Unpopular Wars

After the ignorant comments about the Dunkirk evacuation (among other lesser bright comments) I watched something interesting about the Dunkirk evacuation.

The historian making this documentary is Dan Snow. I think he is a British/Canadian historian. I have seen him in a TV series 20th Centenary Battlefields, Digging WWII, Battle Castle, 1812, and a documentary about how the British won the war of Canada, I don't remember the title of that one. He is pretty good to listen to, I have never read anything by him


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm4O_0xCMLs


I found this documentary to be extremely educating, interesting and bittersweet, as the way these things are.
Thanks very much for posting it.

Dadsgirl
 
A very short pictorial about England and Canada's toughest battle of WW2 the taking of Caen. This is not a documentary just some footage of the meat grinder that was Caen in WW2 The linchpin of the whole Normandy campaign and the key to the successful invasion of France. 10's of thousands died on each side in this battle. Montgomery nearly lost his command over the losses incurred over the taking of Caen. Eventually the British and Canadians won out "Payback for Dunkirk". The taking of Caen certainly rates as one of England's finest hours.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j41Ih93QQQ4"]www.youtube.com/watch?v=j41Ih93QQQ4[/ame]
 
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I found this documentary to be extremely educating, interesting and bittersweet, as the way these things are.
Thanks very much for posting it.

Dadsgirl

My uncle Roy served in the Royal Horse Artillery while part of the BEF, his unit eventually managed to get to Dunkirk after destroying their guns. The constant bombing and straffing sent him over the edge. Today it would be called PTSD, then it was called "Bomb Happy." He ended up in hosptial a mental wreck. My dad went to visit him in hospital and walked straight past his bed, my dad didnt recognise his own brother. My uncle Roy suffered from his experience for the rest of his life.
 
My uncle Roy served in the Royal Horse Artillery while part of the BEF, his unit eventually managed to get to Dunkirk after destroying their guns. The constant bombing and straffing sent him over the edge. Today it would be called PTSD, then it was called "Bomb Happy." He ended up in hosptial a mental wreck. My dad went to visit him in hospital and walked straight past his bed, my dad didnt recognise his own brother. My uncle Roy suffered from his experience for the rest of his life.

Your uncle Roy suffered PTSD out loud through his life. It had to come out...then. Terrible thing!
My Dad held it in until he was on his death bed. Felt comfortable with my boyfriend and myself- for sure. Started in drips and drabs. My own brother didn't even believe that it was happening (lives in other state). But after each "story" he'd get anxiety. I'm VERY glad we were there to inform the nurse. She gave him meds. The wine we brought to the hospice helped a heap also!!!
All you can do is be there...
 
My uncle Jimmy flew in the RAF. His plane got hit and he was the only survivor. They landed in the channel and he heard the screams of some of his colleagues burning to death in the plane wreckages that were trapped in the burning plane. He was hospitalized for years for mental health concerns. It sent him over the edge for many years.
 
My great grandfather was in No.10 (Inter allied) Commando during the war. For many years after he could not cope with sudden loud sounds.

Moreover, he never watched any documentary or movie which dealt with concentration camps. He was involved in the liberation of Bergen-Belsen along with the 11th Armoured Division.
 
You mean Bad Fallingbostel
Did you know that Field Marshal Erich von Manstein was buried there?

Was the Greek restaurant Akropolis located there when you were there?
 
It was just known as Falling-f***ing-bostel by the Brit military! :lol: Yes the Greek restaurant was there in 1992 when I was there.
 
You mean Bad Fallingbostel
Did you know that Field Marshal Erich von Manstein was buried there?

Was the Greek restaurant Akropolis located there when you were there?

Manstein may have been a brilliant tactician when it came to the Blitzkrieg and the mobile defense.
But he was also a war criminal for appropriating food stocks from Soviets citizens and appropriating Soviet citizens for Nazi slave labor projects.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_Erich_von_Manstein
 
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It was just known as Falling-f***ing-bostel by the Brit military! :lol: Yes the Greek restaurant was there in 1992 when I was there.
There were some cute girls who catered there :p

Manstein may have been a brilliant tactician when it came to the Blitzkrieg and the mobile defense.
But he was also a war criminal for appropriating food stocks from Soviets citizens and appropriating Soviet citizens for Nazi slave labor projects.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_Erich_von_Manstein
Yes, but he was useful after the war.
 
Then add Sherman & other Union Army Commanders to the list.

Sherman and other Union Commanders cannot even begin to compare to the war crimes committed by the SS and the Wehrmacht in the USSR. Between 15 and 20 million Soviet civilians died as a direct result of these people.
 
Yes, but he was useful after the war.



So were many other Germans because the crimes were excused as the allies either needed help dealing with the Soviets, or in using the German technology. Many war criminals were pardoned or had their sentences commuted. However this does not erase their dirty deeds. Are you forgetting these are the people that brought on the planets worse catastrophe in the history of man.
 
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