Virtual Battlefield Tours - Google Street View Links

Started by ArizonaTank, February 13, 2015, 12:42:59 PM

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ArizonaTank

Google, in their bid to 'not be evil', has captured almost everywhere there is a road (in the Western World anyway) on "street view."  So, fellow armchair generals, I am interested in seeing Google Street View links to famous battle sites (or not so famous ones).

For example:  I was recently reading "The Second Battle of the Marne", by Paul Greenwood, covering the German offensives of June / July 1918.  Desperate for detailed maps that would help me understand the terrain while reading the book, I found that "street view" by Google maps is actually very helpful. 

Second Battle of the Marne, July 1918
The link below is the crossing point near Jaulgonne, France, where on July 15th, 1918, the German 5th Grenadiers crossed the Marne in small boats.  The grenadiers crossed under machine gun and rifle fire from H and E companies of the US 38th Infantry (Part of the US 3rd Division).  The view is looking from the German lines towards the American defenses on the opposite bank. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.082779,3.530335,3a,75y,96.66h,73.55t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sN0Cc_V5zgq7qU50xDA3sfw!2e0

Austerlitz 1805, Napoleon's greatest victory:
Here is the view looking down Pratzen Heights, where St. Hilaire's Division marched up in Dec 1805 during the battle of Austerlitz.  The village of Pratze is down the road to the right.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.130543,16.761708,3a,75y,302.63h,75.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1svIjrLO4c_6ztd0811-soKw!2e0

Here is the Pheasantry wall near Sokolnitz, also on the Austerlitz battlefield.  The French put up a spirited defense from the other side of the wall.  The story is that the light colored breaks in the wall, mark where the French broke down the walls to fire artillery through.  The long slope up to the Pratzen heights is left.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.125007,16.732248,3a,75y,229.85h,78.83t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sU4hc11kUMMJUrcLospvT1A!2e0

This is the Zuran, a mound built by ancient peoples, but used by Napoleon for his HQ and to direct the battle:
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.179785,16.737911,3a,75y,89.96h,76.64t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1suGlcQL1xmx549bWVaF4Nwg!2e0

Of course one of the challenges to finding links is that many place names have changed, so you need to do a little research to find these places.  Austerlitz is now "Slavkov u Brna" in the Czech Republic for example.

Anyway, would love to see some other Google Virtual Battlefield Tour links.
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

#1

Battle of Hong Kong, December, 1941
The old British Mount Davis battery on the southern tip of Hong Kong Island.  Google street view lets you "walk" among the bunkers

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hong+Kong/@22.276649,114.124205,3a,75y,83.37h,75.59t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sdyVR3TkCxDQr8uJUVH-7bQ!2e0!3e5!4m2!3m1!1s0x3403e2eda332980f:0xf08ab3badbeac97c

The battery saw heavy fighting during the Japanese attack on Hong Kong.  Found this diary excerpt from one of the British troops who was stationed there during the fighting.

http://battleforhongkong.blogspot.hk/2014/04/mount-davis-hong-kong-rsm-ford-who.html
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

steve58

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ArizonaTank

#3

Normandy Invasion, June, 1944, Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach near Colleville sur Mer, the US 1st Division's Fox Green landing zone. 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Omaha+beach/@49.360077,-0.840881,3a,78.7y,6.95h,71.07t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sjS9XYxwWBflkj2rGsJ81Bg!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x480b0811a7f2b3b7:0x6f18b2d62eb739a9

The road leading to the 1st Division Memorial.  Looking back toward the beach where some of the heaviest fighting occurred. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.358422,-0.849012,3a,75y,65.6h,76.1t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s1bZjQQjXUKuVyhbHT6WafQ!2e0

This account of the fighting is from this general area:  http://www.ww2lhawebpages.com/THEFIRSTDIVISION/HISTORY_SPALDINGINTERVIEW.html

The 1st Division Memorial near Colleville sur Mer

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Omaha+beach/@49.359188,-0.848048,3a,75y,279.6h,85.77t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sCofJu57O0cwAAAQXH3ODpQ!2e0!3e11!4m2!3m1!1s0x480b0811a7f2b3b7:0x6f18b2d62eb739a9

The US military cemetery in the 1st Division Sector of Omaha.  The beach is in the background.

