When Americans claim they "bailed us out" of WWII, what about the Aussies?

Question

What about the Aussies, the New Zealanders and other allied troops who laid down their lives? The Indians and other troops from all over the commonwealth who also fought?

The Battle of Britain was made up of fighter pilots from all over the globe - Brit, Aussie, Kiwi, Polish, Canadian, Irish, Indian to name but a few.

Are the Americans negating those peoples' contributions by arrogantly claiming all the success for themselves? They weren't even in the war when the Battle of Britain was fought!

Why is it always about what the America did? The Aussies and Kiwis joined in and laid down their lives as well and you never hear them going on about how they "bailed Europe out". And lets face it - they didn't have to - they lived far enough away for it not to affect them

As a Brit I want to say a big THANKS to the Aussies and New Zealanders and all other allied troops (other than the Yanks they've had their praise) who joined in to help and never get any credit for it!!!!

Soobee - sorry I forgot to mention the Canadians - your boys did great in WWII as well!! Thanks to Canada!

I'm grateful for what he Yanks did, it just pisses me off that they seem to negate the contributions of all the other allied troops and keep on about how they "saved our asses" in WWII. Its just arrogant and disrespectful. My dad was 52 when I was born (in 1971) and he fought in WWII - he was a Desert Rat. He couldn't stand the Yanks!!! He hated them bragging about how they won the war when he'd seen his comrades die around him. He served with loads of Canadians, Aussies and Kiwis and said they were great blokes.

Answer 1

The Nazi's were steamrolling Europe until the United States joined the war. No other country was as capable of raising such a large and well equipped fighting force. Also remember that the US fought the war on both fronts, in Europe and in the Pacific. Without American intervention all of Europe would have fallen to Nazi Germany.

Answer 2

Okay, I have read through most of the below and there is a good argument for both sides.

America - Yes you did Join in the war after 07.12.42, Yes you did start the Lend lease earlier than that, and there was probably other such things going on by that point anyway. Yes we did need your intervention to assit with both the Air and Land Campaign's on Mainland Europe. And yes you did loose a lot of servicemen during the years in all theatres.

However. - Hitler ceased plans ( operation Sealion ) to invade the UK after the Battle of Britian, and concentrated on the Eastern Front. Who knows when we would have been attacked had Russia collapsed.

The UK and Commonwealth where fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre over a year earlier than the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. On the 08.12.41 we lost Singapore and pretty much the gateway to the South Pacific and South China Sea.

Our nearest base's of operation then where in India and Australia.

We had always been based in the Middle East (Egypt) so the Commonwealth fighters where allready engaged in the North Africa Conflict with German / Italian troops as early as 1940.
Malta and Gibraltar where under constant threat from the start of the war from Italy and Germany's Navy and Air Force. We had the Balkans as well that we where tryng to assist with. along with running forces in occupied Europe.

I think we should all take time to thank the serviceman and women off all countries for the actions and sacrifice's both during and after the war. No matter where you are from we all done our bit. If i have missed any one out from the following then I do apologise.

Great Britian & Ireland, Canada, USA, Russia, All of Occupied Europe, The Caribbean islands, The Many Nations of Africa that joined together in North Africa and other theatres, India & Pakistan, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Oz & NZ, Singapore , Malays, Chinese, Vietnamese, Fijians, Somoans all of you in South East Asia.

The biggest problem however is that too many people are " Hollywood Educated " hence what they see on the big screen is like a 2 1/2 hour history lesson, where they are shown only one side of the conflict.

People you have a great tool here called the internet, look things up on her for the factual information not the Movie Version. Or you could be really retro and visit a library and read about the history of wars and conflicts !

Answer 3

That's an excellent question. As an ex-soldier, my father fought in the Somerset Light Infantry, he played an active part in delivering Burma from the Japanese. Do you watch friends? the one where Ross says to a Brit, "If it wasn't for us, you'd all be speaking German".

In reality, if it wasn't for the British, they would all be speaking French by now. I am talking about the French and Indian wars in the 18th Century, I would also like to share with you in saying a big thank you to all the Allies who were, or are, never mentioned.

Take World War 1, the American troops were so badly organised, that British Officers were asked to train them into soldiers. And that's why Britain and the allies(Not Americans) won the 2 World Wars. The Americans were there to make up the numbers......nothing else! Last of all, I also have no problem with the Americans, except when they brag about winning the war. They would never have stood up to the German and Japanese, if we (Britain) weren't in the 2 World Wars.

Answer 4

We all know that the Yanks have absolutely no idea what goes on outside of their own nation.

