parusski
Posts: 4804
Joined: 5/8/2000 From: Jackson Tn Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: warspite1 quote:
ORIGINAL: Hotschi Also read Dark Navy: The Italian Regia Marina and the Armistice of 8 September 1943 by Vincent P. O'Hara. A short book about the events leading to, during, and after the armistice. O'Hara argues that the Regia Marina in fact didn't surrender but instead "sailed into Allied controlled ports" as ordered by Supermarina. He points out that the Allies, notably the Royal Navy, never actually exercised control of the Italian warships, contrary to claims by RN personell, for example Admiral Cunningham. I regard this as a somewhat hair-splitting argument, but okay. The appendices is where this small book really shines - every, and I mean every, Italian warships's fate, be it captured/taken over (from the French for example), "original" Regia Marina, in repair or under construction, is listed. Also the postions of the ships at the time of the armistice is listed - for me, extremely valuable information. warspite1 This book came yesterday (Black Phoenix arriving today apparently). Bit disappointed in the size of the book for the money. Read it already. Agree the detail re the entire fleet is the big win with this tome and am pleased I bought it for that reason alone. I must confess I found myself reading the book and feeling I was inhabiting a parallel universe. I'm not quite sure who exactly the authors were rooting for here (for example Borghese and his efficient navy), but there were a couple of passages that just came over as bizarre. To suggest that Admiral Cunningham was wrong to "engage in theatrics" by taking Admiral de Zara the long way around Valetta so that he could see what Axis aircraft had done to Malta..... that strikes me as a very understandable way for Cunningham to act, given what the tiny island had endured. Given how different the Italians reaction could be toward the Germans - ranging from fiercely pro-German to fiercely anti-German with whole loads of grey in between, not sure the mis-trust of the Italian navy was exactly unreasonable... The underlying tone was that Fascist Italy should be allowed to behave as she did - declaring war on the French and British as soon as she "knew" that the Allies were on their knees and the war as good as over. But then, when things were going badly, they should be allowed to duck out of the war on their terms and the Germans (who were not advised of this stab in the back) should be happy with the situation. Funny old game eh? SALVATION: Climate Change Cured by BPB, Stephen Ambrose.
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"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast."- W.T. Sherman
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