re: If you had to fight in WW2- Europe or Pacific

Very cool! I've always wondered if, out of all the footage I've watched over the years, the camera ever panned past my grandfather...even for a split second glimpse.

I see a lot of comments about how the Germans treated American POWs with respect, etc.

The father of my college girlfriend was a POW in WWII. He was a flyer and was shot down while strafing an Italian truck convoy. He was handed over to the Germans and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, the POW camp of The Great Escape fame.

When compared to the treatment of prisoners held by Japan his treatment was pretty good but it was a physical and mental struggle every day. The Germans would take all edibles out of their Red Cross and personal packages giving them only things like ice skates and other useless items. At night the German guards would walk by a barrack and just lower their weapon and fire off a round or two through the walls. At the time of this man's release he weighed in at about 93 lbs.

So yes, while he wasn't tortured or beaten regularly it was still a terrible existence and a daily struggle to live.

I knew him in 1977, '78 and he still got migraine headaches during the anniversary week of his being shot down.

Also even though he worked on the tunnel he did not get to escape because he was moved to a different barrack a couple of days prior to the escape.

Torn. People on here saying Europe because although it may be cooler (try living in below freezing for extended periods with inadequate cold weather gear) and because the Germans treated better (they did). But, I'd choose the Pacific Theater. Outside of the beginning of the war and Bataan, the Japs didn't take many prisoners. The fighting was just as brutal, but at least after the time on the island, you'd be rotated out for a bit, which was a lot more R&R/down time than those faced in Europe.


My ex-wife's Grandfather was captured at Kasserine Pass in North Africa in '43 and was held in Germany until the end of the war. Beaten/severe weight loss and he mentioned the damned cold a lot. Hated it. Thats why they moved to south FL after he returned.

Interesting perspective. To me, hot and humid are more miserable than the deep winter cold, but I'm not going to pretend I'm not wearing adequate gear while exposed to the latter.

I built a wind project in the Adirondacks with lake effect snow hitting us for months. Although I was always well prepared with coveralls and whatnot, it was still miserable. Can't imagine being wet AND cold AND getting shot at, too.

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The Western Front was child’s play

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The Germans said that the Western front was child's play compared to their eastern front with Russia. I think I'd pic Europe against the Germans over the Pacific. I'd pic the Pacific over fighting with the Russians against Germany.

Lots of similarities here (I see Kingwood in your bio, too )

According to my grandmother, Pawpaw was a heavy drinker after the war when they first met, but she put her little foot down hard enough where he kicked it if he wanted to marry her. Bless her.

I often think about how many men were affected by the war, and they came home to lead somewhat normal lives. PTSD was considered nutting up, and no one wanted that stigma. I'm glad that the culture has changed and men (and women alike) can receive the help they truly need.

I've spoken to a couple of vets that were POWs in the Bataan death march in the Pacific. Give me Europe every time

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Although kamikaze attacks occurred in both operations against support vessels, it was much more prominent at Okinawa. Iwo Jima had 318 casualties attributed to Kamikaze, while Okinawa was staggering. 36 ships sunk, almost 5,000 men killed as a direct result of Kamikaze attacks.

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My grandfather was a torpedo pilot in the Pacific. The father in law of the guy above probably knew him, it sounds like they could have been on the same carrier at some time. He was hit by a kamikaze and captured by the Japanese navy. Spent 2 years in a prison on or near Chichi Jima where the book Flyboys took place. He said he went in prison 6'1" and around 200 lbs at 22-23 years old, came out with no teeth and weighing 95 lbs

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Iwo Jima had 318 casualties attributed to Kamikaze, while Okinawa was staggering. 36 ships sunk, almost 5,000 men killed as a direct result of Kamikaze attacks.

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Could have been a lot worse and had more impact on the battle ashore if they had deliberately targeted the transports. Kamikaze pilots instinctively went after combat ships if they saw one.

I was born and lived in the deep south for 24 years before I became a road warrior. South Texas was hot as shite, upstate NY was cold that went deep into your bones. Colorado is a nice medium