Why do people say that the British didn't do a thing in WW2?

[The Stonker]

Simple question in fact I was in history today learning about WW2 and my teacher said that the british didn't do a thing and that the americans oh the bloody americans held up everything defending the land.
For when I read the book then it was mostly in Russia and the russians did most of the killing and the biggest sacrifices.
So guys I'm thinking what did the british do?

P.s.I'm a british patriot (16) who lives in Iceland so the education here for history isn't exactly great.

 

[xbeaker]

I've never heard anyone say that. Maybe your teacher is a little prejudice? Anyone who has read anything about WWII knows the Brits were a major factor in that war.

 

[Amnestic]

This doesn't really belong in gaming discussion.

Either way: Lack of historical education is probably the answer.

 

[Ninjamedic]

American Patriotism. they just see WW2 in the years 1943-5. Then again a small minority.

 

[Totenkopf]

I usually summarize the whole American, British and free French forces as "western allies", so no one gets left out.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

No, we didn't do anything apart from pretty much holding back everyone in North Africa, being the only nation in Europe who remained standing and fighting while the Americans remained isolationist and we had to withstand the might of the Nazi war machine alone, cracking the ENIGMA code, contributing heavily to D-Day, Overlord, and in fact every operation apart from the Americans offensive on Japan.

Nope, Britain was useless in World War II

 

[thejdcole]

i dont think this really belongs in gaming discussion. But i think if at all it's because of lack of knowledge or just plain ignorance.

 

[Nemu]

This seems more like a troll post than anything.

Or someone is an idiot (teacher? Op?).

You spoke sarcastically about Americans, how original, btw.

 

[Epictank of Wintown]

No, we didn't do anything apart from pretty much holding back everyone in North Africa, being the only nation in Europe who remained standing and fighting while the Americans remained isolationist and we had to withstand the might of the Nazi war machine alone, cracking the ENIGMA code, contributing heavily to D-Day, Overlord, and in fact every operation apart from the Americans offensive on Japan.

Nope, Britain was useless in World War II

To be fair, the British only had to deal with the Luftwaffe- had the Third Reich actually invaded Britain like they had the rest of mainland Europe, I think you guys would have been in some serious trouble. You probably also wouldn't have done too well if the Americans hadn't been sending you weapons, ammo and equipment secretly.

But to say the British were a 'non-factor' in World War II is just silly. Field Marshal Montgomery pushed Rommel and the Wermacht out of North Africa almost single-handedly. They were also major factors in Operation Overlord, battling up through Sicily and Italy, the (failed) invasion of Holland and, as someone said, cracking the ENIGMA code.

 

[DragonsAteMyMarbles]

That's just the American education system being overtly patriotic. Which unfortunately led to some Americans assuming that their country's soldiers were wholly responsible for the Allies' victory, and things just snowballed from there. At least, that's what I was told by the Americans I've met.

Relatedly, here's my favourite quotation regarding the British performance in WWII;
The German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it, nothing. Until one tiny, damp little island says "No. No, not here." A mouse in front of a lion. Amazing.
May not be completely accurate, but I like it.

 

[Ph33nix]

When you say the Russian's made the biggest sacrifices that's partially because their generals would just through men at a problem and also never really used tactics in the beginning, it worked for them but they did to the point were they would use tanks as battering rams to take out German tanks. Also in North Africa until the American's showed up it wasn't looking to good for the British there. Montgomery was a great general but when you are out number by one of the best generals of all time, Rommel who I consider the best or second best general of WWII until 1944 when he made some huge mistakes, Montgomery would have lost north africa by spring '43 if American hadn't sent a large influx of troops. Also The Americans also sent division after division into Europe after D-Day. The American's were, compared to the fairly battle warned Europe, and unlimited supply of men and material and without them the best England could have hoped for was the German's invasion to be thwarted at the beaches.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

No, we didn't do anything apart from pretty much holding back everyone in North Africa, being the only nation in Europe who remained standing and fighting while the Americans remained isolationist and we had to withstand the might of the Nazi war machine alone, cracking the ENIGMA code, contributing heavily to D-Day, Overlord, and in fact every operation apart from the Americans offensive on Japan.