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.360391,-0.855634,3a,75y,84.79h,89.66t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1s_f9KiueD2AQAAAQIuAng-w!2e0!3e11

Omaha Beach from the 29th Division's Dog Red beach at St. Laurent sur Mer.  To the rear is where the Les Moulins strongpoint (WN 68 - the Germans designated the strongpoints with a numbering system "WN" followed by a number ) still sits today (see http://www.atlantikwall.org.uk/wn67.htm )  I could be wrong, but I think the bunker is the odd shaped clump of bushes just over and behind the roof of one of the buildings to the rear.

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.371077,-0.880643,3a,75y,31.88h,87.33t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sLJjT48xLFAw1KanB7qwVqg!2e0

Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

Quote from: steve58 on February 15, 2015, 08:45:32 AM
Very cool, thanks.

No problem, I enjoy doing it.  It's a great way to spend a holiday morning.
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

#5
First Bull Run, Manassas, Virginia, July, 1861

Map of the battle, thanks to Wikipedia.  Henry house is the black square near the center of the battlefield: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run#mediaviewer/File:First_Bull_Run_July21_1400.png

Henry house, near the focal point of the battle.  Seen from the road:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.814046,-77.524758,3a,19.4y,65.98h,90.77t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sw0VAhGYvyiudvlnSfU5bAg!2e0

"Here stands Jackson like a stone wall".  The view from the Confederate lines, where the defense by Jackson's Virginians earned him his nickname.  The other side of Henry house can be seen in the distance.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.81385,-77.520629,3a,73.8y,343.67h,95.76t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sY0wc8UfdR58AAAQWtNf5wA!2e0!3e11

View from the Union lines.  Looking towards Jackson's statue.  The visitor center is to the right.  Henry house is down the line of cannon to the left. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8131,-77.521958,3a,90y,84.45h,75.26t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1skEWjDQu7LHoAAAQWtNabtA!2e0!3e11

Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

BanzaiCat

There was a product line of Civil War battlefield interactive CD-ROMs back in the mid-2000s that were very cool...they had animation to show how battles ebbed and flowed, photography both modern and Civil War-era to show a certain point how it looked then and now...wish I could remember what they were called. I reviewed a couple of them for WG back in the day.

ArizonaTank

#7
Another September 11th.

Battle of Brandywine Creek, September 11th 1777, Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania

Brandywine seems almost lost in history, perhaps because it was a clear British victory; Howe just out-maneuvered and out-generaled Washington, plain and simple.  Only some very valiant rear-guard fighting kept the battle from becoming an American rout.

In a nut-shell, Washington was trying to stop a British invasion force from attacking Philadelphia.  He chose to block the British at Chadd's Ford, on the Brandywine.  Howe spilt his forces.  The right wing with 5,000 British and Hessian troops under Hessian general Knyphausen took up positions across from the Americans at Chadd's Ford.  The British Right Wing and Americans fought an artillery duel, but Knyphausen did not cross.     

While Knyphausen kept the American's busy, Howe, took his Left Wing, with 10,000 troops under Cornwallis, on a nine mile march around the American's right flank.  By the time the American's realized the main attack was on their flank, all they could do was retreat in good order.  Towards the end of the day, Kyphausen finally attacked across Chadd's Ford, putting the American line into full retreat.

A pretty good, much more detailed description of the battle here:
http://brandywinebattlefield.org/?page_id=112

An interesting animated map of the battle illustrates the flow of forces very well.
http://brandywinebattlefield.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/BrandywineMotionV1.00.html

Here is a Google streetview of the area just south of Chadd's Ford.  Looking from the American side to the British.  This is where Knyphausen demonstrated with artillery fire, keeping the Americans busy.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Battlefield+of+the+Brandywine/@39.8705864,-75.5932007,3a,75y,100.17h,83.99t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-R8ieqySReAM%2FVQcXkpDuWiI%2FAAAAAAAAOo0%2F3H0LO2oTXNUiHsZWfF9xdQc3YdprQWOEQCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-R8ieqySReAM%2FVQcXkpDuWiI%2FAAAAAAAAOo0%2F3H0LO2oTXNUiHsZWfF9xdQc3YdprQWOEQCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya269.45782-ro0-fo100%2F!7i8704!8i1106!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89c6fa61c18b0ef7:0x2ee7181fd3f19bf6!2sBrandywine+Battlefield+Park+Associates!3b1!8m2!3d39.8744745!4d-75.5762802!3m4!1s0x0000000000000000:0x702276446d929da6!8m2!3d39.8985524!4d-75.604441!6m1!1e1