The Yanks were detemined not to join the war (policy of isolationsim), until the Japanese did a job on them at Pearl Harbour, took massive damage that their collective national ego couldn't stand. This is why the USA has been, and hopefully will be the only country to ever "drop the bomb".

Whilst the yanks certainly contributed significantly to winning the war in Europe, and more than certainly expediated the cessation of hostilities, it is a widely-held belief (by those who know about this stuff, like historians) that without the Americans, the war (in Europe) would have ended within a further 12 months, due to a number of reasons - Germany by then was on it's ar$e, trrops were rapidly and poorly trained, often being very young or elderly men, sent out into the fight with the minimum of equipment, Germany's manufacturing was crippled, they had overstretched themselves into the Eastern Front, and the Soviets were steamrollering across Eastern Europe into Germany.

The USA couldn't abide the fact that the "Reds" might get to Berlin first, which is what really motivated them into the European war. America only ever acts in it's own best interests, no-one elses. That's why they didn't get involved in WWI til it was just about finished.

Answer 5

Dang, I hope nobody's claiming that! "Bail out" is'nt automatically meaning we get all the credit. It's a pretty uncharitable choice of words. Some I'm sure have that attitude, and if so, they deserve to have a "a.s.s.whoopin" delivered. EVERYbody who fought and died deserves eternal honor as having done no less than save the world.
I may be wrong, but if you're basing this on U.S. television, education etc. it's a case of perspective. A country will by nature, focus on history from it's own point of view. Being a foreigner seeing this, it may look like they're self aggrandizing.

Answer 6

the Australians contributed more than enough they we're a small force but they fought hard they still made a big contribution the yanks came in at the end of both the world wars so they only pretty much worked more on the japs than the Nazi's but still took a lot money as compensation when it was needed by other countries the Indian army was the largest volunteer force in the world war 2 million men signed up and no one knows their contribution

Answer 7

i am a canadian, and my grandfather fought in the 2nd world war for four years.

I think the Americans were "in it" in the sense that they were supplying much of the materials needed, although at a cost that enriched that nation. I believe Roosevelt never intended to get in, but Pearl Harbour forced the Americans in. Once in, they had to be in command; it is inherent in being American, I think.

As victors, it was largely the Americans who remade Europe, not the British commonwealth. As such, they made the history, too.

There are many aspects of wars which are not "remembered", even at the time. Enough people know of the great contribution to the wars which the commonwealth nations made, but we were citizens of the realm, too and our cooperation was implicit.

The Canadian soldiers, like all commonwealth soldiers, were brothers to Britain in a much greater sense than the Americans, who were neighbours. Perhaps the commonwealth members don't feel the need to inflate their chests as much as our neighbours? We don't fear being forgotten; at least I never got that sense here at home. I don't know about Australia, New Zealand, et. al. but Canada only got its flag in 1969. I was raised for most of my young childhood with the Union Jack as my flag and God Save the Queen as my anthem, just like my folk in Britain.

I do think we get credit for our condtribution, and here in Canada we recognise troops from all over the commonwealth who fought with us.

Just a little Canadian perspective. Have a good day, eh.

Answer 8

The Allied victory in WWII was a TEAM effort. Without Commonwealth, American, or Soviet efforts, the Axis powers could have won the war. Every ally was essential to victory.

It should be noted, however, that American volunteers also fought in the Battle of Britain. U.S. forces also assisted in defending Australia from Japan. Likewise, once America entered the war, they made defeating Germany a priority over defeating Japan...despite the fact that the U.S. had been attacked by Japan, and not Germany.

Answer 9

Although the USA did contribute machinery (from 1939/40 Lend Lease Act) & men from 1942 the biggest contribution to defeating the Nazi's was probably the USSR especially in terms of manpower

About a third of the people killed in World War 2 were from the USSR

Answer 10

Maybe because if FDR hadn't started supply tons of stuff before we ever got in the war, Hitler would have taken over all of Europe, and the Japs would have probably owned the pacific. It was a hell of a fight for all, but does anyone really think the war would have turned out different if, say the US had fought with Hitler and Japan instead of Against.

Answer 11

Next time, do it all yourselves, ungrateful punks. Maybe the French can revive the Resistance & teach all of Europe how to surrender with panache. The Polish fought harder than the French & were sold out by the Brits & French, remember? The US rebuilt most of Europe after the war & no one has repaid a dime. Ever hear of Lend/Lease? Without it, Europe would never have survived. ALL these countries have the right to be proud of their contributions in defeating a horrible enemy, but people would rather condemn the US for not being perfect. Well, nobody is.