Question about the Second World War?

Question

Why do the Americans never acknowledge what we British did during the Second World War? We defeated the Germans during the battle of Britain, we sent in the B.E.F (British Expeditionary Force) won the battle of El Alamein and fought the Japanese long before the Americans were involved. Why also, do the Americans say: "If it wasn't for us you'd all be speaking German!"? Are tey unaware that we stopped the Germans from invading us with our own Air Force and 26 miles of sea to cross?

Answer 1

I don't know about other Americans.... but this one knows.

On D-Day.... they used grappling hooks from the British fire departments to climb the walls on the beaches. It was a joint effort that day, with British and American military. One force, united with a common goal.... and perhaps, nationalities no longer mattered. They were a band of brothers.

I am also familiar with the quote: "Never have so many, owed so much, to so few." which was about the WWII actions of the Royal Air Force.

It is not that we don't know. It's just that we tend in our movies and things to want to laud our own. It may be a bit of a skewed perception.... but I'm sure British movies show more of your side's actions too.

Best Wishes,

Sue

Answer 2

It's true that the US helped a lot to defeat the Germans- and the Japanese... but the Russians were probably more important, the Soviet army was prepared to fight a war of attrition and it wore down the bulk of the German army... Whether we'd be speaking German if the US hadn't intervened is another question... the UK could've fallen I guess... but the African side is interesting, I never really studied that part.... I wonder if the UK and Russia alone could have been successful against Germany?

The British troops in Singapore were a shambles though, really under-strength, almost completely unprepared. That section of the war wasn't a success at all. The US were instrumental in the Pacific theatre for Japan's defeat, but don't forget that the Japanese army was exhausted- they'd been fighting with China since 1931... admittedly, Japanese army and navy were pretty badly co-ordinated as well, but trying to occupy all of China wasn't a good idea... a bit like Germany attacking Russia...

I believe that the UK could have fallen if the US hadn't intervened after 1942, but without British resistance, the US would have been negotiating with a Europe controlled by Facists... If you imagine Britain still resisting, but there being no Russian contribution, the US and the UK would have had a much harder time against the Germans... of course, the atomic bomb could have been an equaliser.

Ah, if it had been the UK completely alone, no Russia or America, I think it would have been the worse for our fore-fathers. There might've been stiff resistance, but if you look at what the German army could do in the situation as it was, I think it's hard to imagine the UK alone turning back a full Nazi assault- still, impossible to know really...

Answer 3

Some of us do! (Then again, I'm the nut who whistled "The British Grenadiers" while walking from Lexington to Concord, Massachusetts in 1990. :-) My 10-year-old son is developing a fascination with World War II, especially the aircraft, so the Battle of Britain is a particular favorite of his (although the Pacific theater is his real specialty). And he's familiar with El Alamein, though I think he would enjoy a spirited discussion about how successful Montgomery would really have been had Rommel not been called back to Berlin. That's one of those "if only" discussions -- just like what would have happened if Hitler hadn't kept Rommel's 15 divisions in the east in June 1944, thinking the Invasion of Normandy was a feint.

We also both understand the brilliant work at Bletchley Park in decrypting "Enigma," the Nazi code system. And though it was the U.S. Navy that captured the submarine with the Enigma machine on it, the mathematics were done in Britain, which really demonstrates the whole point of being allies -- working together to defeat the common enemy. Without that knowledge and cooperation, we'd all be having sauerkraut and knackwurst for Christmas Eve. (Oh, wait, we ARE -- but then, our family's ancestors are English, German, and Scottish... though the rest of my family draws the line at haggis. :-)

So yes, some of us Yanks know about the British, and Aussies, and the Kiwis as well. We're all glad that disagreement back in the late 1700s is behind us, and that we've been allies since 1917.

Happy Christmas, and God save the Queen!

Answer 4

WWII was won by the allied forces, no one would have done it alone. It is true that in the early stages of the war Britian was doing the fighting alone, it's also true that most of the food and material that kept Britian going came from American farms and factories. The contribution of American industrial and agricultural production is often overlooked in this discussion. By the end of the war, our factories were working 24/7 to supply the allies with the neccessary goods to keep they're armies and civilian populations feed and equipped . Also, in 1941 your forces in the pacific were pretty much decimated, with the loss of ground troops in Singapore, the sinking of the Prince of Wales, I doubt the remaining forces alone would have stopped Japan before they reached India. German forces were in Calias planning the invasion of England. It was Hitler's decision to invade Russia that saved England from invasion. Had Hitler left Russia alone and concentrated the full force of the German army on an invasion, I doubt if you could've stopped it,I don't think the germans could have conquered England, but they would have invaded. Your one bright spot in 1941 was Montgomery in Africa.If it wasn't for the cooperation of all the allies,we'd all be speaking a differant language now, England wound not have defeated Germany and Japan alone, niether could Russia and the US would not have been able to stop a Japanese invasion in 1941 or 1942. It was a united effort......

Answer 5

If Britain didn't win the Battle of Britain, then did Germany? Silly answer, mate. The truth is that it was a joint operation that relied heavily on British survival and overwhelming US strength at the end. What isn't questioned is the US apathy towards the Germans before Pearl Harbour, isolationist policy and their opportunistic exploitation of Britain during the Lend Lease, which incidentally we have just finished paying. Without Britain there may not have been a platform for liberation and thus, a very different world. That said, the US played a major part and we very well may have been speaking German now without them. However, so might have the US in time.

Answer 6

No one country won WWW2. The Yanks are great at revising history to suit themselves. Look at Vietnam and how they teach it in schools - revised casualties, and loses etc.

