The Second World War began at dawn on September1, 1939, when German army units in East Prussia, Silesia and Czechoslovakia invaded Poland after several months of crisis-building by Adolf Hitler. The Poles were outmanned and their army still used horses against German tanks. With the connivance of Stalin, who invaded the country from the east two weeks after the German invasion, the country was occupied by the end of September.
I am clueless about all this but I love reading your more personal looks at these guys. They were amazing. Loved flying, didn't they? What strikes me is their incredible creativity and flying by the seat of their pants ( was astounded at the rescue and flight to safety sitting on the lap!!) How incredible their lives were as they navigated the politics and
changes all while fighting a war!! They suffered and scrambled and some of them survived. Had no idea about the role of these Polish pilots in the RAF or their role in retrieving Monte Cassino-- of special interest to me since it is an iconic place for Benedictines and I spent 7 years as a Benedictine nun in an earlier life and remain a Benedictine Oblate. IMMENSELY enjoyed learning about these men and their amazing contributions. Thank you, TC!
This filled in a great many blanks for me. And personalizing it made it the best ever history lesson. The Poles pulled Europe out of the fire in 1683 when the Ottomans were on the verge of capturing Vienna. They beat the Bolsheviks in 1922. For a country with no defensible borders they had to be fierce fighters. Now if we could just get them to fight in Ukraine in large numbers...
Had no idea about any of this . Fascinâtes me to think about flying a plane like handling a horse. Also, not relying on equipment...using their eyes. And their role in the Battle of Britain!! Like seeing their faces and reading your text about their crazy wonderful game changing bravery. Thank you TC!
Great history writing TC! Well in tune with your TAFM; without irony this time. I seem to stumble in on the most interesting writing of history: Last time it was Erkki Hautamäki's Finland in the Eye of the Storm; on the incredible plot by Churchill behind Germany occupying Denmark and Norway.
I am clueless about all this but I love reading your more personal looks at these guys. They were amazing. Loved flying, didn't they? What strikes me is their incredible creativity and flying by the seat of their pants ( was astounded at the rescue and flight to safety sitting on the lap!!) How incredible their lives were as they navigated the politics and
changes all while fighting a war!! They suffered and scrambled and some of them survived. Had no idea about the role of these Polish pilots in the RAF or their role in retrieving Monte Cassino-- of special interest to me since it is an iconic place for Benedictines and I spent 7 years as a Benedictine nun in an earlier life and remain a Benedictine Oblate. IMMENSELY enjoyed learning about these men and their amazing contributions. Thank you, TC!
This filled in a great many blanks for me. And personalizing it made it the best ever history lesson. The Poles pulled Europe out of the fire in 1683 when the Ottomans were on the verge of capturing Vienna. They beat the Bolsheviks in 1922. For a country with no defensible borders they had to be fierce fighters. Now if we could just get them to fight in Ukraine in large numbers...
Had no idea about any of this . Fascinâtes me to think about flying a plane like handling a horse. Also, not relying on equipment...using their eyes. And their role in the Battle of Britain!! Like seeing their faces and reading your text about their crazy wonderful game changing bravery. Thank you TC!
Thanks, TC, for filling in an embarrassingly large gap in my knowledge.
Real flying.
Your history writing is outstanding. Thanks TC.
Great history writing TC! Well in tune with your TAFM; without irony this time. I seem to stumble in on the most interesting writing of history: Last time it was Erkki Hautamäki's Finland in the Eye of the Storm; on the incredible plot by Churchill behind Germany occupying Denmark and Norway.
TC, I have just sent this to my nephew Colin, who is the fan of your books. He will love it!