Cameron 'slips up' over World War II history

smamst

"pretty minor although important part in the defeat of the Axis"

pretty minor?

The mind boggles at some of the posters on MSE, especially those that ramp up 12,000 odd posts.

neverdespairgirl

diable wrote: »

Polish pilots helped and got fcuked over after the war ended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._303_Polish_Fighter_Squadron

In what way? Disbanded, sure, but so were loads of squadrons.

My OH's grandfather was in the Polish Army, and eventually (about 1943, I think) ended up in the British Army. He was demobbed in London in 1946, and became an NHS dentist.

Generali

smamst wrote: »

"pretty minor although important part in the defeat of the Axis"

pretty minor?

The mind boggles at some of the posters on MSE, especially those that ramp up 12,000 odd posts.

Compare and contrast with the Soviet Union and USA.

brit1234

Generali wrote: »

Britain played a pretty minor although important part in the defeat of the Axis.

Sorry have to strongly disagree. Britain had a major part and the most significant part in defeating the axis. To say otherwise is to ignore the dozens of key actions which significantly turned the war.

Remember the many actions of the British that led Britain being the thorn in the Nazi side.

• The rescue of the BEF, French and Belgium troops at Dunkirk
• The defeat of the Luftwaffe in the battle of Britain destroying much of their fighters, bombers and pilots. Giving air superiority for the rest of the war.
• Creating, coordinating, transporting and supplying resistance units, commandos, spies, saboteurs in their missions. Which forced the Germans to be overstretched and Vulnerable. It also led to the most important raids of all that destroyed the German heavy water factory and equipment stopping the Germans get nuclear weapons.
• Cracking the enigma code.
• Destroying the Wolf Packs
• Destroying the French German sub pens
• Sinking the Bismark
• Crippling the Graff Spre
• The Battle of Malta, crippling both the German and Italian Armies.
• The North Africa Campaign (I admit later we had US tanks but we bought them and they were also supplying Germans stuff up till Pearl Harbour). This gave us the first European Front into Italy
• The key Russian North Atlantic Supplies allowing the Russians to rearm and set up new factories in eastern Russia. Later the Americans would Help.
• D Day we took our Beaches when the Americans were having problems revealing pressure on them and stopping a withdrawal.

There are countless more

America came more significant after d day I admit that, but that led to bitter infighting with British American Rivalry. Even though we did bail them out in Battle of the Bulge.

The area where USA was major and we were minor was the pacific

tincans

Generali wrote: »

Cameron did screw up his dates. The thrust of what he was saying is IMO historically accurate, that Britain played a pretty minor although important part in the defeat of the Axis.

Yes, if you are talking about land forces - its bodies and kit on the ground that counts.

Hopelessly wrong if you mean naval warfare. The British navy was the worlds largest in 1939. The Russian navy was mainly blocked in to the Baltic until 1944.

Wrong if you mean air forces.

However right if you are talking about land forces - its bodies and kit that counts & Germany had to be defeated on the ground.

Generali

tincans wrote: »

Yes, if you are talking about land forces - its bodies and kit on the ground that counts.

Hopelessly wrong if you mean naval warfare. The British navy was the worlds largest in 1939. The Russian navy was mainly blocked in to the Baltic until 1944.

Wrong if you mean air forces.

However right if you are talking about land forces - its bodies and kit that counts & Germany had to be defeated on the ground.

1 out of three ain't bad! Better than I often manage.

I typed "there is no chance that Lehmans will go bust" or words to that effect the day Lehmans went bust.

tincans

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

In what way? Disbanded, sure, but so were loads of squadrons.

My OH's grandfather was in the Polish Army, and eventually (about 1943, I think) ended up in the British Army. He was demobbed in London in 1946, and became an NHS dentist.

Poland the country was betrayed at Yalta. I doubt after fighting the Germans longer than anyone else that they delighted in the allies allowing (conniving) a puppet communist government to take over.

Poland was effectivley given to Stalin.

Thrugelmir

Sorry have to strongly disagree. Britain had a major part and the most significant part in defeating the axis. To say otherwise is to ignore the dozens of key actions which significantly turned the war.

Germany was losing the war on the Eastern front, and being pushed backwards from 1943. The concern for the allies, as was shown after the war, was the occupation of Eastern Europe.

The Berlin Wall only came down in 1989 some 20 years ago, though seems a lot longer ago.

I always suggest that people look into their family history. As many people never spoke about their experiences after the war ended. Their memories dying with them. A trip to northern france to the war memorials is a very humbling experience. Well worth it, as it brings home the reality of the exceptional bravery of ordinary people of all nations.

Andy_L

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

In what way? Disbanded, sure, but so were loads of squadrons.

At the Yalta conference carve up of Europe, Poland was abandoned to the Soviets

chucky

so did Cameron get it wrong or not?