/r/ww2
For discussion of all things World War II. If you're a Nazi though, fuck off.
Rules and Guidelines
The Golden Rule: This subreddit is intended for civil and informed discussion about the Second World War and related issues. Engaging in bigotry or racism, and resorting to insults or hostility will result in a ban. Holocaust Denial, defending Nazis, Nazi and war crime glorification will all lead to instantaneous bans.
Self-promotion (posting your own YouTube channels, etc.) needs to be authorized by the moderators before posting.
While anyone is welcome to comment in /r/WW2, comments about the history of the war should be offered in good faith and only when you, the commenter, are sure that what you say is true. That being said, opinion is also welcome -- just make sure you present it as such. If you are asked to provide a source then you will have to present one. Failure to do so will result in a removal of the post in question.
The war and its historiography are contentious issues which are still debated to this day. The possibility of someone disagreeing with your take on things certainly exists, but both parties are required to engage the matter in a polite and charitable fashion.
No political soap-boxing. Such posts will be removed, and repeat violations will result in a ban.
This is a subreddit dedicated to the historical Second World War. Submissions related to film, novels, video games, and tv-shows, are better suited for a different subreddit.
Memes, jokes, pun threads, reaction .gifs, MFWs and anything of the sort are strictly forbidden. /r/WW2 is a venue for serious discussion of serious matters.
Basically, if you wouldn't do it in /r/AskHistorians, don't do it here.
If submitting a historical photo, the title requires a detailed caption together with an approximate date. For example, British paratroopers gather their parachutes outside of Arnhem, The Netherlands, during Operation Market Garden, 1944 is an acceptable title. Titles such as A German Soldier or American paratroopers and tank will not suffice. Photos should not be edited or altered, including colorization, watermarks, or unnecessary cropping.
Personal photographs of collections, individual items, etc. should be equally as elaborate as in the previous point. Photographs of collections should include a description of all the items on display as a separate comment.
Video links are limited to primary sources, such as combat footage, and secondary sources of explicitly academic quality, including, but not limited to, academic lectures, interviews with historians, and oral histories. "Music videos" or "edits" are not welcome here. All videos has to include original or no sound.
Questions about the identification of items should be redirected to subreddits that are dedicated specifically for that task, such as /r/MilitariaCollecting.
No submissions related to the looting of Second World War archaeological finds from battlefields, etc. Ethical and responsible archaeology is always welcome, however.
No ’what if’, ’who would win’, or ’would you rather’ questions.
If you have any questions, concerns or comments about the subreddit, please message the moderators directly.
Credit for the header goes to /u/KilledFox. Thank you!
/r/ww2
156,321 Subscribers
D-Day
23:37 UTC
It doesn’t indicate variants or specify altitude, etc. but I thought this chart comparing the top speeds of different WWII fighters was pretty interesting nonetheless
23:07 UTC
WW2 British Propaganda Poster, Boil All Milk(?) 1943 or so
16:18 UTC
Operation Bulimba (Australian 2/15th Battalion attack near Tel el Eisa, Egypt), September 1942. Painting by Sir Ivor Hele.
12:10 UTC
My wife's grandpa had his B25 shot down over the Pacific. Here's his flight log.
His last flight is incomplete since he didn't return. Story is he was adrift for 2 or 3 days before a US sub picked up his surviving crew. He was a tail gunner.
11:59 UTC
Pink camo on LDRG jeeps?
I've been trying to find out if LDRG jeeps or any other ground vehicles during WW2 used pink in their camouflage designs, and if so where would I be able to find information on this? Thanks in advance, I'm new to learning about the Northern African campaign.
03:20 UTC
Camping
When I was a young man. I went camping all over Europe.
I told my father it was great and that he should try it.
He responded that he'd done 5 years camping in Europe in the 40s and felt that was enough for one lifetime.
I think he won that argument.
22:30 UTC
In November of 1943, Marines of the 2nd Marine Division load magazines and clean their weapons aboard the attack transport USS Zeillin
22:09 UTC
This was a trophy that my great grandfather took home from the battle of the bulge. My mom hates it because it’s an SS machete but I love it because of the way he got it. He had to kill an SS officer (or just an SS soldier) in order to get a machete. My aunt and uncle also have some of his trophies.
20:20 UTC
Philippine military operations map
Grandfather served in Pacific. Family was about to throw it out. I thought maybe someone might find it interesting. Not sure what to do with it.
19:24 UTC
Any sources on a flamethrower kv2 variant?
I was playing a game of bolt action recently and my opponent's kv2 model had a flamethrower sticking out next to the cannon barrel. I haven't seen sources for this kv2 variant existing irl but a kv1b flamethrower variant definitely did exist. Does anyone have a good source about this?
14:39 UTC
r/ww2 Film Club 04: Letters from Iwo Jima
Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
Long-buried missives from the island reveal the stories of the Japanese troops who fought and died there during World War II. Among them are Saigo, a baker; Baron Nishi, an Olympic champion; and Shimizu, an idealistic soldier. Though Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) knows he and his men have virtually no chance of survival, he uses his extraordinary military skills to hold off American troops as long as possible.
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Starring
- Ken Watanabe
- Kazunari Ninomiya
- Tsuyoshi Ihara
- Ryō Kase
- Shidō Nakamura
Next Month: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
14:02 UTC
Can someone identify this patch?
It is on a veitnam era U.S. army resevre jacket
07:01 UTC
Anyone have information about crew of the HMCS Rockcliffe, HMCS Suderoy VI, HMCS Bowmanville, or HMCS Cornwallis?
I've been researching the ships my great Papa was on during the war (HMCS Rockcliffe, HMCS Suderoy VI, HMCS Bowmanville, HMCS Cornwallis) and though I've found plenty of history, reports, and photographs regarding the ships. However personal stories are very few and far between, if anyone knows any of the crew members, or personal story's from these ships any information you could share would be immensely appreciated.
05:47 UTC
finding good sources on the Russian doctorine towards commands and descision making
I'm doing some work on showing the bureaucracy of Stalinism outside of economics, and I remember hearing about how officers, generals, and so on had practically no ability to make any independent decisions without going up the chain of command, and such.
So I'm trying to find good sources on this, and on the bureaucratic corruption present at the time, and thought this is a good place to come as a guy who doesn't know where to look for historical papers.
02:05 UTC
Pfc. Edward J. Foley of the 143rd Infantry, 36th Division, cleaning his M1903 Springfield sniper rifle before moving out to the front lines near Velletri in Italy. May 1944.
01:17 UTC
England 1942 US Army help identifying unit.
This picture was taken 1942 England and it says on the back not for public release. Or something to that affect. My grandfather is the first Sargent grinning in the middle. Is there anyway to identify his unit? Or does anyone have this same photo? Thank you. He was most likely part of artillery unit, possible 115th artillery.
00:54 UTC
Australian Corporal Leslie “Bull” Allen captured on film in the act of rescuing one of 12 wounded American soldiers whilst under fire. Mount Tambu. New Guinea July 1943.
00:24 UTC
Figured I’d celebrate the 1st snowfall and decently below freezing (in Celsius) temperature in my region by posting my German stuff from the eastern front
My bronze close combat clasp is a marked AGMuK piece, my eastern front medal is a marked Paul maybeur piece and my SS helmet is a ckl size 66 lot #2070
21:44 UTC
Great Grandfather chilling in Stone Henge with other officers. Center right.
Just got handed down so many cool photos
16:54 UTC
Is it true that Japanese Tankmen had to carry swords into their tanks.
I remember hearing this fact from a video I watched a while back. Just wanted somone to confirm
14:53 UTC