WWII - Last Stages I'm looking at it from a lot of people's perspectives. Mainly, America (Truman and Eisenhower ). I'm going to introduce the British, have already introduced the Soviets (Stalin and Beria at present), Germans ( Hitler and Rundstedt at present), Japan ( Commander Ning and I've left the Premier unnamed), and theres the side story of the Manhattan project, I'm currently writing about the Trinity explosion, have set up for a chapter on Pearl Harbor, and am looking to insert one on the meeting between American and British forces. There are also a series of personal conversations between Eisenhower and a fictional lady friend who's a famous columnist at the Times. So, as you can see, quite a few characters so far. I'm trying to make this dialog based, with some action (Trinity and Pearl H so far) and bing out the characters through the way they talk, I've tried changing the subtle inflections in speech so you can make out the difference between Germans, Russians and Americans. I've also put research into parts which I felt deserved it, The Manhattan Project, as well as Pearl Harbor and the Trinity Explosion. My question is, the line I seem to be taking is each Scene is a significant part of the War, but not necessarily action. Any ideas for Chapters, parts of the war that should have their own Chapter? Thanks.
Hi Shreyass, Maybe, you could have chapters on D-Day, the war in the Pacific, the air war, the North African campaign or Germany's invasion of Russia?
Yeah I was thinking a Chapter on D-Day, one on Iwo Jima, definitely one important campaign from Barbarossa, I'll have to put in a lot of historical detail, which I don't mind doing. I'm working on a Pearl Harbour chapter now, thats going to be pretty big. Thanks for the input, you're doing a Vietnam story right?
Kind of funny, but the Admiral Husband Kimmel who was in charge of Pearl Harbor is from my small hometown. That would be a good chapter, be sure to include the Japanese subs sneaking into the bay, the U.S.S. Arizona. D-Day of course, the paratroopers that dropped the night before are pivotal. North Africa. Patton and Monty. Possibly the luftwaffe attacks on London, There is just so much with WW2, I just wrote a few off the top of the head things down. I really dont think you can go wrong on this topic. lol
Thanks for the suggestions, definitely implementing some of those, and you're right, theres just so much I can possibly write about, I think I'm going to exceed my projected word limit of 25000 Thanks again.
Edwin P. Hoyt published a number of historical books in paperback that look at different events (battles etc.) during World War II. The same situation (such as the Battle of Leyte Gulf) was described from the perspectives of both sides (the thoughts and tactics emplyed by the admirals and ship captains based on what they knew at the time, for example). A couple of his books that I remember are The Battle of Leyte Gulf and To the Marianas: War in the Central Pacific. I know they're out of print, but I see them (or other books by Hoyt) in well-stocked used bookstores. Also, anything by Steven E. Ambrose, such as Citizen Soldier. It's detailed book on the battle from Normandy to the fall of Berlin. Includes information and stories from the soldiers (Privates and NCO's to Colonels and Generals). Extremely riveting (in my opinion). Probably better to listen to it on tape...14 tapes...but each hour is well worth it. This one is still in print. From your posts, Shreyass, you appear pretty far along in the planning stages, but reading your topic, I thought's I'd make a suggestion or two which may help you in writing the type of book (style and content) you're shooting for. It's one I'd be interested in reading if/when you get it published. There are a few other books I could recommend, but it might be easier if you're interested in checking out the Recommended Reading page of my website. Scroll down to the Military Non-Fiction section. Don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions about the books or authors listed. Good luck with your writing! Terry
If you're doing something that might have the Japanese point of view in a chapter I would do The Battle of Midway. This was a more decisive battle, for the Japanese, than the one on Iwo Jima. The commander that you mentioned for the Japanese, Commander Ning, doesn't sound right. Was he a real commander? I can't help but think that the name sounds more Chinese than Japanese. If you write something about Iwo Jima write about the real men like General Tadamichi Kuribayashi. If you do Midway use the real people like Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and/or Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. Hope that was helpful
shrey... 25,000 isn't even close to a novel!... and, if you meant 250,000, who'd publish something that overlong by an unknown, unpublished writer?... fyi, that's more than double the acceptable length for a first novel... besides the fact that there are similar sagas already out there, by eminent, best-selling authors, don't you think you might want to start out with something more commercially viable, size-wise? love and hugs, maia
Hey, thanks for all the suggestions. TWErwin2, thanks a lot, thats very helpful, I'll definitely be looking that up. Tori, you're rigt, I'm using Chuichiro in Pearl Harbour, I'll probably change Ning to him right away, thanks for noticing. Mammamia, I'm not looking to get this published at all, its probably going to be 35000 words max and its just a personal project, not looking to make any money off it or anything, I guess you can say that its just for internal circulation. Thanks all.
that's good, since 35k is only 1/3 of a book and is way too much for a short story... hope you have fun with it, anyway... and it's good practice...
btw, if you're looking from the American perspective, I would talk about the justification that was used to drop the atomic bomb, i.e., how many men a land invasion of Japan might have killed on both sides.
