WWII 101

[Klavdy]

World War II 5348 up, 124 down
Germany invades Czechoslovakia.
Britain & France tell them to stop that bullshit.
Germany invades Poland.
(Russia also invades Poland from the other side: everybody forgets this.)
Britain & France declare war. This is the 'official' kick-off.
Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, & Romania all join the German side. (Everybody forgets the last three.)
Axis forces go through Europe like vindaloo through a colostomy.
Nazis exterminate Jews, gays, gypsies, & the disabled. (everybody remembers the jews but forgets the rest.)
UK holds out.
Russia & the USA don't do shit.
Entire divisions of Danish, Belgian, Dutch, Norwegian, French & Serbian volunteers join the Axis armies & SS. (everybody forgets this & to listen to them now, they were all in the fucking resistance, which must have been MASSIVE.)
Axis forces invade Russia. Suddenly the Russians don't think it's funny any more.
Japan joins the Axis & bombs Pearl Harbor.
Suddenly the US doesn't think it's funny any more.
The USA tools up the world, 'cause it's got more factories than everybody else put together, & they're out of bomber range.
Axis runs out of steam in Russia, cause Russia's enormous & bloody freezing.
Allies invade on D-Day... 5 landings: 2 British, 2 American, 1 Canadian. (everybody forgets the Canadians.)
Hitler ends up smouldering in a ditch. Russians find the body & confirm he only had one ball. Seriously.
The US decides invading stuff is a pain in the ass and invents the atom bomb instead. Drops two buckets 'o sunshine on Japan.
Russians steal half of Europe.
UK's spent almost every penny it had.
US starts telling everybody how it was all about them, & 64 years later is still doing so.


And in pictures,

[Klavdy]

[Rich Pleines]

'US starts telling everybody how it was all about them, & 64 years later is still doing so.'

The following is a breakdown, by Branch of Service, of those who were killed in action during WW 2 in the US Military.

Army 279,180, Navy 49,329, USMC 21,726, Coast Guard 1,038 Total 351,273

Speaking as an American, it's the 351,273 of them and their families we are referring to which is understandable and in no way is intended minimized the sacrifices of others including the over 40,000 Australian killed.

Now I'm back to bikes preparing my FJ for a one week adventure to Canada [45,300 killed].

As long as the subject is history, I leave you with this link

Des Bishop Hip Hop History of Australia @ The Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala 2009 Unedited Audio

[MyFirstNameIsPaul]

Yeah, history is a scary place once you start reading about it.  FDR refused peace with the Japanese, who strongly desired to not go to war with the U.S.  In fact, FDR took on the traditional 20th century role of a Democratic Party president and did everything he could to get us into war.

Thomas E. Woods' Politically Incorrect Guide to American History is a great read and covers the U.S. entrance into WWII pretty well, among many other things.

But let's not forget what the front line infantry went through.  I always recommend Audie Murphy's To Hell and Back, to grasp the whole camaraderie thing, and E. B. Sledge's With the Old Breed: At Pelieu and Okinawa, to learn about all the stuff the veterans won't talk about.

I just started the first book I've found that really covers how Germany transformed from a sophisticated, respectful nation to one that tolerated the smell of burning people.  The Third Reich: A New History by Dr. Michael Burleigh.  Good grief is it a thick book.  I sure wish I could get it on my Kindle.

[Ratchet_72]

  In fact, FDR took on the traditional 20th century role of a Democratic Party president and did everything he could to get us into war.

Jesus Christ here we go...Thanks Klavdy.

[Rich Pleines]

"Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists of not exceeding that limit"

Elbert Hubbard

[Klavdy]

"Scientology is the only specific (cure) for radiation (atomic bomb) burns."
- L. Ron Hubbard

[mst3kguy]

bravo, klowny, for being the first person to successfully scan a picture of the skidmark from your underwear.

[Klavdy]

[RichBaker]

I'm always amazed by his self-photography skills....   

[simi_ed]

"US starts telling everybody how it was all about them, & 64 years later is still doing so."
I agree.  We should!  You all be speaking German or Japanese otherwise (not Italian, nor Russian).

My 2¢

[Klavdy]

You all?
Shouldn't that be "Y'all?"

[Corinthian]

*sigh* Ever the thankless givers we are here in America. Next time someone decides to go galavanting off across your continent and marching folks off into death camps like slaughtered cattle give us a ring on the phone.

We'll still come and help ya.

[Klavdy]

Nah, we didn't need any help whatsoever, didn't even need death camps, we just shot, poisoned and infected the Aborigines with smallpox.

We didn't even need to launch a "Trail of Tears." like yours ,where,as an example, the Cherokees, Creeks and Seminoles lost about half their existing populations as a direct consequence of being "removed."

It was this example of nineteenth-century U.S. Indian Removal policy upon which Adolf Hitler relied for a practical model when articulating and implementing his Lebensraumpolitik during the 1930s and '40s.

Australia never even had a rhetoric of extermination , you know, "Manifest Destiny" where governmental and corporate leaders sought to shape public sentiment to embrace the eradication of American Indians. The professed goal of this physical reduction of "inferior" indigenous populations was to open up land for "superior" Euro-American "pioneers."
One outcome of this dual articulation was a series of general massacres perpetrated by the United States military.

So, doesn't look like  Australia will be picking up the phone for help with gallivants any time soon.

[Corinthian]

What is funny. Is youre lecturing a Native American on atrocities commited against them.America doesnt need thanks or gratitude we don't expect those who recieve things off the fruits of others labors to fully appreciate it anyway.