As a resource no longer available online I have saved the website zhukov.mitsi.com about Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov and the eastern front and made it available on the WWarII archives. Below you will find the table of contents:
Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov
Site Map
Archives
Russo-Japanese War
Barbarossa
General Winter
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Kursk
The Tide Turns
Assault at Seelow Heights
Battle for Berlin
Soviet Bombing Raids
Act of Surrender
7 Excellent Open Courseware Collections for History Buffs
Learning about history is mostly book learning. While it is true that a classroom setting allows you to debate with others the causes and ramifications of certain historical events, much of the study of history is just in learning what happened. Open courseware collections are perfect for this type of learning because you can pick up all you need to know.
AP History Lesson
AP History Lesson is a courseware collection that focuses on more recent periods of American history. It covers some of the basics and is an excellent introduction for history buffs. Its inclusion of photographs and interviews is sure to spur you on to want to learn more about American history.
The American Civil War
The American Civil War focuses on this period of American history. The Civil War started off as an attempt to restore the integrity of the Union and transformed into a struggle over the issue of slavery and the movement toward the freedom of four million slaves.
American Revolution
American Revolution teaches of the events that transpired as the colonists moved toward creating their own independent nation. The changes went far beyond the political as social norms were also forever changed. It was this series of events that moved this nation towards the continuing growth of freedoms and the development of the nation from a fledgling one to a major player on the world stage.
History Of Western Civilization
History of Western Civilization is a collection that moves into European history. This course begins with ancient times and proceeds into the early modern era. This collection touches on the Crusades, The Renaissance, and the Reformation.
The Anthropology Of Computing
The Anthropology of Computing looks at computers and their history. Their construction and usage is directly related to the development of culture and the circumstances surrounding them in history. Computers have grown as society has. Investigating their history reveals the developments in society as a whole in the fairly recent past.
Media In Cultural Context: Popular Readerships
Media in Cultural Context: Popular Readerships is a courseware collection that focuses on media as it has related to, affected, and has been influenced by culture. It speaks of popular reading and how that has evolved over time. It examines the history of popular reading as a barometer for cultural attitudes and interests over time. This course gives unique insight into cultural perspectives throughout history.
Art History
Art History is a collection that takes you through a comprehensive history of Western art. It includes discussions of sculpture, painting, and architecture throughout history. It may seem like an interesting addition to a history curriculum, but you can tell a lot about a culture through its art.
These 7 excellent open courseware collections for history buffs provide an interesting snapshot of history. The history of any nation or of the world at large is a massive topic that will allow any history buff to continue studies of this fascinating field indefinitely. This collection of resources will give a nice mix of historical perspectives to pique anyone’s interest in history.
Thomas Rheinecker is a freelance author and writes about education topics, such as how to research online university rankings, accreditation, and more.
Today in WWII History
World War II History for June 9
9 Jun 1940 - Norway surrendered to the Nazis during World War II.
9 Jun 1944 - The Russian Army invaded Karelian Isthmus in Finland. Russia was fighting to gain back territory that had been ceded to it under the terms of the Treaty of Moscow of 1940.
According to the terms of the Treaty of Moscow of 1940, Finland was forced to surrender parts of its southeastern territory, including the Karelian Isthmus, to the Soviet Union, which was eager to create a buffer zone for Leningrad. To protect itself against further Russian encroachment, Finland allowed Germany to traverse its country in its push eastward into Russia, despite the fact that it did not have a formal alliance with the Axis power. Emboldened by the damage Germany was inflicting on Russia, Finland pursued the “War of Continuation” and won back large parts of the territory it had ceded to Moscow in the 1940 treaty.
But as Germany suffered setback after setback, and the Allies continued bombing runs in the Balkans, using Russia as part of its “shuttle” strategy, Finland began to panic and made overtures to Stalin about signing an armistice. By June 9, the Red Army was once again in the East Karelia, and Stalin was in no mood to negotiate, demanding at least a symbolic “surrender” of Finland entirely. Finland turned back to its “friend,” Germany, which promised continued support. A change in Finnish government resulted in a change in perspective, and Finland finally signed an armistice that gave Stalin what he wanted: all the old territory from the 1940 treaty and a guarantee that German troops would evacuate Finnish soil. Finland agreed but the German army refused to leave. Terrible battles were waged between the two behemoths; finally, with the defeat of the Axis, Russia got what it wanted, not only in Finnish territory, but also in war reparations to the tune of $300 million. Finland would become known for its passivity in the face of the Soviet threat in the postwar era.
Review – Finding Granddad’s War
Grandson Researches Grandfather’s WWII History
It is very fitting that Ancestry Publishing (Ancestry.com) was the publisher for Jeffrey Badgers Finding Granddad’s War. As it’s title states, this book details the research methods and the travels of a young man in search of the history of a grandfather he never knew.