One of the great revision of WWW2 history by the US is the contribution of Russia. Russia effectively won WWW2. No massive US or British Forces fought on the Eastern. The people who fought and died there (estimated 26 million) won the war. They were the ones who fought the bulk of the German army and the most experienced units of the German army. This effectively left the most inexperienced units of the German army to confront the US/British/French/Canadians/Poles etc. The Russians were the first to Berlin and were marching through German territory while the rest were still getting their feet wet in Normandy.

I must pull you one the battle of Britain. The Battle of Britain was not fought by Britain alone and if you checked your history (possibly revised by the British govt) you would see that the best pilots with the most kills during the Battle of Britain were Polish. Indeed several nations contributed pilots for the Battle of Britain.

Answer 7

There is absolutley no doubt of the bravery and sacrifices of the sailors, soldiers and airmen of the United Kingdom. Time and time again, they proved themselves to be among the finest troops in WW II. Also without a doubt, England needed American assistance and military might to help stem the Nazi juggernaught.


This is especially true in the Pacific where the UK was sorely in need of America. The relatively late start to that stage of the war meant many ANZAC troops were in Africa and away from the Pacific theatre. There is a minor error in your comments here. The Japanese began the war both with the British Empire and the US after Dec 7, 1941. And as Singapore fell, the Philippines fell, so we were both involved heavily at the same time. The brunt of the island fighting was carried out by the US and the brunt of the Indochina theater war was taken on by soldiers of the British Empire. We equally bled in those terrible battles.

But no one can underestimate the valor of the British. The Battle of Britain will forever be one of the greatest, most courageous stand of history. And the tenacity of the RAF kept Hitler on the continent and kept Britain free. The Eighth Airforce of the American Army Air Corp and the RAF both bombed German military and industrial centers day and night and both took terrible losses. On D-Day and beyond, British, Canadian and American troops all fought bravely and with great distinction.

World War II was such a monumental struggle that the Allies were just that: Allies. Victory required all sides to show the courage and sacrifice they did.

Anyone who demeans the sacrifices of the British people and possibly the finest wartime leader in history, Winston Churchill, knows nothing of the true history of the War.

Thanks to all of the generation that kept the freedoms of the western democracies intact, my father included who spent 3 years in England with the Eighth Air Force and who would never stand to hear any negative comments about the British who he admired greatly.

Answer 8

I do understand what you are saying.

I do believe that Americans. mostly during early WWII did "acknowledge what we British did " as in the radio broadcasts by CBS reporter Edward R Morrow. America was behind you and many a "yank" joined Commonwealth military

Trust me: most American youth think WWII and the "blitz" was a million years ago: they have no idea how many died in the UK from German Air raids: tens of thousands

Be assured that I am a veteran of Vietnam, served with Aussies and know many a UK soldier.

I am also well a rather good historian and guess what a person that contributes to BBC4 Radio. See my "PS"

That quote you gave is almost always applied to the French, some say "frogs", even the youth in America watch movies about the "Battle of Brittan" and such.

I read that the "Snow Goose" a WWII Dunkirk movie is due soon so our American youth can learn about Dunkirk.

England held the evil tide of Hitler off, back for years. As to the japanese: America as the Brits got clobbered in Malaysia, Hong Kong as did McArthur, etc.

"Never did so many owe so much to so few" Churchill

So, I think any American who is not a fool or on drugs knows such: but no the schools are not teaching it as they should.

My Uncle ran convoys to the UK in WWII, my father, well he just sank Japanese ships, but that is my story:

for a real story: let us ask that the "Yanks' read about the "Battle of Brittan". The "Blitz" what 30,000 civilians killed around greater London? The fact that "we" gave the nazi bastards back ten fold is still no comfort.

Only very stupid Americans would say such.

Do take good care.

PS

I do research for BBC4 radio on literary things: quotes, and such: Quote Unquote, whatever:

Happy Christmas!

from Colorado, USA

had to much Wassail

My family came to America from Wales

Answer 9

First of all the Battle of Britain was a stalemate, second, the Battle of El Alamein was a spectacular British victory. And Thirdly, if the Red Army hadn't defeated 80% of the Wehrmact, we'd be speaking German... get the facts straight....

Germany had RAF Fighter Command nearly on its knees, but thanks to the miracle of Sept, 1941, Hitler switched from airfields/radar stations to London and other cities...true story.

Answer 10

Hmm, interesting perspective from someone so young.

My Dad was one of the early American entrants into the war -- participated in the landings in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern France as part of the crew of the USS Philadelphia.

My Dad has lots of British friends, and visits the UK regularly -- contemporaries of his from the war. And they all thank him every time he comes for a visit for helping defeat the Bosche. And in every town he visits, the regulars always buy him a pint and toast his assistance.

Sounds like there are plenty of Brits who are quite happy to acknowledge the debt they owe to the U.S. -- convoys of food to help feed a nation that would have starved to death without our convoys, Lend-Lease equipment and ships to defend those convoys, and finally our overwhelming industrial might.

Likewise, if the Brits had not held out as long as they did, we'd not have had any place to be able to launch the invasions. The British Isles were, in effect, an unsinkable flotilla from which air and sea power could be projected to ultimately defeat the enemy.

So it sounds to me like both sides really appreciate the other, when you're dealing with **informed people**.

Answer 11

I read a book synopsis at Bleinham Palace. Winston Churchill was the author of the aforementioned book. He had been up to his mother's grave site the previous day and had actually cried and said, if our American friends do not get into this thing soon, we will be lost, and Britain will be a German Vassal state. This was also collaborated by the tour guide at Jennie's gravesite in Bladon. I have never said any of the aforementioned statements. I served in England for many years. But realistically, you would not have held out much longer, it was mathematically impossible.
Don't be upset over these people, they are only parrots repeating something they heard. And anyway, it is all hypothetical.