Are some Brits upset at America for not helping them during the Nazi bombings? (rated, deal)

[dizzybint]

It was said that if Hitler would have continued bombing London the way he did we would have been wiped out..he was winning, so a big thank you also to the US for their help.

[ian6479]

Originally Posted by dizzybint

It was said that if Hitler would have continued bombing London the way he did we would have been wiped out..he was winning, so a big thank you also to the US for their help.

Let's not forget the Battle of Britain and the role the Royal Air Force played.

[Jaggy001]

Originally Posted by dizzybint

It was said that if Hitler would have continued bombing London the way he did we would have been wiped out..he was winning, so a big thank you also to the US for their help.

But he didn't.

The worst of the German bombing was between September 1940 and May 1941. The USA did not enter the war until December 1941 by which time the German bombing offensive had effectively failed.

[Jezer]

If Hitler had allowed his airforce to continue to bomb our airfields and associated infrastructure things might have been quite different.

[English Dave]

Originally Posted by Jezer

If Hitler had allowed his airforce to continue to bomb our airfields and associated infrastructure things might have been quite different.

We were lucky that Hitler got fed up of the losses in his airforce trying to bomb us into submission. He thought he could turn his attention to Russia, then come back for us another day. Those brave pilots in 1940 saved our bacon. By remaining free, it gave America a place to build up it's forces for the invasion of Europe in 1944. I'm not sure what would have happened if the US had not entered the war. I suspect Russia would have overcome Germany in the end. Would they have stopped at Germany's border, who knows. I think under Stalin, they would have kept on going.

[Jaggy001]

Most countries teach history from their own perspective. This is reinforced by collective memories, culture and myth. Thus, for example, I grew up in the UK and learned history from a British perspective. My view of WW2 was reinforced through knowing family, teachers and others who actually fought in the war. If you believe the French perspective, they were all in the Resistance If you believe the German perspective the Nazis were a minority who manipulated everyone else

I would not expect US schools to have a strong emphasis on WW2 prior to Pearl Harbor because they were not really engaged in it. Recovery from the depression and the New Deal were far more important from an American perspective. I would expect US schools to teach that their country's intervention in WW2 was decisive ... because it was. It was absolutely decisive in the Pacific. It was also decisive in Europe. Not because it saved Britain, it did not. But because it prevented the Soviet Union from over-runing Western Europe by allowing D-Day and the advance to the Elbe to happen. To expect the average person to understand the nuances of what is 'decisive' is perhaps asking a bit too much.

From speaking to those who were alive in the UK at the time, they were delighted when Pearl Harbor happened because they knew that it would bring America into the war. At that point, Brits knew that the risk of German invasion was over but they could not yet see how they would win. American involvement was what was needed to turn stalemate into victory.

[North Beach Person]

Didn't Churchill write in his memoirs something to the effect that when he heard that Pearl Harbor had been attacked he knew that the war was won? Of course Hitler played along by declaring war against the US when he didn't really have to.

[kevike]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Didn't Churchill write in his memoirs something to the effect that when he heard that Pearl Harbor had been attacked he knew that the war was won? Of course Hitler played along by declaring war against the US when he didn't really have to.

"In December 1941, six months after Hitler had invaded Russia, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The war had now become a global one. But with the might of America on the Allied side there could be no doubt about its outcome. Churchill was jubilant, remarking when he heard the news of Pearl Harbor: "So we have won after all!""

[TheCalifornianWriter]

As for WWII, many Americans DO have some sort of vague idea that we rode in on our red, white and blue stallions and saved the day. I know that it isn't necessarily so. Most others do. The "we saved you guys back in WWII" comments are usually just overstatements or zealous words to say how great we are.

[TheCalifornianWriter]

Originally Posted by kevike

"In December 1941, six months after Hitler had invaded Russia, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The war had now become a global one. But with the might of America on the Allied side there could be no doubt about its outcome. Churchill was jubilant, remarking when he heard the news of Pearl Harbor: "So we have won after all!""

I understand what Churchill meant, but it seems a bit odd to be jubilant about a disaster that killed 2,400 men and injured another thousand.