Jeffrey Badger was only two months old when his grandfather, Leo Kavanaugh, passed away in 1970. Twenty seven years later Jeffrey Badger began to piece together the life of his grandfather and learn where he had been, who he knew and what some of his experiences had been.
As part of the 9th Army’s 978th Engineer Maintenance Company, Leo Kavanaugh visited 9 countries, trailed almost 30,000 miles and was one man in a unit of 377. Finding Granddad’s War is not about a frontline soldier, action packed with combat stories, but is a deeply personal rebuilding of a war experience, tales and memories from those who were there, and filling in the memories for a grandson who never knew his grandfather.
Badger reached out to many people, finding a little information here and there, but also found and met many of the men his grandfather served with. They told him their stories, personal, funny and painful, which helped him to know what really happened in his grandfathers life. Badger ended up tracking to 17 states and Europe to meet 32 veterans and get their story
What really is of value in this book is Jeffrey Badger describes how he went about researching this chronicling history, what you should do to research your own family. This is a great guide that shows just how much information is out there to find, where you can look, and how to go about getting official records.
This book is a good read for anyone looking to research their own family history. I found it to be very entertaining and insightful, getting to hear the histories of so many people that were involved in one man’s life. There are a lot of good resources contained and detailed that will assist in researching individuals histories. Finding Granddad’s War shows how even a beginner with little background knowledge can end up traveling the globe and filling a book with what he learned.
Review of A Short History of the United States
a publication by Robert Rimini
View the full review page: A Short History of the United States
A Short History of the United States is the quintesential quick review of US history. Robert Rimini does a great job of compiling this work and packing almost 1000 years of history into these 368 pages. Even while so much information is blended together, A Short History of the United States gives detailed facts and dynamic walkthroughs of 11 different periods, broken out into chapters. He has done a wonderful job of walking us through our American heritage, from the discovery of the New World, through all the wars and conflicts, and up to present day.
The book well portrays our evolution from settlers learning to farm crops in new soil to the United States becoming the worlds foremost superpower. I would recommend this book to both students and anyone interested in a full overview of US history. While there is a decent section about World War II, I would have liked to see a bit more about the true impact it held on this nation and the strength and power it had become.
All in all, Rimini achieves the true intention of A Short History of the United States. All major points of US history were touched upon, giving the reader a good knowledge base to build on.
Book Details
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Harper (October 7, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060831448
ISBN-13: 978-0060831448
Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
Homepage: Harper Collins
Author: Robert Rimini
Today in WW II History
World War II History for September 11
1940 - Adolf Hitler sent German army and air force reinforcements to Romania to protect oil reserves and to prepare for an Eastern European base for attacks against the Soviet Union.
1941 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave orders to attack any German or Italian vessels found in U.S. defensive waters. The U.S. had not officially entered World War II at this time.
1941 - Charles A. Lindbergh brought on charges of anti-Semitism with a speech in which he blamed “the British, the Jewish and the Roosevelt administration” for trying to draw the United States into World War II.
1944 - U.S. President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King met in Canada at the Quebec Conference.
1944 - The U.S. 1st Army crossed the border into German territory.
Today in WW II History
**World War II Begins**
World War II History for September 1
1939 - World War II began when Germany invaded Poland.
On this day in 1939, German forces bombard Poland on land and from the air, as Adolf Hitler seeks to regain lost territory and ultimately rule Poland. World War II had begun.
The German invasion of Poland was a primer on how Hitler intended to wage war–what would become the “blitzkrieg” strategy. This was characterized by extensive bombing early on to destroy the enemy’s air capacity, railroads, communication lines, and munitions dumps, followed by a massive land invasion with overwhelming numbers of troops, tanks, and artillery. Once the German forces had plowed their way through, devastating a swath of territory, infantry moved in, picking off any remaining resistance.
Once Hitler had a base of operations within the target country, he immediately began setting up “security” forces to annihilate all enemies of his Nazi ideology, whether racial, religious, or political. Concentration camps for slave laborers and the extermination of civilians went hand in hand with German rule of a conquered nation. For example, within one day of the German invasion of Poland, Hitler was already setting up SS “Death’s Head” regiments to terrorize the populace.
The Polish army made several severe strategic miscalculations early on. Although 1 million strong, the Polish forces were severely under-equipped and attempted to take the Germans head-on with horsed cavaliers in a forward concentration, rather than falling back to more natural defensive positions. The outmoded thinking of the Polish commanders coupled with the antiquated state of its military was simply no match for the overwhelming and modern mechanized German forces. And, of course, any hope the Poles might have had of a Soviet counter-response was dashed with the signing of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Nonaggression Pact.
Great Britain would respond with bombing raids over Germany three days later.
1942 - A federal judge in Sacramento, CA, upheld the wartime detention of Japanese-Americans as well as Japanese nationals.
1945 - The U.S. received official word of Japan’s formal surrender that ended World War II. In Japan, it was actually September 2nd.
