World War Two . . . ?

Question

I am an American student who has to do a project for World War Two. It's an oral report and my character is suppossed to be British so the class can learn about all different sides of the war. So, what is your opinion on the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Holocaust and the Battle of Britain.

Answer 1

Bombing of Pearl Harbour was a strategic move by the Japanese so they could expand their empire in Far East but one that was only a partial success as they did not destroy the whole of the US naval fleet had they done that then i have no doubt the war may have turned out differently as the US would have had their hands full with their own problems and thus would not have been able to become involved in Europe at a time their intervention helped shift the balance back towards the Allies.

With regards to the Holocaust i think their initial approach was to cleanse Germany post World war one of non German people mainly the Jews and thus create jobs for a country that was suffering massive unemployment something that the Nazi party based their election campaign on. The final solution though is something that will go down in history as one of mans cruellest acts and can never ever be forgotten.

The Battle of Britain is one of the UK's finest achievements! Up against it with France defeated and all the other allied European countries either occupied by Nazi Germany or battling hard against their rule. The fact Britain had got a break by Hitler moving his bombers to target the major cities as opposed to the airfields meant there was a sizeable fighter force to counteract the Luftwaffe especially with radar playing a prominent part in the manouvring of British fighters. I think the fact they defeated the Germans in the air was along with Pearl harbour the catlyst for the war turning in the Allies favour.

Answer 2

I have been a Brit all my life, and like so many other Brits my father fought in the war, so I feel qualified to answer this question. Let us take events in chronological order.

1. The Battle of Britain.
To invade Britain Hitler needed control of the skies to insure that his invasion plan (operation Sea-lion) would work. The basis of this plan was to move his invasion fleet across the English channel. To do this he needed to make sure the Royal Navy did not get in his way. His plan was for his bomber aircraft to stop the Royal Navy. For his aircraft to be able to do this he needed to destroy the Royal Airforce. Hence the Battle of Britain. As he did not win the Battle of Britain, he did not invade. If he had invaded without his aircraft the Royal Navy would have sunk his invasion fleet, as the German Navy was no match against the Royal Navy.

2. Pearl Harbour
The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour was influenced by the British bombing of Sorento Harbour in Italy. As an Englishman I was glad that the USA joined the war, but sad at the loss of life in the bombing of Pearl Harbour.

3. The Holocaust
The German people were and are a wonderful civilized people. You have only got to look at Martin Luther, or the arts with people like Beethoven, and Durer. This only adds to the shock and horror of what a people can do to the ethnic minorities in their society. I cannot imagine what those people went through in the camps, and even today when I see a documentary or even a movie on the subject I still sometimes have to wipe a tear from my eyes.

Answer 3

Pearl Harbour was the turnaround in American public opinion. Aside from the fact that it helped lead the US into war, I wouldn't class it as an important piece of history for non-Americans - in terms of human and material loss it is not very significant.
The Holocaust is the way the Nazis handled mass genocide (ie the industrialisation of mass killing. Similar genocides have been seen in many other countries throughout history, but the Holocaust stands out for its sheer scale).
The Battle of Britain was essential. Without its success Britain would have been helpless, and the US, upon entering the war, would've had no land base in Europe to operate from. The Axis powers would have won. Something that I think a lot of people forget is the significant amount of foreign pilots who flew in the Battle - Canadian, Australian, NZ, and especially the Poles, who had whole squadrons of their own (language barrier difficulties). It was not just Brits!

Answer 4

First off, there were multiple fronts as you have heard from other answers. Out of all fronts of the war, we could have to say the Eastern Front was the bloodiest due to the fact that the Russians threw millions into battle and fought longer than any of the allied forces. And finally, most people do not realize this but the Axis forces were winning in WW2 before the Americans entered the war. When the Americans, British, and Canadians invaded on June 6, 1944, the war turned a new leaf. And was put to an end on September 2, 1945. So basically, the Americans brought it on home. =]

Answer 5

The German invasion of Russia was terribly important: we finally thought that victory was now perhaps just possible. Pearl Harbor was a total anticlimax: American had stayed out of WW1 until they had been forced into it and now the same thing had happened again. We knew nothing of the Holocaust until the last year of the war when the concentration camps were liberated. But the next thing as far as we were concerned was that we were losing British troops in our vain attempt to keep the Jews and Arabs from each others' throats and the US and USSR were collaborating on transporting Jews to Palestine to force us to leave the Middle East so that they could divide it between them. The Battle of Britain delayed Hitler's invasion of the UK and persuaded him to attack Russia instead, but it was a delaying action, not a victory, and even so was a "d**** close run thing."

