Hello All! I’m a 22 year-old medical student from Manchester UK (although I came here from Thailand when I was five). Hey, I hope I’m not crashing a men-only club here? Can a “gal” find a place among all you guys? My money says yes. In any case my focus of interest - with great respect to all other aspects of this remarkable and tragic time - is the epic struggle between the Third Reich and the Soviet Union. The starting date of Barbarossa happens to be my birthday. I am especially interested in the battles of Moscow, Stalingrad, Kharkov (1943), Kursk, Bagration and Berlin from strategy, units, weapons, personalities to possible alternate outcomes. I am also fascinated with that cynical little ogre Dr. Goebbels. He may have been one of histories greatest liars and deservedly carries the condemnation of history on his memory. But he was also bloody smart and even truthful on occasion - if you could pry him away from the microphone and his beloved Führer. Although I have my developing and probably shallow opinions I am here to listen and learn from those who know a lot more about this than I do. I’m not totally ignorant, though, as my great-grandfather - who served in the Irish Guards as a combat medic in 1944-45 and worked on the Blood for Britain project in 1940 instilled a love of history and medicine in me. So, opinions, suggestions, pointers and discussions are most welcome while, respectfully, rants and sledgehammer lectures are less so. I’m also hoping to make some friends as the ones I have “off-line” think I’m absolutely insane for preferring to curl up with a copy of The Road to Stalingrad than getting all dolled-up for the clubs. Don’t misunderstand, I like to dance as much as anyone. But Hitler vs. Stalin? Now that, tovarishi and kameraden, was a dance to the death! cheers! Tima
My hearty welcome to you on this grate sight, young lady, if we need new recruits all the time we especially need articulate and intelligent people, full of promise. We also have vacancies in the Komsomol, if you're ever interested.
Welcome, Tima! I'm new here myself, but this is a great bunch of people and, as I'm sure you are finding, there is just an incredible amount of information here. And with your avowed interest in the East....well, we can all hear Za cooing in the background! Dive in!.... -Lou
Welcome Tima, Reading your post I almost thought you were our own Za Rodinu... obsession with the Ostfront... cynical ogres... shallow opinions... Have fun & get posting! Cheers, Adam.
Welcome aboard comrade!! This is a great forum which a lot of good guys belong to. I am sure you will find this both fun and educational. Seeing Leningrad as one of your interests, just puts a smile on my face as that is my hometown! Good posting!!
Welcome Tima, By far this is not a men's only club. We are all here to learn and fit our bit of the puzzle into place. Anything you can add would be welcomed! I like having women around, I've been married to one for over 20 years. Pay no attention to Za, he just looks like a pinko commie. We gotta have somebody around as a counterweight to us fascists and he does a pretty good job of it, along with the boy wonder, Sloniskp. Now, your first job is to figure out which one of them is the real Ruskie and which one isn't. I finally had to ask.
Welcome Tima. You will surely fit in with this crowd as we all have our own obsessions. We definitely have some individuals with indepth knowledge of the Russo-German war. So make yourself at home and post away!
Welcome aboard Tima! Nice first post. You aren't our first female here, but we do have a lot of testosterone, it's good to have a member to help the balance.