Chadd's Ford itself:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.871839,-75.596111,3a,75y,357.61h,77.92t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s479Gs1rMM0-MvChBXuVYRQ!2e0

While Knyphausen demonstrated, Cornwallis marched.  This is a streetview of Jefferis Ford, where Cornwallis crossed upstream from the main American positions.  The small plaque on the red post under the bridge signs says:  "Cornwallis crossed here between 1 and 2 o'clock September 11, 1777":  https://www.google.com/maps/@39.938952,-75.636099,3a,75y,268.37h,63.1t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sm4vC_RqVnStty5T2yDacwg!2e0

How do I know what the plaque says?  And for that matter where anything is on the battlefield?  Some very kind netizen published a very good car tour of the battlefield here:  http://www.ushistory.org/brandywine/drivingtour/car2.htm  and here:  http://www.ushistory.org/brandywine/drivingtour/car3.htm 

As Cornwallis pushed forward against the American right, Gen. Howe took up a position on Osborne hill to direct the battle.  This is approximately where he was, looking toward the American lines:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.922714,-75.609089,3a,75y,193.12h,72.77t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s24F0uxeNH31ha8pgUFkj0g!2e0

The Americans swung backwards and towards their right to meet Cornwallis.  This is the Birmingham Quaker meeting house, looking towards the British lines.  American troops used the stone wall at the meeting house (the one in the view), to help hold back the British advance:    https://www.google.com/maps/@39.905402,-75.594348,3a,75y,357.36h,89.65t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1se282G0Jy2COAgZVy6UWf2Q!2e0

This is looking south from the meetinghouse.  The British line of grenadiers would have swept from the right to the left in this view:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.905059,-75.593781,3a,56.7y,231.08h,86.03t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sd8XjsdDxH4EE8G2RPbFl8A!2e0

As the Americans fell back, fighting became fierce.  Here is the text from the driving tour link at the Wylie road intersection:
There is a Civil War cannon on the far right corner of Wylie Road which approximates the stand taken by the remnants of Sullivan's and Conway's brigades. The intensity of the fighting in this area is shown by the casulties suffered by the Redcoat 64th Foot: they lost all of their officers and 2/3 of their men either wounded or killed. It was in this area that the American cannon fire was very heavy.
At this point in the battle, Washington realized that the enemy at Chadds Ford was a secondary force and that the main battle was being fought here, three miles from his headquarters. He, therefore, led reinforcements from Greene's two brigades and had them march north to here. The soldiers covered the rough terrain, making the march in an impressive 45 minutes.
Near here are what remains of Wistar's Woods. In 1777 they were so thick that when the British Grenadiers and Guards attacked through this area they were lost in the woods for over two hours and emerged in another part of the field altogether.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.903318,-75.590895,3a,45.7y,167.01h,87.63t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKg_1WphHp4WfTi66B1a5DQ!2e0

As the American's retreated, the young Frenchman, Lafayette, part of Washington's staff, dismounted and rallied some of the retreating troops.  He was subsequently shot through the hip.  This column was dedicated to him in 1895 and is very close to the spot where he was wounded. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.904021,-75.586941,3a,32.7y,27.29h,89.68t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1suIT9GNVzjveQ3IHmrb40Ww!2e0

I found an interesting book about the dedication of this column, that has a great deal of flag-waiving.  But had some interesting description of Lafayette's visit to the battlefield in 1824.  https://books.google.com/books?id=ibkyI4BwROgC&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87&dq=lafayette+remains+at+brandywine&source=bl&ots=2vl14wUbPZ&sig=xMt3IxU5PBrZSaUeJ4DupdaB-9o&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2gTpVOeSBdLCsATr_ILABw&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=lafayette%20remains%20at%20brandywine&f=false

