The Bunker

The Hitler Youth

Dugald — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:35:35

The talk about Haider brings to mind that other Austrian personality, Kurt Waldheim, the former UN Secretary General and President of Austria. Poor Kurt got hounded for having been a part of the Nazi Wehrmacht during the war. Those who did the hounding were never able to prove that Waldheim was guilty of anything other than being a member of the German Army. Guilt by association it seemed, carried a measure of weight grossly in excess of that usually accorded reasonabale doubt.

Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution

JadeFalcon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:31:00

I have, what some might call an unhealthy interest in World War II, and I've watched a ton of various documentaries, including the must see "World at War". Recently I got this one on DVD from Amazon and found it to be one of the more compelling and effective documentaries that I watched. It really shows the depths to which humanity can sink to. I imagine some of you have seen it, the person here has the whole series in segments. Those who haven't seen it but are interested in watching it, would you share your opinions?

Buran - born in the Cold War

Apollo — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:46:49

Buran, the Soviet space shuttle, has featured in our threads on Google aeral views, where surviving craft can be seen on the ground as fairground and visitor attractions.

I hadn't looked at the detailed past before, but a recent feature suggested it was worth a look, and the history is interesting, if relatively brief.

It seems that the Soviet developers had no plans of replacing traditional rockets with a reusable spacecraft as NASA intended. Their aim was simply to produce a "symmetrical response" to the perceived military threat from the American craft. Although the Soviets insisted the craft an program were not simply copies of the American's, it's still interesting to see that externally so much looks the same, the developments steps were the same, and they even had the same transporters for the craft, modified 747s in America, and giant Antonov An-225 for the Soviet.

Years after sceptics in the Pentagon had given up on the shuttle as a reusable for spy satellite delivery systems, Russian officials continued hinting to journalists that the American shuttlehad a secret capability - to make an undetected "dive" into the Earth's atmosphere and suddenly glide over Moscow dropping nuclear bombs.

In reality, such a scenario is supported by neither physics nor common sense, but made excellent Cold War gossip at the time.

The main differences between the space aeroplane Buran and Shuttle-orbiter are follows:
- the automatic landing of Buran from orbit onto airdrome;
- the absence ot the main rocket engine on the orbital aeroplane. The main engine was placed onto a central block of a carrier-rocket ENERGIA which is able to launch into an orbit 120 tonns of payload against 30 tonns for Space Shuttle;
- the hight lift-drag ratio of the space aeroplane Buran is 6.5 against 5.5 for Space Shuttle;
- the space aeroplane Buran returned 20 tonns of payloads against 15 tonns for Space Shuttle orbiter from an orbit to an aerodrome;
- the cutting lay-out pattern of thermoprotection tiles of Buran is optimal and longitudinal slits of tile belts are orthogonal to the flow line. Sharp angles of tiles are absent. The tile belts of the Buran fuselage and fin have an optimal position.

Sadly, the reality was little better than that of its American counterpart, Buran made only one flight, on November 15, 1988, and although this was impressivley successful given the weather (which would have grounded an American launch), it was an unmanned mission, so technically incomplete. The end of the Cold War, and more pressing financial commitments meant that there would be no more flights.

In 2002, a disastrous collapse of the decaying building in Kazakhstan where the only Buran to fly was being stored, while the rot was being inspected, let to eight deaths and the destruction of the shuttle:-

http://www.buran.ru/images/jpg/bbur89.jpg

http://www.buran.ru/images/jpg/bbur90.jpg

I could go on, but why bother when someone has done all the work already...

The following link goes to the English version of a Russian site which goes into extensive detail of the history and design, and lead to still photographs and video of Buran:

http://www.buran.ru/htm/molniya.htm

Kaliningrad shoots to fame

Apollo — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:41:16

Quoted from Dugald

I might wonder further, if the justification for the Russian anti-missile missiles is a bit more tangible than that of those who own the targets at which the Russian missiles will be aimed.

