Why do people say that the British didn't do a thing in WW2?

[Kragg]

What did Iceland itself do during the wars anyway ?

 

[Totenkopf]

I thought it was that he was part of it, but because he was so beloved of the German people that hitler let him kill himself rather than execute him.

The nazis said he died in a car accident to keep the mythos of the undefeatable warrior alive.

Ireland doesn't to a huge extent.
Imean our President at the time, Dev, he went to the German embassy in Dublin and gave his condolences to them for the death of hitler. And after the war, Ireland was the first country who would play international football with Germany.Which is why, I believe, that the German away colours are green.

Hearing that the President of Ireland gave condolences for Hitler is quite odd, but I think that I know the reasons and it's always kind to offer a helping hand.

 

[sharks9]

thats not quite it - the saying is the Americans "Saved our arses in WW2", a phrase every english person denys because its just stupid.

America turned up at the very end of the war, up until then it was European War One, basically.

Europen War one?... *Cough Cough* ehem, i think you forget the couple of thousands of years Europa fought itself.

True - but pretty much every european country was involved in this one.

Don't forget Canada was involved from the start and they're not Europe!
No one ever remembers the Canadians.

 

[not_the_dm]

P.s.I'm a british patriot (16) who lives in Iceland so the education here for history isn't exactly great.

I think I've got it. The Icelandics aren't exactly fond of us after the whole fish war thing when they started fishing in british teratorial waters and attacking our fishing boats so we sent the royal navy to sort things out. Besides, we're an imperial nation without an empire, we controlled about half the world. the closest they've ever got to that was when the vikings were still kicking about.

 

[Versago]

thats not quite it - the saying is the Americans "Saved our arses in WW2", a phrase every english person denys because its just stupid.

America turned up at the very end of the war, up until then it was European War One, basically.

Europen War one?... *Cough Cough* ehem, i think you forget the couple of thousands of years Europa fought itself.

True - but pretty much every european country was involved in this one.

Don't forget Canada was involved from the start and they're not Europe!
No one ever remembers the Canadians.

I didn't know Canada was in there - i Love Canada, i wouldn't forget that if i knew.

 

[iFail69]

I would say more people forget about the Canadians rather than the British. I mean, we (brits) were in the war since the start, right to the end, as were the canadians as there was a strong relationship between England and Canada. But no one remembers canadians (same applies to WW1), shame really...

 

[Phantomess]

That's just the American education system being overtly patriotic. Which unfortunately led to some Americans assuming that their country's soldiers were wholly responsible for the Allies' victory, and things just snowballed from there. At least, that's what I was told by the Americans I've met.

Relatedly, here's my favourite quotation regarding the British performance in WWII;
The German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it, nothing. Until one tiny, damp little island says "No. No, not here." A mouse in front of a lion. Amazing.
May not be completely accurate, but I like it.

Pretty sure you just quoted the Doctor on that. Well done.

While the British aren't totally faultless (c'mon, it's ANZAC day tomorrow), I agree - the British were pretty damn awesome in the war.

I think the Americans just don't like standing in the UK's shadow for anything - it genuinely comes across in Independence Day. To bring up Doctor Who again, I'm reminded of the scene when Harriet Jones says "You can tell the President that he's NOT my boss and I'm not letting him turn this into a war!".

But I think everyone played an important part in the war. That's why the Western Allies won, right?

 

[Latinidiot]

Well, the British successfully stopped the Germans in North Africa, contributed a vast amount to D-Day and Operation Overlord, and fought tooth and nail in Burma and India. They also cracked the ENIGMA code, which was one of the most significant turning points of the war.

Really, saying that any side didn't do anything is just naive.

wrong! we, the oh so brave dutch, held out for aboooouuut 3 days. we had 2 tanks, one of which had a lopsided barrel, and no airforce.



yay neutrality.

 

[dragonslayer32]

the Brits where out gunned and out manned...

300 spartans ring any bells?

 

[NEVRINx54]

the Brits where out gunned and out manned...

300 spartans ring any bells?

where all thrown of a cliff.

 

[dragonslayer32]

the Brits where out gunned and out manned...

300 spartans ring any bells?

where all thrown of a cliff.

somehow, i doubt that. the british lasted the first three years without the americans. besides, the americans fought the japanese mainly, we took on the third reich

 

[Ninjamedic]

American Patriotism. they just see WW2 in the years 1943-5. Then again a small minority.

If you had read his post he says he lives in Iceland not America. Our history books tell a lot about the British contributions in WW2, and the fact that if not for them Europe would probably be Germany right now. But I suppose the "stupid patriotic American" stereotype is the only view most people outside of our country have. It's a shame that so many people are ignorant to the ways of the world. (See what I did there? I turned the ignorant American stereotype into an ignorant European saying Americans are ignorant stereotype. Tomorrows lesson: The lit- AMERICAAAA FUCK YEAHHH!!!).

