which Theater of Operations Would You Want To Fight In? (WW2)

If you could (or had to) fight in ww2, which theater would you want to fight in and why? I included axis/allies as the experience for a japanese soldier in the pacific would be much different than that of an american for example.

This is not political so, try and leave that out of the equation. ~:cheers:


For me, i would like to be a German tanker on the eastern front. Tank warfare has always intrigued me and the tankers, especially german ones, resemble modern day knights. The elite of the elite, with the best equipment and training on huge armored "steeds".

Of course soviet airpower would be a major drawback, and the general intensity of the eastern front. This would be acceptable to me, though.

I wouldn't want to fight anywhere in WW2 since war isn't a game, but if I lived during that time I couldn't imagine enlisting in anything other than the US Marines. That would have put me in the Pacific during one or more of the savage island hopping campaigns.

Lets see - My dad's father was a SeaBee fighting and building in the Pacific against the Japanese.

My mom's father was an Artillery Forward Observer fighting in Europe.
Her uncle was a Tank Platoon Leader in France from 1944-1945

Would not want to be in an American Tank during WW2.

Give me the Pacific -

Defently Europe as the Allies. Could trace the path of my grandfather through normandy. Plus the Pacific was to nasty and N. Africa is to sandy.

German officer at Stalingrad.
die with glory.

Take the same job my paternal grand father had a communications realy technitian in the Canadian signals corps. come back with lots of good stories, like the smell that pissing on a colt 45 to cool it down makes, plus a Luger and a Lee-Enfield rifle.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kaiser of Arabia

German officer at Stalingrad.
die with glory.

---

What glory is there in death?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kaiser of Arabia

German officer at Stalingrad.
die with glory.

---

I would never even want to step foot on the eastern front whether as Germans or Russians. The horror stories that I've heard from my grandparents are insane (Human wave attacks, shooting retreating soldiers, running through active minefields, starvation, freezing to death, etc. This is just the tip of the iceberg.) Anyone who would willingly go there, knowing what is to come, is a fool.



Personally I would choose Western Europe through Normandy. Maybe be part of the 101st, but I doubt I'd be tough enough to handle it. Either way it seems to me that besides for the Battle of the Bulge the Allies were always well supplied in Western Europe.

Wow we should have a "what did your family do in ww2" thread as everyone seems to have vets in their family.

North Africa as the Italians. I could surrender quickly and get shipped off to one of the nice Italian POW camps down here (they could wander around wherever they want, whenever they want, and do whatever they want, they got paid a weekly allowance too) and spend the rest of the war playing cards, eating at officer's mess and be housed in generally better conditions that our own soldiers got. ~:cheers:

Eastern front-germans.And more specific, in a Tiger tank.Wittmann's record would have been a challenge to beat.

I would rather fight the Germans than the Japanese. (no.1 They never surrender and no.2 Iwouldn't want to get captured by them.)

I would say Allies (preferably British) in France/Benelux/Germany

Quote:

---

German officer at Stalingrad.
die with glory

---

This is so wrong.

North Africa for me. No civilians on the battlefield, no scum SS filth in the theatre, no atrocities on either side I am aware of, first large scale defeat of the Wehrmacht. Naturally as part of the British, or, to be accurate about it, Imperial army, though in that case it might be wisest to choose infantry or artillery if possible.

I think I would have said that anyway but by coincidence my grandfather was in the dockyards at Alexandria throughout the war, seems we have some affinity for places our ancestors were?

None at all. Who would want to fight in war if you didn't have to?

No cop-out H_R. The premise is "If you could (or had to) fight in ww2..." So git yer helmet 'n' rifle 'n' pick yer theater son. :army:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hurin_Rules

None at all. Who would want to fight in war if you didn't have to?

---

Ahem. "Men tire more quickly of drink and song and dance than of war." I'm sure you've seen that one on the load screen once or twice. ~;)

I know a bit about the navy (Sea Scouts, and my dad is an enthusiast), but I'm not quite sure if submarine warfare would be too intense. There's a good sense of comraderie, though...

Oh, sure. German sub.

So wrong? Why is it wrong that I wish to die fighting for my Fatherland?
I know I would die, but I would like to be in command of part of the forces of the fatherland, the most elite and battle-hardened force to see a battlefield in the 20th century, and maybe even win a knights cross (I am very brave, because I do not fear death, nor the act of dying). And who knows, maybe I'd be one of the lucky 92,000 survivors (lucky isn't a good word, more like, unlucky) but still, it would be a glorious death for me. And the fact that I wouldn't be penalized for taking no prisoners, it fits me well.

