Welcome to WebOps, Armchair General’s first original content website column! My mission: to bring you the best military history and related websites I can find. Every issue of Armchair General holds a wealth of military historical knowledge, all neatly packaged in an easily accessible format. The Internet and World Wide Web also hold vast amounts of like information, but not always so convenient or user-friendly. That’s where I come in, with links that hopefully make finding the military history you’re looking for online as simple as reading our magazine. And I don’t charge you for a subscription!
This month’s column ties in with Armchair General’s Douglas MacArthur: Soldier of the Century! issue (November 2005, Volume II, No. 5).
In case you missed them, this issue of Armchair General has quite a few websites listed throughout, from Col. Morelock’s Editor’s Letter, through Dispatches and the Commander Dossier, and all the way to nearly the last page. While you’re reading through the magazine, no need to stop and type in all those URL’s, just click below!
Italian Front Group ‘Italian World War II Raiders in California’, page 20 (Alas, this one worked the first time I visited, but as of this writing, all that shows is an ‘Index of/’ page. Maybe it’ll get squared away soon.)
mindfield You’ll have to look way back on page 111 for this link, found on one of the ads in the Post Exchange section. It’s called Mindfield, the game of US Military trivia. Just from reading the description, it looks to me like a military version of Trivial Pursuit. If anyone buys it or has it, let me know!
Three great men were chronicled in this issue, and following are some great websites were you may find more information about them, and maybe learn something new.
Col. Morelock warned about the dangerous decline of the "nation’s collective memory" when it comes to MacArthur, and I saw an example of this as I stalked the Web. I am a bit dissapointed in just how few quality websites I was able to find showcasing him by something other than just a rote biography. The MacArthur Memorial website listed above would be my choice for a first visit, but I also recommend the ones below.
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur This website spills out a detailed MacArthur biography, made all the more complete by hyperlinks of all prominent and related military historical people, places, and things throughout. Further down the page there are excerpts and quotes from and about MacArthur during momentous occasions in history.
Someone should create a section in the Big Book of Military History called ‘Greatest Misnomers’, or something like that. Gen. Doolittle would probably head the list. He gives fellows with the unmanly-sounding name of ‘Jimmy’ (myself included) an undeniable example of what a man may rise to become.
OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN WHO RAIDED JAPAN – 18 APRIL 1942 A comprehensive list of Doolittle’s crew and ‘craft on the 18 April 1942 raid over Japan. If you’re looking for another B-25 Mitchell website, this sites’ homepage might do you well.
Here are some websites to help you to maybe better understand the mind of Forrest, and possibly guide you to choosing the best CoA in this issue’s Combat Decision Game.
Both websites do a good job of giving broad and specific information about Forrest, his life and career.
Before we end the article, I have one more website link for you. Would you please welcome a newcomer to cyberspace: the official homepage of The British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)!
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