Newspapers with FJs

[Willi Z.]

In the period before US entry into WWII, you sometimes find US newspapers reporting on the exploits of the Fallschirmtruppen. Here is a copy of the August 12, 1940 issue of the Chicago Sunday Tribune. The FJ on the cover sports a MP28, early green step-in smock, FJ helmet (probably a DD) and his chemical protective gear.

Willi

[Willi Z.]

Here is the inside page from the same issue. If anyone has any others, go ahead and post them. These issues give a valuable insight on how the war in Europe was reported before US entry in Dec of '41.

Willi

[Willi Z.]

An article on Crete from the July 14, '41 issue of Life magazine.

[Willi Z.]

Another article on Crete, from the July 26, '41 issue of Collier's magazine.

[Willi Z.]

The cover from a German information magazine in English, dated May of '41.

[Willi Z.]

And the inside story from the same magazine.....

[JamesM]

Time Magazine (20 MAY 40) ran an article about the "Lowlands Attack"

While there are not any pictures of FJs - here are some interesting/mis-guided quotes:

"Nerve Gas? Experts believed that the 'Secret Weapon' brandished by Adolf Hitler at the war's beginning was anything from a Buck Rogers death ray to hot air. But the sudden, startling capture early last week of Eben Emael fortress, potent key of Belgium's Liege defense system and synonym to Belgians for security, made the world wonder. Germany officially announced that this exploit was accomplished by the use of new Angriffsmittel (attack method) operated by one Lieut. Witzig, an air pilot who landed his plane inside the fortress and in a few minutes, 'despite heavy defence measures,' rendered its 1,000 occupants so defenseless that a mechanized Nazi column which soon arrived easily took the Belgians prisoner"

The artlice goes on to speculate "as to what manner of weapon could paralyze the defenders" 1.) Bombs (perhaps liquid oxygen) or 2.) a Nerve Gas like acetyl choline.

Pretty wild speculations by the experts of the day!!