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August 21, 2009

Military history buffs, rejoice!

If you're interested in military history, then why haven't you visited the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College web site yet? It's got links to hundreds of papers written by students over many decades, but of even greater interest are the original documents and publications -- most formerly classified -- from World War II and earlier.

From detailed operational summaries of some of the most famous battles, to the extensive interviews conducted by military intelligence types with Herman Goering, there are days -- no, weeks! -- of reading, all of which can be downloaded as PDFs, so you don't have to be online while perusing the materials.

I particulary enjoyed the field manuals, detailing the use and maintenance of all sorts of equipment, from Sherman tanks to jeeps, halftracks and armored cars. There's even a manual for the 50-ton M6 Heavy Tank, which never made it into battle, the War Department deeming the Sherman Tank "good enough," small solace to the familes of tankers killed in what the Germans ironically called "Ronsons" (after the lighter), for the Shermans' tendency to catch fire shortly after meeting a Panzer.

The Military Intelligence Division page features all sorts of assessments of the equipment and tactics of the Germans and Japanese, sometimes including detailed instructions on how to operate and maintain the enemy's kit.



I found an article by then-Captain Eisenhower (USA), published in 1920, detailing the lessons learned during World War I about the effective use of armor, and the type-written after-action summary by Major General John "Blackjack" Pershing on the Mexican Punitive Expedition he led in pursuit of Pancho Villa in 1916.

This site is a treasure trove of information for anyone interested in military history.

Posted by Mike Lief at August 21, 2009 09:12 PM

Comments

Thank you for the nice post about our Digital Library and website. We also have a rss feed so you can see the new items as they are posted! The rss link is here.

Thank you!

Posted by: Kathy Buker at August 24, 2009 09:31 AM