Wasn't there also Lion? I went there a couple of years ago. Impossible not to close your eyes and imagine the **** that happened.
I'm with you on the gung ho approach to war nowadays. It's never about defending ourselves from an immediate threat, but bullshit reasons masked as such. WW2 was different though, we faced an existential threat, an immediate risk to our country, our way of life. We had no choice but to fight. Either that or accept we would be invaded by Nazi Germany or at the very least ruled by them and other fascists whilst they took over the continent. Here's an interesting fact for you Sucky "Make America Great" was a phrase originally used by members of the administration who were nationalists and wanted isolationism before America was forced into entering WW2. Regards D-Day, a lot of lives were sacrificed by American, British and Commonwealth soldiers, but also thousands (7000 iirc) of French civilians in Normandy. Many through Allied bombing of homes and other infrastructure sadly necessary to crush the German army. The horrors of war.
There's a beach near me where I like to go swimming. On the Helford river, where the Yanks launched from on D-Day. The 'beach' is a concrete slope into the river and you can cycle up the valley on overgrown tracks that were laid to get all the trucks and tanks down to the landing craft. I've often swam there, in the calm waters of the river, surrounded by beautiful nature and wondered what it must have felt like for the young lads loading up those boats with tanks and guns ... please log in to view this image
I thought they were keywords relating to some ancient Olympics that took place in Utah. Actually I knew what they were but thanks for the patronising history lesson anyway I know things about British History aswell as history of other countries Wheres the point scoring?
Way too old for that now, mate ... and even if I did get in, I wouldn't want to play in the Bundesliga anyway
The British Empire committed some horrendous atrocities across the world. I brought this up on the politics thread when people were slating Corbyn after those squaddies were firing rounds at a target with his picture on and all the old 'he's an IRA sympathiser' ****e came out. Well, facts are that the British Army slaughtered, raped and executed their way to power in the past. That said, I do believe that WWII (not withstanding Churchill being involved in genocide and racism previously, and both the Conservative Govt and Royal Family cozying up to Hitler in the early days) represented an existential threat to Britain and it's way of life and that Fascism and the Nazi party needed fighting. I would have fought in that war and I think the lads (and women) who did, should be respected for what they did.
Absolutely they should be respected and commemorated..that's not an issue is it? But Sucky isn't a traitor because he didn't know the code words lol and Comms history lesson has been appreciated
