 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Aug 13, 2014 - 5:59 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Tall Guy
(Member)
|
You could have mentioned Belfast there, TG, no-one ever does, but it was heavily blitzed as a shipyard and contender in the N. Atlantic war. Actually, most of the general staff in N. Africa were Anglo-Irish officers and Monty himself was born in Donegal.
Correct me if I'm wrong, William, but I think Belfast would qualify under "other places"  I certainly meant no disrespect in not mentioning Belfast - nor to Timmer with Bristol. The fact that too many UK cities to mention suffered casualties as a result of Nazi bombs surely strengthens the argument.
There needs to be a distinction made between the interceptor work of Fighter Command in the BoB and the mass fire-bombing. They didn't pack in until Adolf topped himself. It's wrong to ignore the reservations that many had at the time. It's probably equally wrong to ignore that the BoB turned out right in the end largely because of Adolf's idiocy and decision to open a second front. It's worth remembering that Dowding etc. were relieved that the bombing had moved from the airfields to the cities, enabling time to regroup and repair.
The thing here is that whereas the sheer guts of the bomber crews is undeniable, it's a hard one to celebrate fully. Thousands of men, women and children did perish. When barbarism gets out of the box, it spreads.
It's an easy thing to study the period and get it fixed in your head that the second world war ran from 1939 to 1945. At the time, they didn't know the end date. As far as ANYONE knew, the war could have gone on for many more years, and if you or your son were up in a bomber, I'd imagine that you'd unleash the hounds of hell on the enemy if it gave a chance of survival to you or your loved one. Of course there would be reservations, but the war was there to be won. Pussyfooting could have led to a very different outcome - a conversation I've had several times when talking to CND supporters about the cold war. But that's probably for another thread...
So yes, hard to celebrate fully but in my view it's worth the effort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Are we saying that, say, a little German girl or a little German boy, burnt to a crisp, let's say three years old, was complicit in Adolf's racket? Or that the fact that similarly innocent British children of the same age were similarly killed means they deserved it somehow?
The dearth of children is deeply unfortunate in war. But lets not forget what country started it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
