Victory In Europe...it Was The Yanks Wot Won It!

[10ClarionSt]

Although we mention Britain winning the war, it was actually the Yanks wot wun it folks. If they hadn't have entered the war, we'd all be talking Russian now. And even then, in lots of areas of battle, there were many commonwealth forces, particularly in the Far East, where Indian troops were the main defence against the Japanese in Burma. Not to mention Australian and New Zealand forces, also supporting the Americans in the Pacific. Oh yes. And don't forget the support in Europe (Italy, I think) that the Allies received from the Brazilian Army. Whilst I am proud of my familys' contribution to the war, Britain couldn't posibly have won it without the help of other countries. I don't think that's being anti British. It's fact.

[tiggerblue10]

It was a joint effort.

[10ClarionSt]

It was, Tigger. I think some people might be surprised, even now, to know that Brazil declared war on Germany in 1944. Apologies if you knew that, lots probably did!
However, it was all the submarine attacks on Brazilian shipping which brought about the declaration.

[SlackAlice]

Wot! If that was the case we could have stayed at home and wait for the Yanks to rescue us.
The celebrations are labeled "Victory in Europe" by 'Allied Forces'

The overall conflict was called World War II for a reason, most countries were embroiled in it.

[Old_Geezer]

The allies were victorious. Without them all it may have been a different outcome. I doubt the Americans would have won it on their own. At least not without a nuclear bomb over Germany too, if they got the chance.

[tiggerblue10]

I wasn't aware of Brazil's involvement but I learn new things about the war and the fact that it wasn't just a European, North American and Far Eastern war.

[youngmafbog]

Lets not forget the Poles, the FRech resistance, the Indians ......

No one country would have one it, it was a joint effort, hence 'Allies'.

And no we would not have been speaking Russian but German. The Russians could not have done it without us all attacking from the West and South.

[tiggerblue10]

Anyone read or watched Man in the High Castle? It's quite terrifying!

[sandyRoe]

American gold and Russian blood.

[Zacs-Master]

We only finished paying them back in 2006.

[jno]

sandy has it right. The Russian death toll was about 24 million (the Russians say it was much higher), the British less than half a million. (Even without a Blitz, the US total wasn't much less than the British.)

And despite what everyone thinks, Britain never stood alone. India automatically entered the war; the rest of the empire joined in within a week (some of them hadn't been able to pick up the original declaration of war because of static).

[archibaldy]

There was quite a bit of opposition in the US about entering the war - led mainly by the "America First" committee - makes one wonder what might happen nowadays.

[jno]

there was internal opposition in the US to entering both world wars (partly because the USA was made up of immigrants from Germany as well as Britain). They had a point. Why should American boys die because Europeans were still pursuing ancient quarrels?

If Japan hadn't attacked Pearl Harbour - and missed their main targets - the outcome of the war would have been very different.

[royfromaus]

And your family might have lived happily ever after under Mussolini

[jno]

trains running on time would be good.

[Gromit]

The Yanks were edging their bets for years. They waited until the war had bankrupted us, then stole our empire when we could no longer afford it.
We made our final debt repayment to the US on 31st December 2006.
The $Millions we repaid America was spent rebuilding and modernising Germany by Secretary of State George Marshall.
So Victory in War, defeat in Peacetime.

[ToraToraTora]

gawd elp us it's an anti British love in.

[10ClarionSt]

Don't think so TTT. Just some accurate points in the history of WW2.
In the mid-1930's, the USA drew up a contingency plan for a war with Great Britain, called War Plan Red. There wasn't always a special relationship!

[derek-33]

" If they hadn't have entered the war, we'd all be talking Russian "
i thought we'd all be talking German as they were our aggressors, the Russians fought with us to defeat Hitler, remember ,

[ToraToraTora]

load of Cobras and an insult to those that died to make a safe country for popinjays like you. If they'd known what we know now they might not have bothered. No scratch that, they still would have because they had more courage in their little fingers than you have in your said lefty body.

[jim360]

Britain's role in the war was vital, but not decisive.