World War II Photos That Most Have Never Seen, continued

From Horizon Times at: 

https://www.horizontimes.com/worldwide/world-war-two 

Fascinating photographs, some of which have been posted in Bytes before. 

Photographs, headings and comments are from the above link.

Further instalments to come. 

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German POWs 

Today this plot of land in Nonant-le-Pin, France is part of a farmland. But on August 21st, 1944, it was the holding ground of German prisoners of war. 

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Germany’s Railway Gun 

This massive artillery gun was supposed to be a game-changer for Germany during World War II. This 1,350 ton weapon could travel on train tracks to attack targets as far as 47 km away. It shot a single round every 30 to 45 minutes. 

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The Railway Gun Captured 

American soldiers proudly stand atop the “Schwerer Gustav” gun that they captured. When it came to new weaponry during World War II, the Germans constantly tried new and many times, effective, weapons. 

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Getting Fit 

Here you can see American soldiers working out and getting fit. The American Army did a massive call-up of soldiers as the war progressed. 

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Gifts For Hitler 

There are few things better than getting gifts on Easter. But these gifts, specially addressed to Adolf Hitler, were gifts he probably didn’t want. 

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Hitler In Paris 

This infamous photograph shows Adolf Hitler accompanied by high-ranking Nazi officers in Paris. In the background you can see the Eiffel Tower. 

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Napping Kitten 

Aboard a US Naval ship, a sailor tends to a young kitten. The sailors set up a makeshift bed for the young animal. 

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Overcome With Anguish 

A French man weeps with fear and anguish. This was the day that the Nazis marched into Paris, putting it under their control. 

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Pearl Harbor 

On December 7th, 1941, Japanese bomber planes attacked Pearl Harbor. The attack came as a surprise to the Americans, and it was this act that brought America into the war. 2,335 Americans lost their lives that day. 

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Remote Controlled Tanks 

British soldiers inspect “mini tanks” that the Germans created to attack tanks and other military personnel. Their aim was to drive by remote control and then explode in enemy territory. They didn’t prove successful was they were expensive and travelled very slowly. 

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Rescued 

This breathtaking scene shows Jewish women and children exiting a train that was on the way to a death camp. The Allies liberated them and this photographer snapped the picture moments afterwards. 

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Safe Children 

With German bombardment on English cities becoming a constant occurrence, kids received gas masks as adults did. No-one was safe from the air raids. 

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The Australians 

A typical Australian sense of humor is visible in this picture. The Australian troops put up this sign at the El Alamein road on the 14th of September, 1942. 

By the way: 

“During the Korean War an American base had a sign saying `Second to None', and down the road was an Australian Army camp with a sign which said `None'.” 

- From a parliamentary speech by Jackie Kelly, MP 

September 17, 2002 

Hansard: https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=CHAMBER;id=chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2002-09-17%2F0056;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2F2002-09-17%2F0000%22 

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The Colonel 

Some choose not to believe this story, but the story still stands. Hand-to-hand combat expert, Col. Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, supposedly ordered Marine trainees to try kill him with their bayonets. He disarmed all of them. 

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Time To Nap 

A Royal Air Force pilot takes a moment’s rest in between flights. The dogfights that the Allies and Germans had were some of the most costly of the war. 

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Unlikely Allies 

After Hitler betrayed his peace treaty with Russia, the Russians took the Allies side. This photograph shows an American soldier and a Russian soldier together. 

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War Umbrellas 

When it rains, it pours, they say. These tanks rolled through the streets without a worry. It was only their crew members who had another idea to ward off the rain. It’s not everyday you see a tank with umbrellas. 

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After Effects 

This young girl draws her own depiction of “home” after the war. She grew up in a concentration camp and this is how she depicted “home”. 

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Approaching Omaha Beach 

American soldiers wait patiently as their boat heads towards the shores of Omaha Beach. Many soldiers were killed even before they disembarked from the watercraft.