United States' M3 light tank, "General Stuart" photos added and updated

I've added some more photos and updated the specifications and history of the M3 light tank.

United States' 2 1/2 Ton, 6x6, Amphibian Truck, DUKW, "Duck" added

On the scale of a "must have" trucks of the World War II era, the DUKW is tops on my list. I do a camping trip every summer, and it would be great to be able to take a DUKW camping! It could carry all the gear and be able to go into the water like a boat!

United States' 2 1/2 Ton, 6x6, (4DT) Truck, Deuce and a half added

The truck that some considered a "war winner" was the American Deuce and a Half. It was produced in massive numbers, supplied to the Allies, and was nearly indestructible!

United States' 1 1/2 Ton, 6x6, Cargo Truck added

I've now added another truck for the United States, the 1 1/2 Ton, 6x6.

Britain's Vehicle Production and Imports updated

I've added some production totals for the British.

United States' 1 1/2 Ton, 4x4 (2DT) Truck added

The United States produced a series of 1 1/2 Ton, 4x4 Trucks.

United States' 3/4 Ton, 4x4, Truck added

I've now added a page for the 3/4 Ton, 4x4, Truck that was also used as an ambulance, weapons carrier, and telephone installation vehicle.

United States' M2 light tank photo added

Mark Holloway sent another photo my way and we aren't sure which model of M2 light tank it is, I think it's a M2A2 or M2A3. What do you think?

United States' 1/4 Ton Amphibian Truck added

I was just having a conversation the other day how it would be so cool to have an amphibious vehicle. Here I've added one to my site, the Amphibious Jeep.

United States' 1/4 Ton, 4x4, Truck, "Jeep" added

I've now added a page for the American Jeep.

United States' M3A1 Scout Car photos added

Here's some more photos of the M3A1 Scout Car from Life Magazine that was sent to me by Mark Holloway:

British and South African updates

To reduce the number of blog entries for minor updates, I'll start to combine them when I can. Here's some minor updates for the following:

• South Africa: Marmon-Herrington

• United Kingdom: Crusader Mk I, Valentine Mk II, Universal Carrier, Cruiser Mk II

Britain's Matilda II Infantry Tank updated

Added some minor updates and some clean up for the Matilda II.

Britain's Matilda I Infantry Tank updated

I've made some minor updates to the Matilda I Infantry Tank page.

Britain's Bren Gun Carrier updated

I've made some updates to the British Bren Carrier.

Britain's Morris CS8 Truck and CS9 Armored Car added

The British Expeditionary Force was the first to use the Morris CS8 GS 15cwt truck and the Morris CS9 Armored Car in it's units. The British armored forces continued to use them after the fall of France.

The Marne, 1914, The Opening of World War I and The Battle That Changed The World, Holger H. Herwig, 2009 review

I’ve been fortunate that my local library continues to purchase new books and from all sorts of different subject areas. I subscribe to their RSS feed to see what new books are coming in and put holds on the ones I’m interested in. Lately, the past 6 months or so, I’ve been trying to read about other time periods in history. The library has been getting a few books on World War I, and since I know so little about it I pick them up.

The Marne was very detailed in that it started at the initial mobilization of troops that the many different countries that fought in the first months of World War I underwent.
The Marne primarily talks about the battles from the standpoint of the leaders and the commanding generals that fought up to and in the Battle of the Marne.

Holger H. Herwig says that much of his research includes sources that were locked behind the Iron Curtain until the fall of the German Democratic Republic in 1989-1990.

The Germans had hoped that they would mobilize faster than the French, attack them and eliminate them so that they could then focus on the war against Russia as it was felt they would take even longer to mobilize.

The German Armies were able to very quickly fight their way almost to Paris. Herwig goes over what some felt were the mistakes made by some of the German commanders that deprived them of victory. He doesn’t hold any punches back on the failings of the French and British Army commanders that nearly lost the war by their own severe mistakes.

Now there was something strange with this book, it spent 2/3 to 3/4 of its pages leading up to the Battle of the Marne, and then suddenly the battle was over and the post analysis was made by Herwig. Maybe I’m just not clued into the intricacies of what is completely considered the Battle of the Marne.

I did find the book interested for its high level view but I do prefer the books that have the foot soldiers view of the battle more.

Britain's Handley Page Hampden bomber photos added

I've added a couple of photos, from Usenet, of the Handley Page Hampden bomber.