Eventually, nightfall came, and rescued the Americans.  The last skirmishes were fought at Dilworth Crossroads.  The streetview shows the Dilworthtown Country Store, also a country store during the battle, and in continuous operation since.  The story is that the main counter was used as an operating table for wounded after the battle.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.89953,-75.566911,3a,74.2y,17.34h,93.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sD8oz5-er2uCQ471kmOZLEQ!2e0


Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

Quote from: Banzai_Cat on February 17, 2015, 03:18:23 PM
There was a product line of Civil War battlefield interactive CD-ROMs back in the mid-2000s that were very cool...they had animation to show how battles ebbed and flowed, photography both modern and Civil War-era to show a certain point how it looked then and now...wish I could remember what they were called. I reviewed a couple of them for WG back in the day.

Yes I remember those.  I even think I owned them.  Can't find them now of course...  Too bad...:(
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Cyrano

My memory of standing next to that wall at Austerlitz and staring up at the Pratzen -- even getting a picture taken next to the 1805 etched some years later into the pheasantry wall -- still brings chills.

Cool, cool stuff...

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ArizonaTank

I have had the chance to visit Austerlitz a few times myself.  One of my favorite battlefields, mostly because it has not changed much in 200 years. 

Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

#11
Battle of Plataea, 479 BC, Boeotia, Greece

A massive battle.  One of the last of the second Persian invasion of Greece.  The Greeks under Spartan leadership soundly defeated the Persians, and ended Xerxes' dream of a conquered Greece.

Plataea is one of only a handful of ancient battles where the exact location is known. 

One of my gaming buddies and I have been playing the Plataea scenario from GMT's great Hoplite game.  To get into the feel of the battle, I pulled this link up.  From approximately the center of the Greek lines, looking towards the Persian camp on the high ground in the distance. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.219385,23.289994,3a,75y,333.36h,79.78t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sh1RuqHuZtuHzxf0qnbSdog!2e0


Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

ArizonaTank

Monte Cassino, Cassino, Italy, Jan - May 1944

View from "hangman's hill" towards the town of Cassino.   The monastery is behind up the hill:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.490611,13.815959,3a,75y,96.06h,82.89t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sJsmzEo5_S_fBpgJWq6fjGg!2e0

Behind the monastery looking towards "snakeshead ridge." 
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.490839,13.811808,3a,75y,326.98h,89.19t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sNwj9fO-fKL_3kk5wsVYd-w!2e0

The road up to the monastery:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.488254,13.814642,3a,75y,21.19h,91.92t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1srwj1D6aWxvcawe_EP05GRg!2e0

This is a very interesting link.  A WWII Polish military map over Google satellite image of the area.  You can make the military map transparent to see the satellite image in military context. 
http://oldnewmaps.com/2014/05/18/battle-monte-cassino-1944/
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Martok

Quote from: ArizonaTank on February 22, 2015, 04:16:56 PM
Battle of Plataea, 479 BC, Boeotia, Greece

A massive battle.  One of the last of the second Persian invasion of Greece.  The Greeks under Spartan leadership soundly defeated the Persians, and ended Xerxes' dream of a conquered Greece.

Plataea is one of only a handful of ancient battles where the exact location is known. 

One of my gaming buddies and I have been playing the Plataea scenario from GMT's great Hoplite game.  To get into the feel of the battle, I pulled this link up.  From approximately the center of the Greek lines, looking towards the Persian camp on the high ground in the distance. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.219385,23.289994,3a,75y,333.36h,79.78t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sh1RuqHuZtuHzxf0qnbSdog!2e0
Okay, that's just cool.  O0 

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ArizonaTank

Bosworth Field, Leicestershire, England, 1485

The culmination of the Wars of Roses, seeing Richard III fall in battle, the end of the Plantagenets and the beginning of the Tudors. 

Until just recently, the battlefield was thought to be near where the current visitor center is located.  In 2010, it was announced that archeological evidence (including handgun balls, and cannon balls) placed the battle about a mile southwest of the visitor center.  This view is from the recently discovered battlesite.
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.576715,-1.434891,3a,75y,343.06h,79.96t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sf92Msy7SxKKnAHc4mrsosA!2e0

For more info on how the exact battle site was rediscovered:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1252208/Real-location-Richard-IIIs-Battle-Bosworth-500-years.html

and

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/leicestershire/8523386.stm
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.