Snipers in WWII

**lars573** · 09-05-2006, 06:34

Originally Posted by Kraxis

I have read that last one as the partner jumping up and pointing "There he is" and promptly got one in the face...

Neither instance seems very likely.
The first because a good sniper would not fall for such a trick, he would know it. And if he knew Vasily was out there, possibly hunting him, then he would not do that.
The second seems even less likely as the spotter, even if he wasn't a trained spotter (as that story seems it indicate he was not), would damn well know that popping your head up is pretty stupid when you know a good sniper is out there.

While the Germans didn't really love sniping, they were among the few that actually had a sniperschool in the interwar years (and during the war of course). Both the US and UK didn't, and had to 'reinvent' sniping once more. Obviously losing both talent and techniques that could have been honed in the interwar years.

I have heard plenty mention of the Germans employing snipers in the Bocage. That would be a perfect landscape (along with cities) due to the hedges and plenty trees to sit in. Thus the hedges would give the sniper protection, and the targets a feeling of relative security. His position in the tree would however give him a nice view of the landscape (and a good opportunity to hit the enemy in the rear areas), looking down over the hedges. And the fair number of trees would offer him the protection of the targets not knowing where he is, while still not interfering with his vision.
The poor grunts ended up hating this so much that the Germans only needed to put up a rifle, a helmet and a smock to halt advances, while the other side tried to gun down the sniper (who could obviously not be shot down).

And German sniping in WWI is legendary.
So the Germans are interesting in this. Clearly not liking it one bit, but pragmatic and systematical as always about it.
Kind of like that determined kid that eats his vegetables, despite hating them, so he can get strong (belief).

Given History TV's track record. If they said it on air it was true, in so far as they could tell. They made a big deal out of putting on enemy at the gates when they first got the rights to it. Center piece of a "Fact and film" run. They also always go out of their way to say what happens in a film is made up totally or based on real events.

**Kraxis** · 09-05-2006, 14:16

Well, when it comes to such propagandized persons with many different stories of similar events it is rather hard to determine the truth.
History TV might be good at their jobs, but one has to remember that they have a very limited timeframe to do the research in. There isn't that much money in what they do, and one single movie isn't going to generate enough to have a proper research done.

So, as you might guess, I'm not going to trust TV in general. However, I haven't seen any historian come running into the faculty yelling "Heureka, I now know the truth of Zaitzev!"... So I will let it hang in the air.

**Randarkmaan** · 09-06-2006, 19:45

Speaking of snipers; here is a funny picture, an excessively camoflagued Turkish sniper taken prisoner in WWI.

Not WWII, but I just thought I'd share this...

**Kagemusha** · 09-06-2006, 20:37

Nice pic there Randarkmaan!

And here is the world´s deadliest sniper Simo Häyhä.Picture taken during Winter War.He is wearing the basic Winter camouflage of the Finish soldiers and in the picture is also his tool M28 basic Finnish military rifle that was based on Mosin Nagant: