I feel the same about you, David; kindred spirits on either side of the pond. Building helps me, too, in the midst of other stresses. I strive for balance but you know how that goes sometimes.
I agree on Kasserine, and that's one of the reasons I ended up pushing the GB. Truth is, every few weeks until 2020 we're in the significant 75th of some WW2 event. But I felt this was worth the emphasis because (1) North Africa hadn't been addressed in a GB, and (2) the pathos of this battle is special in some very particular ways. As an American, there are certainly some lopsided battles I could choose that would be somewhat gratuitous (Falais Pocket, Battle of the Philippine Sea, and so on). But Kasserine tells a very human story of hubris and assumption, of context, of painful learning, of tactics vs. strategy, of checkers vs. chess. America needed to learn that bravado and superior logistics wouldn't be enough. They got their head cleared via a bloody nose. Germany learned that gallantry and brilliance, and even tactical victory, couldn't ultimately carry the day in the age of modern warfare, which (ironically) they had reveled in. It's a great microcosm and turning point.
Too bad we cannot chat about it all over dinner at my table, but being pencils will have to do for now!
David