Answer 6

America's isolationist "neutral" policy was unpopular in Britain. However, since individual Americans joined the british forces (like the famed eagle squadron of the RAF) ther was no malice towards individual Americans. The attack on pearl harbour was probably seen with a sense of relief since this now meant that America was now likley to join the war against the axis. On the whole there was ignorance of the holocaust, reports of death camps from jewish refugees was written off as alarmist. The battle of britain was different, from the view of the British there was a genuine fear of invasion. Overhead the luftwaffe and the raf were battling overhead for mastery of the skies, at risk was total air superiority. If the luftwaffe achived this then the germans would have a free hand to invade. There were drives by the public to provide materials for the war effort. Iron raillings were pulled down to be melted down for making weapons. There was rationing to contend with, how was the best way to make the most of the ration allowance? Would you be able to get someting on the black market? What would happen if the Nazis invaded? You were probably aware that you wern't being told the full story by the government, but thought that it was for the best. You had confidence in the abilities of the soldiers, sailors and airmen. Besides, after all the english channel protected britain like a moat.

Answer 7

The Battle of Britain 1940, was fought and won by the entire British nation. The glory for that great victory over tyranny, goes to the Royal Air Force.

When the Nazis had over-run France in 1940, Winston Churchill went on the radio at the BBC to tell us of the fall of France, and that Hitler must soon mount an attack against the Island of Britain. It was during this radio broadcast that Winston first mentioned the term "The Battle of Britain."

Try this link to see the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Royal Air Force.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is the RAF's tribute to the aviators of WWII, and flies several Spitfires, two Hurricanes, a Dakota and a Lancaster.
http://www.bbmf.co.uk

How did the nation, the people, help to win this victory?

War production in our factories went over to a 24 hour shift system. My mother worked in a munitions factory, working 12 hour shifts - workers worked 12 hours on and 12 hours off, then back to work.

Every citizen from age 18 was conscripted to do war work or into the armed forces or down the mines - the only exceptions were those already doing specific jobs which could not be closed down - farmers etc.

What else? The people were encouraged to hand over their unwanted aluminum pots and pans. These, we were told, would be melted down and used to make the wings for Rolls Royce Spitfires and which would shoot the Nazi Luftwaffe out of the sky.

The most famous Royal Air Force squadron, is the Polish Squadron RAF. On their first mission during the Battle of Britain, they shot down sixteen Nazi planes. A record never surpassed and a supreme effort of considerable bravery, skill and courage.

Try this link or more on the Battle of Britain : -

The Battle of Britain - Home Page - No 303 (Polish) Squadron Diary - September 1940. Each RAF squadron compiles a daily diary of events known as the RAF Form 540. ...
http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/f5403031.html

Because each RAF squadron taking part in the Battle of Britain kept such meticulous records [a diary of events], we know a great deal about the battle and what the thinking was at the time etc.

Now meet the most beautiful fighter plane ever - yes, the fabulous Rolls Royce Supermarine Spitfire.

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk. II went into service in late 1940. These had a 1150 hp Rolls Royce Merlin XII engine. Other versions appeared throughout the ...
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWspitfire.htm

I'd just like to point out that the Rolls Royce Merlin engine was also used later in the war to power the USAAF's Mustang fighter planes - these zoomed around Nazi Germany at will from c1943/4 onwards.

Missed the Battle of Britain - born 1941. Got bombed a lot, screamed a lot but somehow we survived.

Try this next site for more on Winston : -

Their Finest Hour - The Churchill CentreI expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of ... The Churchill Centre | 1150 17th Street NW, Ste. ...
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=418


VICTORY

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
GREAT BRITAIN
FRANCE
and our ALLIES OF MANY NATIONS

VICTORY


WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Answer 8

To a Brit i would think the bombing of pearl harbor would have been much like seeing your mother in law go over a cliff in your new corvette. Mixed feelings

While no Brit, well no sane one, would have been happy over the death and destruction, they would have been simultaneously happy that America finally came in to the war.

By 12/41 Britain had been standing almost alone against Germany for some time and needed the help. While valiant, they were badly outnumbered and out gunned

Answer 9

I keep rereading your question for an incorrect date. Oh well, not there.
You are a Brit. What are the affect did the events have on the Brits.
The Bombing of Pearl Harbour--It was a relief for the British, so you would now have an Ally, The United States America. For you it was a good thing. America declared war on Japan, and then Germany and Italy declared was on the USA.

The Holocaust--Most British folk did not know what was happening in the death camps, but they had a glimmer. After the war was one, the British had do deal with their Mandate in Palestine. Jews wanted a homeland and that was where it would be. The British tried to stop in influx of Jews, but gave in and then set a partition which the UN approved that set up the Nation of Israel.

Battle of Britain--This was where you as a Brit girded you loins and made massive sacrifices to keep the war effort going, and slowly made headway in the battle of the Sky's. A rag tag Royal Air Corp, held off the Germans, and that led to the Germans not invading, and then with the USAs help, led to a final victory.

Answer 10

We couldn't care less about the bombing in pearl harbor, although it meant that Americans joined the war, it was and isn't a concern of ours and is rarely associated with the Americans joining the war.. We think the holocaust is as bad and as shocking as any other nation and most of us (except for those who know the facts, me included) think that the Battle of Britain was a great victory that saved Britain against the Germans who were poised to invade, stiff upper lip what-what.

That is what most English people think. Not all of it is fact, if you would like the facts you can email me but i doubt you'll like them.

Edit: Why the hell are Americans answering this? Songbyrd11 you not British, how do you know what we think?