Since Stalin, you will find Soviet stance is one of a First-Strike declaration and mentality.

Western leaders have maintained a stance and declared they have no First-Strike policy.

If you believe they're lying, then the question posed answers itself - and we probably wouldn't be here to have the point to ponder.

If they're not lying...

Next question please

Oops, forgot the third option, they're politicians, so what they say is...

World War II: Behind Closed Doors

JadeFalcon — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:44:46

I can't remember the name of the show, but did anyone watch the TV program about he Nazi/Soviet pact?

I found it quite interesting, and especially enlightening after reading James Owen's book about the Nuremberg trials.

Of course it mentions the fact that the Soviets invaded Poland and massacred a large portion of the Polish officer corps, including the shootings at Katyn. A crime which they would later try to frame the Nazis for at Nuremberg.

Opinions?

Memorials to the Missing

Apollo — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:16:53

Memorials to the Missing is a drama about the birth of the Imperial War Graves Commission, and contains some interesting background into the battles, opposition, and conflict to established protocol the Commission had to overcome before it came into being, and is well worth catching while it is available.

BBC 7, Memorials To The Missing

Tuesday at 10.15am, 9.15pm and 2.15am and then available to listen again for 7 days on the BBC iPlayer.

Stephen Wyatt received this year's Tinniswood award for his moving drama recounting the internal battle to ensure that the lost soldiers of the Great War were given decent graves. With Anton Lesser and Michael Maloney.

Hitler's Bodyguard

Apollo — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:23:15

Just in case this one slips past anyone interested, a new series, Hitler's Bodyguard, will begin on UKTV History on Monday, November 17.

17:00
Hitler's Bodyguard (History Documentary)
How Hitler's Bodyguard Worked.
How Hitler survived over 40 attempts on his life. Street fighters, thugs and political cronies formed the basis for Hitler's formidable security team.

Daily episodes thereafter.

The analyses will be interesting, given the number of other, successful assassination both then and since, his continued survival, and even survival of some of those plots which were carried through, is almost enough to make you believe in witchcraft and sorcery, as those around him died in the plots, while he was generally able to walk (or at least stagger) away over the bodies.

Kummersdorf rocket facility

Apollo — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:42:25

An interesting article from the BBC:

A few dozen miles south of Berlin, Germany, in the province of Brandenburg, a narrow tree-lined road weaves across scenic meadows and lake-side villages. Near the town of Kummersdorf, a complex of old brown buildings resembling military barracks stands at the intersection of a seemingly abandoned railway line.

Right across from it, a barricaded road made of rough concrete blocks cuts through the thick pine forest. As it curves into the wilderness, strange ruins appear, lurking in the depths of the woods.

Covered with Russian-language graffiti, these semi-collapsed bunkers can be easily mistaken for remnants of the Soviet military bases which litter Eastern Europe. Yet, these unmarked structures represent a forgotten cradle of the Space Age.

Read the rest of the story, Forgotten cradle of the space age.

St Nazaire Operation Chariot

The Fox — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:10:44

St. Nazaire was the target of a ommando raid during WWII. An elderly, ex WWI US lend lease destroyer, HMS Campbeltown loaded with explosives rammed the dock gates denying it's use by the Tirpitz.

U Boat pens at St. Nazaire 1987

This is the replacement dock gate

The mole

Apparently the local council wanted to demolish the pens but they were of such heavy construction that nobody could figure out how to do it without blowing up half the town!

Auschwitz, the Nazis and the Final Solution

JadeFalcon — Mon, 6 Oct 2008 15:51:45

This documentary is on Youtube, though I have it on DVD where its available at a decent price.

If you're interested in that period of time and want to see something that isn't tacky or sensationalist I recommend this.

The documentary is called Auschwitz, the Nazis and the Final Solution produced by the historian Laurence Rees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6jnawYwm3E&feature=related