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

[Claymorez]

-snip-

what you said.

Well I am happy someone agrees! - thou I have a sneaky suspicion you didn't read it all

Can't say I blame you!

My army of little factoids got proverbially destroyed by that. Taken from memory, research (obviously an interest) or is there a source? I could never write anything like that.

A combination - Information from memory - essays I wrote from My GCSE History (I am insanely good at it) and wikipedia.

 

[Lolth17]

The American education system does not teach this, btw. Nor do Americans think this, for the most part. Idk why they're teaching you stuff like that in Iceland or where ever you go to school.

The only thing I can think is maybe your teacher (or whoever) was talking about the Pacific front? The British didn't have all that much to do there as they were too busy fighting in the West.

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

-snip-

what you said.

Well I am happy someone agrees! - thou I have a sneaky suspicion you didn't read it all

Can't say I blame you!

My army of little factoids got proverbially destroyed by that. Taken from memory, research (obviously an interest) or is there a source? I could never write anything like that.

A combination - Information from memory - essays I wrote from My GCSE History (I am insanely good at it) - wikipedia and some others.

Eidetic memory?

Heh, WWII is one of the subjects I know most about, so this is the most by way of correction I ever do around here, excepting grammatical and morphological corrections.

 

[jeff02x2]

It was us that made the D-Day landing plans and therefore organised the most important battle of the war(we have the maps in my uni which is pretty cool).

 

[Claymorez]

-snip-

what you said.

Well I am happy someone agrees! - thou I have a sneaky suspicion you didn't read it all

Can't say I blame you!

My army of little factoids got proverbially destroyed by that. Taken from memory, research (obviously an interest) or is there a source? I could never write anything like that.

A combination - Information from memory - essays I wrote from My GCSE History (I am insanely good at it) - wikipedia and some others.

Eidetic memory?

Heh, WWII is one of the subjects I know most about, so this is the most by way of correction I ever do around here, excepting grammatical and morphological corrections.

Yes - Eidetic Memory

Hard to describe to most people I just soak up information. When I said from Wikipedia as part of source it is because I just typed most of it from memory - couldn't find the page on wikipedia.

 

[Mr Cwtchy]

We broke Hitlers kill streak.

I think his common sense rage quitted after that.

 

[Layzor]

Umm...what?

People say Britain dig the work and America cleaned up and took credit.

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

Yes - Eidetic Memory

Hard to describe to most people I just soak up information. When I said from Wikipedia as part of source it is because I just typed most of it from memory - couldn't find the page on wikipedia.

Very impressive at any rate. "Selective" memory is the best I can describe mine as. Everything I can reiterate is 100% exciting... to me.

 

[Wandrecanada]

With so many people agreeing, how did this thread get to be four pages big?

Thank you, Canada for getting my town out of German hands btw.

As a Canadian I greatly appreciate the comment and although most of our veterans are gone now I'm sure they would do it again in a heartbeat. Are you from the Netherlands or France if I may ask?

I'd also like to note for those interested in Canada's amazing role in both WW1 and WW2 check out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_in_the_World_Wars_and_Interwar_Years

10% of the entire Canadian population served during WW2. We had serving soldiers in almost every family. Newfoundland was still it's own territory at the time and they should also be remembered for some extremely valorous deeds during the war. For their specific participation in D-Day see the Juno Beach invasion where Canadian troops (supported by Dutch and Polish devisions) outstripped virtually all the other allies against the most elite Nazi military units.

 

[Agent Larkin]

Just one nitpick. ENIGMA was actually cracked by the Polish.

What about Bletchley Park and Alan Turing?

If not Enigma itself, it decrypted the Lorenz High Command codes, which were different.

Blechly Park didn't crack ENIGMA it deciphered it for information. The Lorenz commands however were an achievement.

 

[Wicky_42]

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.

I did AS level History, and although it focused on the Western Front, there was a significant section on Russia and its involvement - after all, the Eastern front was so significant tactically that I would have thought it impossible for any self-respecting teacher to miss out. Then again, I went to a public school, and that was before some of the more recent syllabus revisions, so perhaps other exam boards teach things differently?

 

[Samcanuck]

Havent heard that, although the U.S portion in the war is way over emphasized. Comparing to what Britian and Russia did, atleast. Nevermind other allies like the Serb's, Aussie's and Canadians.

 

[Blights]

Meet "Paddy" Mayne.

Spoiler: Paddy Mayne

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddy_Mayne

One of the most decorated soldiers in World War II and is one of the founders of the SAS. And as you have seen in earlier comments, we did a whole lot more. But no, the British did nothing in the war.

 

[Mcface]

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

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

But you are right, blame America. Like you guys always do.

 

[Mcface]

It was us that made the D-Day landing plans and therefore organised the most important battle of the war(we have the maps in my uni which is pretty cool).

Yes because "storm the beach in little boats" was a good plan.
Shit plan made heroic by the awesome soldiers who served there.

 

[WINDOWCLEAN2]

BATTLE OF BRITAIN - "Never in the field of human conflict, has so much been owed, by so many, to so few."

Britain was the last defence against The Nazi's. If Brtain or russia had failed, Hitler would have been unstoppable.

 

[DefunctTheory]

To be fair, I picked up a WWII history book at an airport in Britain, and according to the book, Americans stood around with a thumb up there ass all the way up to 1945, getting in everyones way. One chapter even suggested that American generals actively tried to hinder British troops (Which I am only aware in the Patton vs. Montgomery way, which was less of trying to hinder and more of trying to one up each other).

All countries do it. Oh well.

 

[RyQ_TMC]

PIt was only the Americans and the Brits left on the field, and guess who came out of the war with a massive industrial production surplus, no damage to the country itself and an already established massive entertainment industry?

Yet the British managed to create a universal health care system 60 years before it would be attempted in the US and this was in the cold war, where threats of being a socialist were serious.

I think you've misunderstood me. I meant that the US was in a much better position to churn out films about courageous American troops single-handedly winning the war. While Brits were busy doing things like rebuilding and creating a universal healthcare system.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

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

LOL i totally agree

 

[Guvnorium]

With so many people agreeing, how did this thread get to be four pages big?

Thank you, Canada for getting my town out of German hands btw.

As a Canadian I greatly appreciate the comment and although most of our veterans are gone now I'm sure they would do it again in a heartbeat. Are you from the Netherlands or France if I may ask?

Don't forget the contribution of the Canadian merchant marines, what with their braving U-Boat attacks and helping to supply Britain (with American equipment, hurray Lend-Lease!) while America was trying to stay out of the war. Heck, I learned that from an ultra-pro-american-oh-my-god-we-are-awesome film from the fifties, so they must have been cool.

I usually summarize the whole American, British and free French forces as "western allies", so no one gets left out.

Norwegians, Danish, Dutch, Belgians, Canadians... Still nothing like a complete list. I'm reading an excellent book at the moment about a British cryptographer, there's lots of stories of the efforts made by agents of all nationalities in occupied Europe, all based and briefed in London, such as the sabotage of heavy water plants and so on by Norwegian agents, I think if the Axis powers developed nuclear weapons things might have turned out differently...

Although as previously stated, the German's weren't exactly that close to developing atomic weapons. Of course, one of those sabotages was against a civilian steamer. Which, y'know, isn't so nice. At least it was carrying heavy water. (Hurray Nova peoples for finding that out!)