FUBAR F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition: Soldier Slang of World War II

by Gordon L. Rottman

The soldier slang of World War II was as colourful as it was evocative. It could be insulting, pessimistic, witty, and even defeatist. From 'spam bashers' to 'passion wagons' and 'roof pigs' to 'Hell's Ladies,' the World War II fighting man was never short of words to describe the people and events in his life. F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition takes a frank look at the British, Commonwealth, American, German, Japanese and Russian slang used by the men on the ground, and shows how, even in the heat of battle, they somehow managed to retain their sense of humour, black though it might have been.

Genres: History, Military History, Reference, Military Fiction, War, Language, World War II

300 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2007

About the author

Gordon L Rottman served for 26 years in the US Army in Special Forces, airborne infantry, long-range reconnaissance patrol, and military intelligence assignments in the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve. He has worked as a Special Operations Forces scenario writer for 14 years at the Army' s Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk , Louisiana where he developed training exercises for Special Forces.
Gordon began writing military history books in 1984 and is currently a full-time author. He has written 50 books for Osprey.He is married with four children and lives in Cypress, Texas.

Reviews

[Christopher Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a World War II buff, or a history buff, and you're in the mood for a few laughs to spice up your currently reading pile then give this book a read.

Part of what makes this book so amusing and interesting is the depth and breadth of its coverage. Each army and theater had its own slang vocabulary and hence has its own section.

[Renaissance Marine · Rating 3 out of 5]

good collection of ww 2 military jargon and slang. what makes this book different is it breaks it up by nation. british, aussie, german, japanese and even russian sections! if you like etymology this is a great book

[Bill Plott · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are likely few adults over 50 who don't know that the disdainful military origin of the word/acronym "snafu" (situation normal, all f***ed up). World War II brought along a few variations such as "fubar" (f***ed up beyond all recognition) and "JANFU" (join Army-Navy f*** up). Most terms in this book, however, are not spinoffs of the vulgarity that has sadly become all too common and acceptable today. Rottman has resurrected and preserved of slang expressions that are now obsolete. For example, a "cannon cocker" is an artilleryman, "dry socks and hot chow" were considered the basic necessities to maintain morale among frontline troops, and "donut girl" was a Red Cross volunteer passing out coffee and donuts. Interestingly, some terms were much older than WWII but still enjoyed widespread usage among soldiers. "Grapevine" dates to at lest the Civil War and "chew the fat" goes back to the late 1800s. The book is divided into three sections. The first is U.S. Army and Marine terminology, the second is British Commonwealth, the third is German. There is also an extensive appendix with Japanese slang. A fascinating book that can be picked up randomly for a quick read of a few pages at a time.

[Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick reference book of slang terms used by soldiers during World War II, many of which are still in use today by soldiers and civilians alike. Here are 10 of my favorites from the book:

Allotment Annies- Opportunistic girls who married servicemen purely for the allotment check that the military wives were entitled to receive.

Baloney- Nonsense, absurd. Baloney was made from scrap meat and considered low-quality, hence, "That's a bunch of baloney."

Cannibalization- Removal of parts from an inoperable or destroyed vehicle to use on another. "The tank was cannibalized for parts."

Dead Battery- A pessimist. A boring, dull person.

Ear-banger- Overly talkative person. "He'll talk your ear off."

"Ear-banging" - talking.

Fisheyes- Tapioca pudding

Gas House- Saloon or bar.

Hog-caller- Portable loudspeaker.

In Everybody's and Nobody's Watch- An irksome individual who interferes in others' business, but is not around when work is to be done.

Java- Coffee, aka "Joe." "A cup of J" or "cuppa Joe." "Java/Joe with sidearms"- coffee with sugar and cream. The island of Java was a main source of coffee.

[jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reference for general interest, and perhaps story writers or scripters. Author has a bit of a sly sense of humor evident in many of the definitions. Interesting to note how many of the words have found their way into the general lexicon.

[Justin9494 · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really liked this book. it was very insightful into terms of WWII. The stories behind these words are really cool. i reccomend this too WWII and military buffs.

[Jeff Beland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a lot of fun reading this little book.

[J.A. Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for any WWII enthusiast or reenactor.