Help wanted WW2!
Sep 14th 2007, 7:16 pm
#16
Not here much
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Highland Park, NJ
Posts: 2,452
Re: Help wanted WW2!
I realize that this is a bit of a sore point with you, but based upon the historical facts of the war, do you honestly believe that the Commonwealth would have been able to defeat the Germans without outside help? The numbers make it pretty obvious that this wasn't the case.
WWI makes a good case study. There, the whole thing was a big awful stalemate until the US turned the tide. In the case of WWII, I would imagine that Britain would have been isolated (I doubt that the Germans could have mounted a successful invasion, thanks to the sleeve standing between them and the coast of France), while the Germans would have been eventually defeated by the Soviets, thereafter paving the way for the whole of the continent being absorbed into a mega-Warsaw Pact.
In other words, the Brits would have been speaking English. But the French and the rest of their neighbors would have been able to look down their noses at you while insulting you in Russian. Vive la resistance.
WWI makes a good case study. There, the whole thing was a big awful stalemate until the US turned the tide. In the case of WWII, I would imagine that Britain would have been isolated (I doubt that the Germans could have mounted a successful invasion, thanks to the sleeve standing between them and the coast of France), while the Germans would have been eventually defeated by the Soviets, thereafter paving the way for the whole of the continent being absorbed into a mega-Warsaw Pact.
In other words, the Brits would have been speaking English. But the French and the rest of their neighbors would have been able to look down their noses at you while insulting you in Russian. Vive la resistance.
Sep 14th 2007, 7:23 pm
#17
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: Help wanted WW2!
The whole thing sounds like your co-workers are just taking the piss. Since they probably don't know much about the UK aside from England being in London (or something like that) and the Queen looking like Helen Mirren, they probably don't have much material to work with. Make fun of McDonald's or something, you'll come up with a potshot or two, I'm sure...
Sep 14th 2007, 7:29 pm
#18
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: Help wanted WW2!
Sep 14th 2007, 7:32 pm
#19
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Mother Land.
Posts: 14,858
Re: Help wanted WW2!
Oh dear I can see this thread ending up to be a bit of Yank bashing 
but you are right those stupid comments get right up our nose's, blimey I poor island was bombed to f**k for two year's before the Yanks decided to step in, and I believe our Gran parents would of bloody well fought on the Beaches till the very end, like dear old Churchill said.
but you are right those stupid comments get right up our nose's, blimey I poor island was bombed to f**k for two year's before the Yanks decided to step in, and I believe our Gran parents would of bloody well fought on the Beaches till the very end, like dear old Churchill said.
Sep 14th 2007, 7:35 pm
#20
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Help wanted WW2!
As this thread proves so elegantly, you Brits rise beautifully to this canard. It's great, one mention of Der Fatherland and y'all start blustering. Why should we not use it?
Sep 14th 2007, 7:37 pm
#21
Ivegotta Member
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 900
Re: Help wanted WW2!
The whole thing sounds like your co-workers are just taking the piss. Since they probably don't know much about the UK aside from England being in London (or something like that) and the Queen looking like Helen Mirren, they probably don't have much material to work with. Make fun of McDonald's or something, you'll come up with a potshot or two, I'm sure...
I guess propergander is alive and well!
Sep 14th 2007, 7:44 pm
#24
Mr. Grumpy
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 3,100
Re: Help wanted WW2!
Its not just co workers (although they are bad) A lot of Americans I meet come up with this nonsense. If I suggest the Battle of Britain had a large influence over the outcome of the war I get a blank look, they never heard of it.
I guess propergander is alive and well!
I guess propergander is alive and well!
IMO we would be part of a big warsaw pact as another poster mentioned.....
Sep 14th 2007, 7:50 pm
#25
Bloody Yank
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: USA! USA!
Posts: 4,186
Re: Help wanted WW2!
If you believe that the Germans could have been defeated solely by the Soviets (as I do), then no, I'd say that the Battle of Britain was certainly a turning point for the western Allies, but for the Germans, the outcome was the same, it was just a question who would have defeated them, and how long it would have taken. (Surely, the war would have lasted a lot longer without either the Soviets or the Americans participating.)
In my mind, the definitive turning points in Europe were El Alamein, Stalingrad and Normandy. The Allied bombing campaign wasn't a turning point per se, but it caused the Germans enough destruction and diverted resources to affect their ability to carry on.
Sep 14th 2007, 7:56 pm
#26
Ivegotta Member
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 900
Re: Help wanted WW2!
Let me turn this back to mt original question. I need some smart one liners to get them to shut up.....
Come on, were meant to be the witty Brits
Rob
Come on, were meant to be the witty Brits
Rob
Sep 14th 2007, 7:57 pm
#27
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: Help wanted WW2!
that wasn't a whim or spur of the moment decision - it was possibly the single most important underlying reason why WW2 happened in the first place: From a military/strategic viewpoint everything the Nazis did was done with one thing in mind: conquering the Soviet Union to provide the German people with their "lebensraum" in the east. It was one of the main pillars of the Nazi philosophy and all laid out in Mein Kampf.
Sep 14th 2007, 8:06 pm
#29
Mr. Grumpy
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 3,100
Re: Help wanted WW2!
that wasn't a whim or spur of the moment decision - it was possibly the single most important underlying reason why WW2 happened in the first place: From a military/strategic viewpoint everything the Nazis did was done with one thing in mind: conquering the Soviet Union to provide the German people with their "lebensraum" in the east. It was one of the main pillars of the Nazi philosophy and all laid out in Mein Kampf.