Nope, Britain was useless in World War II

To be fair, the British only had to deal with the Luftwaffe- had the Third Reich actually invaded Britain like they had the rest of mainland Europe, I think you guys would have been in some serious trouble. You probably also wouldn't have done too well if the Americans hadn't been sending you weapons, ammo and equipment secretly.

Yes, we only had to deal with the Luftwaffe bombing our cities to rubble night after night, causing horrific death by fire as hundreds perished. Man, I'm glad that that was only the Luftwaffe, they were a non-threat.

Nevermind that Hitler never wanted to engage us in open naval warfare because he was scared of the Royal Navy, nevermind that he basically halted Operation Sealion twice, on the basis that the RAF managed to stop him at the Battle of Britain.

(Yeah, my family has a tradition of serving the Royal Air Force since its inception, so I'm not going to back down on the incredible job the RAF did during the War.)

Also, please try and be a little more respectful. I know it wouldn't bother most people, but to have it laid out as 'had they actually invaded Britain... you guys would have been in serious trouble.' It sounds patronising, which I know you weren't going for, but it still rankles a little.

 

[PhiMed]

Well, the British successfully stopped the Germans in North Africa, contributed a vast amount to D-Day and Operation Overlord, and fought tooth and nail in Burma and India. They also cracked the ENIGMA code, which was one of the most significant turning points of the war.

Really, saying that any side didn't do anything is just naive.

...except the French. But to be fair, they were pretty much overrun before they even realized a war was on. The Germans pulled off the governmental equivalent of a suckerpunch to the scrot.

 

[TheFacelessOne]

Really, saying that any side, other than the French, didn't do anything is just naive.

Went on and fixed that for ya.

I kid, really. But I agree with Furburt. Every side contributed to the war. Sure, perhaps in different ways and amounts, but a contribution is a contribution.

Edit: FUDGING NINJA RIGHT ABOVE ME

 

[RyQ_TMC]

Probably same effect at work here as in...

Well, the British (...) cracked the ENIGMA code

I usually summarize the whole American, British and free French forces as "western allies", so no one gets left out.

... saying that the Polish didn't do a thing.

Of course, we all know that each nation which fought in WW2 will try to claim that they were the most important ones, but the current popular version started with the Big Three downplaying the role of everyone else to prevent popular criticism of post-war border changes in Europe. Then Cold War started, so Soviet involvement in the war got hushed up. It was only the Americans and the Brits left on the field, and guess who came out of the war with a massive industrial production surplus, no damage to the country itself and an already established massive entertainment industry?

As to what the Brits did: aside from things already mentioned here, they harbored a lot of Polish soldiers and officers who could continue fighting openly, and they hosted the Polish Government-In-Exile all the way until 1990, for which we are grateful. Of course, there was this ugly episode when British press had an all-out anti-Polish campaign going on to justify the USSR taking half of our land in the public eye, but nowadays nobody remembers that one.

 

[GreatVladmir]

I've never heard anyone say that. Maybe your teacher is a little prejudice? Anyone who has read anything about WWII knows the Brits were a major factor in that war.

Yeah, they did quite a lot in World War II. They held off the German Advance/bombings in 41-42, but the bit about the soviets is true. They lost the most people in the war according to most sources, both military/civilian wise.

The Soviets bore the brunt of the Wermacht, if the western Allies had faced that many troops, we would have fallen, easily. We have to really thank the Soviet Union/Russia really for doing the most agaisnt the 3rd Reich, not to say us Western Allies were not important, the Germans could have eventually defeated the USSR if the west did'nt declare war on Germany, so it was a team effort, shame about the Cold War afterwards.

 

[Ph33nix]

That's just the American education system being overtly patriotic. Which unfortunately led to some Americans assuming that their country's soldiers were wholly responsible for the Allies' victory, and things just snowballed from there. At least, that's what I was told by the Americans I've met.

Relatedly, here's my favourite quotation regarding the British performance in WWII;
The German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it, nothing. Until one tiny, damp little island says "No. No, not here." A mouse in front of a lion. Amazing.
May not be completely accurate, but I like it.

Unfortunately as great as that quote is it's a little misleading. The German's hadn't yet really invested in amphibious landing vehicles. The battle of Britain was a great victory but that was partialy the german's arrogance but also the British radar system

 

[robert022614]

and the mud slinging begins...everyone had their part cant we just agree on that and drop it geesh