Hehe, we have a couple of Nazi's among us. You're not fooling anyone Panzer. ~;)

I would fight in eastern europe as a pilot in the northern front. Only thinking about flying over an iceberg and then heading down to the german destructor in a white and cold desert makes me shiver. I can also imagine myself as a paratrooper or a sniper. but this would fit better in the western europe scenario.

N.Africa - english also sounds quite appealing, but then I wouldnt want to be in the armoured nor the infantry divisions. Maybe something like Royal Marines or PARAS.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by English assassin

seems we have some affinity for places our ancestors were?

---

Hehe - count me out. My granndfather went "missing in action" while fighting in Russia, certainly not the place I would like to fight.

However, if I had to choose a battlefield, I would probably also choose North Africa for some of the ("clean" war without the involvement of civilians).

Although I am German I would also choose to fight for the British - if I had to fight I would rather fight for a just cause.

sadly Britain didn't acchieve their goal at the start of the war. To save Poland or liberate her


and Byzantine, the German military was not a nazi organisation. Many soldiers thought that the nazis were so Germany could become powerful and a wold power again. Just a pet peeve of mine.

My Great-Uncle fought in France, not Russia. I chose russia because in WWI, my Great-Great Granfather fought Russia on the Galacian front and became a POW in Siberia. Not a nice place to be.

None at all. Who would want to fight in war if you didn't have to?

Here we go... ~:rolleyes:

The thread is meant to discuss the war from the different theaters and the viewpoints of the different soldiers. Its not deadly serious...

Hehe, we have a couple of Nazi's among us. You're not fooling anyone Panzer.

hehe, i refer you to my original post. :bow:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kaiser of Arabia

So wrong? Why is it wrong that I wish to die fighting for my Fatherland?
I know I would die, but I would be in command of part of the force that kills well over a million russian soldiers, if you can call them that, and maybe even win a knights cross (I am very brave, because I do not fear death, nor the act of dying). And who knows, maybe I'd be one of the lucky 92,000 survivors (lucky isn't a good word, more like, unlucky) but still, it would be a glorious death for me. And the fact that I wouldn't be penalized for taking no prisoners, it fits me well.

---

That's a load of rubbish. No one that has ever been to war thinks dying is glorious. Those who face death, fear it. Abd no one knows how they will react in combat until they've actually been there and done that. I wouldn't count on that "Knight's Cross."

It's not about the fear of battle. It's the fact that people require a good bullet to the head that's scary. You are REQUIRED to commit mass murder. That's why it's as herendous as many poets and philosophers say.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Longshanks

That's a load of rubbish. No one that has ever been to war thinks dying is glorious. Those who face death, fear it. Abd no one knows how they will react in combat until they've actually been there and done that. I wouldn't count on that "Knight's Cross."

---

Some people are just insane, or at least abnormal. Kapo might just be one of them. I regard it as an abnormabiltiy to be able to kill somebody, even if your cause is just, I jsut can;t see it happening to me :book:

I know where I wouldn't want to fight....where my great great grandad fought/lived, in China against the Japanese, luckily he was never caught but stil....it sounds like the worst place to fight, even compared to the Eastern euro front

Text removed

LoL Cap, your asking for trouble. :tongue3:

Just responding to thier accusations of my crazyness ;)
That proves Im CRAAAZY! (enough to sing Uber Alles in Amerika)

I believe PJ asked that politics be kept out of this discussion. Let's keep it that way please.


Thank you for your future cooperation.

Capo/Kaiser, you're hilarious. Other's feel free to comment on me for this.

On topic: Hmm, North Africa, not really sure which side though. Suppose the english would be better latter on, with Hitler and his idiotic stand fast order at El-Aliman. Not that Churchill was much better. "Lets ease up on the Italians when we have them by the juggular."

Im very surprised no one has picked North Afrika for the Germans.. Rommel and all..

The only desert I like is that one in arizona.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ah_dut

Some people are just insane, or at least abnormal. Kapo might just be one of them. I regard it as an abnormabiltiy to be able to kill somebody, even if your cause is just, I jsut can;t see it happening to me :book:

---

I think you are wrong. Most people went to war pushed by the propaganda or a strong national feeling and without having knowledge of what was really going on.Once on the front line, ethic and justness of your cause was out of question: it was kill or be killed.
And as a side note about how little the soldiers knew what was waiting for them. I am Romanian and my grandmother is very fond of Italians(her grandfather was Italian). She often told me that ,as a child during the war, she would go to the train station and watch trains with italian soldiers on route to the Eastern front.They were always merry, singing songs, giving sweets to the children etc.