Not singling out the person I quoted. Anyone saying "just stupid American patriotism" are just as ignorant as they like to think we are.

Then again a small minority.

 

[Tazz Azreal]

the peopel on the allies side that did msot of the fighting were the british (and there colonies at the time), and the french. The funny thing is the amaricans did not join until 2 years into the war and they mostly fought japan

 

[The_Communist_Tsar]

You want to really know how things went for the Brits? Well first of all they pretty much blocked all of the Germans merchant shipping and destroyed most of the Luftwaffe. They played major roles in Africa as well as in France. Every country helped bring the Fascist Reich to it's knees. No one nation did more than another. Without Britain Hitler's U-boats would have kept dominating the Atlantic and prevent any merchant shipping from getting through. Oh, and one more thing, without Britain the wonderful Bismark would still be floating around.

 

[I Fiend I]

Aye the British were a big part of the war. The biggest being the Russians. Poor bastards... Poor everyone in that fucking horrible war. But yeah, your history teacher is a little mahaimhaosmhd. Brits were bad motherfuckers, challenging the Germans in Africa, in the air, in sea. Shit sometimes I wonder what would've happened if Great Britain fell. Hm...

Simple question in fact I was in history today learning about WW2 and my teacher said that the british didn't do a thing and that the americans oh the bloody americans held up everything defending the land.
For when I read the book then it was mostly in Russia and the russians did most of the killing and the biggest sacrifices.
So guys I'm thinking what did the british do?

P.s.I'm a british patriot (16) who lives in Iceland so the education here for history isn't exactly great.

Did your teacher learn about WWII watching war films made by Hollywood?

American was pretty happy not to do anything until near the end, even then the Russains did more for the Allies than anyone, I think half the losses (troops, either MIA or KIA) in WWII were Russain!

Holy shit. Props to you my man. I went to a British school and they didnt even mention Russians in WW2 history, my dad knowing a lot on the subject (his father was also a heavy artillerist in the army) went to complain and the British teacher had nothing to say. He said there was nothing about it in the history books and that it was not true. 6 million Jews died in WW2 and even though that was a tragedy, 12 million Slavic people died and no one even knows that they were in the war. I am studying in a British Uni in UK now and one of my room-mates (who is British) asked me if the Russians fought on the same side as the Germans. So many people of my country died and my Grandfather lost a leg just so people could ignorantly forget about it 60 years later?!

And as for Americans they didn't even join WW2 until the very end. So respect to you and sms_117b for knowing your facts.

:S Are you fucking serious..? People don't know that Russians were in it? That they were AGAINST the Germans :S Whoah... I gotta sit down. When you think that people can't get any dumber you regretably find out that they can... Shit I really have to go cry now or something. WW1 and 2 is common knowledge, must know facts! And people still fuck up!? It baffles me, it really does

Yeah I was blown away. The funny thing is, she studied History in GCSE and A levels...

 

[TheScottishFella]

Horse-shit the bloody Americans didn't come into the war till pearl harbour while the Brits and Russians (and I guess French and I believe the Canadians were around) I actually come across this alot in my class people believe the Americans were the Heroes but if they had the choice America would have let us burn it wasn't their problem

I am sorry just speaking my mind!

I have a theory that if the Americans hadnt joined in the war then the the brits/canadians and others would have held off long enough for russia to wipe out germany. What the americans did was provide troops and protection for supply vessels going across the atlantic which gave the allies enough strengh for d-day. They definatly were not the heroes nor would they have joined if the japs hadnt bombed them.

I still think that the americans biggest contribution to the war was the protection the provided to the canadian merchant marines who were shipping supplies to the british. Before the americans joined only 10-25% of the ships were actually making it across the rest were being sunk by german u-boats.

It also doesnt help that since the majority of the germans experienced troops went to russia all that was left on the west was the bare minimum with most being new recruits causing easy victories for the allies.

Fair point however I don't think Britain would have been able to hold on while the Russians would obliterate Germany but I guess no one will be able to say

 

[3 legged goat]

Did your teacher learn about WWII watching war films made by Hollywood?

American was pretty happy not to do anything until near the end, even then the Russains did more for the Allies than anyone, I think half the losses (troops, either MIA or KIA) in WWII were Russain!

The reason the Russians had so many casualties is because they pulled men off of the street and made them go to front lines without any proper training and they used numbers as a tactic to defeat Germans not because they had to make sacrifices!

 

[3 legged goat]

I'm an American and I think that America waiting until Pearl Harbor to join WWII was kind of a douche thing to do. We were allies with Britain before that and we should have been helping them the whole time. Especially when Britain was ALONE in their fight against Nazi Germany.

 

[Helimocopter]

simples. The colonies - that is to say those inbred sister shagging retards in the states - cannot handle not being at the centre of everything. its like a petulant 5 year old child, who cannot be ignored.

obvious, easy troll?
or rather pathetic stereotyping?