Today in WW II History
World War II History for August 29,
1942 - Red Cross announces Japan refuses passage of supplies for U.S. POWs
On this day in 1942, the international humanitarian agency, the Red Cross, reveals that Japan has refused free passage of ships carrying food, medicine, and other necessities for American POWs held by Japan.
In January 1941, the U.S. government requested that the American Red Cross begin a blood-donor program to provide ready and ample supplies of blood plasma and serum albumin for transfusions for wounded soldiers. More than 13 million donations (each about a pint) were collected.
Among other grassroots efforts organized by local Red Cross chapters were bandage-making “assembly lines,” working out of local churches, synagogues, and town halls. Abroad, volunteers worked in military hospitals, reading and writing letters for the wounded. Tens of millions of food packages were prepared and funneled to Allied POWs through Geneva, which served as a clearinghouse. But getting such packages to prisoners in Japan proved particularly difficult. Japan refused to allow even “neutral” ships to enter Japanese waters, even those on humanitarian errands. Despite protests by the Red Cross, Japan allowed just one-tenth of what POWs elsewhere received to reach prisoners in their territories.
As the war came to a close, the Red Cross followed on the heels of liberating military forces to supply relief and aid to those suffering from the ravages of battle. Approximately 20,000 professional Red Cross workers served during the war, along with countless other volunteers.
1944 - During the continuing celebration of the liberation of France from the Nazis, 15,000 American troops marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris.
1945 - U.S. General Douglas MacArthur left for Japan to officially accept the surrender of the Japanese.
Today in WW II History
World War II History for August 28
1941 - In occupied Ukraine, more than 23,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered by the Gestapo.
The German invasion of the Soviet Union had advanced to the point of mass air raids on Moscow and the occupation of parts of Ukraine. On August 26, Hitler displayed the joys of conquest by inviting Benito Mussolini to Brest-Litovsk, where the Germans had destroyed the city’s citadel. The grand irony is that Ukrainians had originally viewed the Germans as liberators from their Soviet oppressors and an ally in the struggle for independence. But as early as July, the Germans were arresting Ukrainians agitating and organizing for a provisional state government with an eye toward autonomy and throwing them into concentration camps. The Germans also began carving the nation up, dispensing parts to Poland (already occupied by Germany) and Romania.
But true horrors were reserved for Jews in the territory. Tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews had been expelled from that country and migrated to Ukraine. The German authorities tried sending them back, but Hungary would not take them. SS General Franz Jaeckeln vowed to deal with the influx of refugees by the “complete liquidation of those Jews by September 1.” He worked even faster than promised. On August 28, he marched more than 23,000 Hungarian Jews to bomb craters at Kamenets Podolsk, ordered them to undress, and riddled them with machine-gun fire. Those who didn’t die from the spray of bullets were buried alive under the weight of corpses that piled atop them.
All told, more than 600,000 Jews had been murdered in Ukraine by war’s end.
Today in WW II History
World War II History for August 26
1934 - Adolf Hitler demanded that France turn over their Saar region to Germany.
1944 - DeGaulle enters a free Paris
On this day in 1944, French General Charles de Gaulle enters Paris, which had formally been liberated the day before. As he entered the Place de l’Hotel, French collaborationists took a few sniper shots at him. “There are many moments that go beyond each of our poor little lives,” he was quoted at the time. “Paris outraged! Paris broken! Paris martyrized! But Paris liberated!”
For de Gaulle, the liberation of Paris was the end of a long history of fighting Germans. He sustained multiple injuries fighting at Verdun in World War I. He escaped German POW camps five times, only to be recaptured each time. (At 6 feet, 4 inches tall, it was hard for de Gaulle to be inconspicuous.)
At the beginning of World War II, de Gaulle was commander of a tank brigade. He was admired as a courageous leader and made a brigadier general in May 1940. After the German invasion of France, he became undersecretary of state for defense and war in the Reynaud government, but when Reynaud resigned, and Field Marshal Philippe Petain stepped in, a virtual puppet of the German occupiers, de Gaulle left for England. On June 18, de Gaulle took to the radio airwaves to make an appeal to his fellow French not to accept the armistice being sought by Petain, but to continue fighting under his command. Ten days later, Britain formally acknowledged de Gaulle as the leader of the “Free French Forces,” which was at first little more than those French troops stationed in England, volunteers from Frenchmen already living in England, and units of the French navy.
De Gaulle would prove an adept wartime politician, finally winning recognition and respect from the Allies and his fellow countrymen. He returned to Paris from Algiers, where he had moved the headquarters of the Free French Forces and formed a “shadow government” in September 1943. On the eve of the Normandy invasion, de Gaulle demanded that his government be regarded as the “official” government of all liberated areas of France. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, commander of the D-Day invasion, agreed to “not recognize” any government entity other than de Gaulle’s. De Gaulle went on to head two provisional governments before resigning. In 1970, he died suddenly of an aneurysmal rupture at the age of 79.
1945 - The Japanese were given surrender instructions on the U.S. battleship Missouri at the end of World War II.
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