Well if it makes you feel better PJ if I had to serve in an armoured unit in north Africa it had better be German.

Warning, Pomposity follows

Not to be funny or anything, but as well as upsetting the usual suspects (viz the Scots Irish and welsh) calling the Imperial forces in North Africa English runs the risk of upsetting Ozzies, Kiwis, South Africans and Indians, all of whom had very substantial and (especially in the case of the Ozzies and Kiwis) very formidable forces in the 8th Army.

One of the reasons El Alamein is historically significant is that it was the last major battle won by a British Imperial army fighting entirely without outside assistance. (As a historian once put it, allowing his emotions to run away with him you suspect, "The British Commonwealth of nations, fighting its last great battle, in a just cause.") And so an end to a significant period in history, whatever you feel about the Empire.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drag0nUL

I think you are wrong. Most people went to war pushed by the propaganda or a strong national feeling and without having knowledge of what was really going on.Once on the front line, ethic and justness of your cause was out of question: it was kill or be killed.
And as a side note about how little the soldiers knew what was waiting for them. I am Romanian and my grandmother is very fond of Italians(her grandfather was Italian). She often told me that ,as a child during the war, she would go to the train station and watch trains with italian soldiers on route to the Eastern front.They were always merry, singing songs, giving sweets to the children etc.

---

I don't know, never been in a war, and hopefully am never going to be in one. I can't see how I could be persuaded but then I jsut have to look at my school CCF :sigh:

Not to be funny or anything, but as well as upsetting the usual suspects (viz the Scots Irish and welsh) calling the Imperial forces in North Africa English runs the risk of upsetting Ozzies, Kiwis, South Africans and Indians, all of whom had very substantial and (especially in the case of the Ozzies and Kiwis) very formidable forces in the 8th Army.

Sorry about that.. i did mean those serving in the British army.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kaiser of Arabia

Just responding to thier accusations of my crazyness ;)
That proves Im CRAAAZY! (enough to sing Uber Alles in Amerika)

---

I don't think you are crazy, I just think if you repeated that dying gloriously nonsense to any veteran, regardless of nationality or era, he'd laugh in your face.

Capo may i suggest you go to Iraq for hollydays. You'll find it quite fun there.

i would fight western front for the allies.. ~:)
my grandfather was in the British Navy for WW2

my great-grandfather (paternal) fought in WW1 and was stationed at Ypres where he was shot once and subjected to a gas attack but he still survived the war.

my great-grandfather (maternal) fought in the middle east during WW1.

If your ennnemy wants to die for his country, you and him have the same goal.. I dobn't remember who said that. But the way, there is no glorious death. There is just death...

Hoops, sorry for the spelling mistakes, but I was a bit nervous when I read poeple speaking so lightly about death...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Longshanks

I don't think you are crazy, I just think if you repeated that dying gloriously nonsense to any veteran, regardless of nationality or era, he'd laugh in your face.

---

And I'd wrestle him in the mud and win. :balloon2:
but I am crazy :help:
~:grouphug: for everyone for posting in this thread

I disagree heartily about dying gloriously. I think that the people who find no glory in warfare simply don't have the minerals to accept the realities of it.

I would want to fight on the western front with the allies, preferably in the paratroopers, definately with the infantry. I would never want to be dropped in a Sherman or other allied deathtrap. As an infantryman you would have a technological advantage when it came to the standard rifle and heavy air support and light tank support to take on enemy tanks and strongpoinhts. With the paratroops you would be with the best, you would be able to trust and depend on all the soldiers in the unit, with a few exceptions. Extra pay as well. The Germans were also much kinder to POWs than the Japanese and usually did not torture them nearly as much. German soldiers also respected surrendered soldiers for the most part, Japanese soldiers did not, thus they abused the allied prisoners much much more.

EDIT: With the Americans BTW, I like bolt action rifles, but if my life has to depend on either a bolt action or a semiautomatic I would go with the Garand over the Enfield.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NeonGod

I disagree heartily about dying gloriously. I think that the people who find no glory in warfare simply don't have the minerals to accept the realities of it.

---

Where did you find glory in battle? What war were you in? :inquisitive:

stick me on the western front, eastern front far to cold, desert and japan/china far to warm.

stick me on the allies side for britian, being british couldn't have it any other way, storming the beaches would be intresting.

Japanese in China. What could go wrong? ~:)