American views of the British effort in D-Day and WW2 in general.

[Formaldehyde]

I don't think Band of Brothers criticized the British. The movie was supposed to be about just this one company. The one time in the series that they dealt with the British in Holland, I don't think there was anything negative about it.

It would still clearly be the Soviet Union. And given the number of Chinese who died, they would have likely 'outscored' us in the Far East, unless you want to include civilian casualties...

 

[emzie]

Like i said, i have apologised for this. I did not mean to undermine the other countries contributions.

But it is rather ironic that you made an error for which you're chastising others.

Wouldn't it make more sense to go by the metric: the nation who killed the most enemies? I don't know where to get that info though...

Unless you're counting German women and children being bombed, again, the Soviets were responsible for most of the German deaths.

 

[PeteAtoms]

Unless you're counting German women and children being bombed, again, the Soviets were responsible for most of the German deaths.

I wasn't saying he wasn't right about the Soviets contributing the most to the war, I was only questioning the metric he used.

 

[Tycoon101]

I wasn't saying he wasn't right about the Soviets contributing the most to the war, I was only questioning the metric he used.

When 75%-80% of German military casualties were at Soviet hands, it's not even worth arguing about.

 

[emzie]

I wasn't saying he wasn't right about the Soviets contributing the most to the war, I was only questioning the metric he used.

My highschool in Ohio had an exchange program with a school in Ukraine. My History teacher brought back a history text book (with translation) and read to us the account of WWII from the Soviet standpoint. It read that the Soviets won the war "with Western support" I always found that interesting and I wished I could have read the book in whole.

 

[Maimonides]

Why is it in films such as Band of brother and Saving private Ryan, that the British are shown to be incompetent or even left out altogether?

1. You should study WWII history more.

2. "Band of Brothers" is about a company of the American 101st Airborne. It is not about a British unit or even about any other American units. You apparently missed that were were relieved by the British XXX Corps during Operation Market Garden. You are apparently unaware that they fought in a different sector than the British during the Normandy invasion. You are apparently unaware that the Battle of the Bulge took place in an American-held sector. The British were far to the north. You are apparently unaware that the Americans & British occupied seperate sectors of Germany.

3. "Saving Private Ryan" is fictional. The characters are fictional. The story takes place during the Normandy invasion. British & American forces invaded seperate beaches & areas. The British were north & east of American forces during the period of that movie.

4. It wouldn't make any sense to complain that Americans weren't shown at the Battle of Caen as that took place in the British sector. Likewise, your complaint makes no sense.

5. As pointed out by VRWCAgent, we know our Allies weren't "incompetent."

6. You are picking out only examples that serve the purpose of your complaint. You are ignoring "The Longest Day" which shows allot of the efforts of non-American forces during D-Day. You are ignoring "A Bridge too Far" which reflects that Operation Market Garden was primarily a British operation. You are ignoring so many movies & documentaries that depict the efforts of the non-American Allies that you are effectively insulting yourself.

With the recent events regarding the queen, it seems that America is slowly changing what actually happened: recent events regarding the queenrecent events regarding the queen, it seems that America is slowly changing what actually happened:

1. What "recent events regarding the queen?"

2. How could our entire nation decide to rewrite history enmasse? Not likely.

Making it that the British did nothing, whilst America was the one who "Did everything."

You have yet to cite an example of who is saying that. Only a fool would say that. Either show an example or this is a troll thread.

Why is this happening?

It's not. You're a bit oversensitive on the issue for some reason.

Don't be an idiot, if we were to make a film based upon WW2 and left out your countries contribution or criticised it, you'd no doubt be angry.

See my responses above. The only two movies you cite are about small American units operating far from British forces & one of them is fictional.

 

[emzie]

Useless, you should have cited "The Great Escape" as that's a good example of Americans changing history for a story to glorify themselves.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Why is it in films such as Band of brother and Saving private Ryan, that the British are shown to be incompetent or even left out altogether? With the recent events regarding the queen, it seems that America is slowly changing what actually happened: Making it that the British did nothing, whilst America was the one who "Did everything". Why is this happening?

Well, it is what the British have been doing to the Canadians and ANZACS forever. In fact, the Americans were usually far more accurate in talking about these things than the Brits.

 

[Phlegmak]

Why is it in films such as Band of brother and Saving private Ryan, that the British are shown to be incompetent or even left out altogether? With the recent events regarding the queen, it seems that America is slowly changing what actually happened: Making it that the British did nothing, whilst America was the one who "Did everything". Why is this happening?

The most likely reason is that the directors/screenwriters/producers are attempting to make the movie most marketable to an American audience.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

The most likely reason is that the directors/screenwriters/producers are attempting to make the movie most marketable to an American audience.

Is this an appropriate consideration? I mean would Americans ACTUALLY be less likely to see war movies that portray the achievements of other countries in addition to their own?

I would be fascinated to see more of the achievements of the Soviets, Poles, Chinese, Australians, etc. Especially if the show is still mostly about the Americans, anyway.

Also, casualties are not the only metric of contribution. Juno Beach could have been far more terrible too if the Canadians botched it.

 

[Maimonides]

Okay, i shall revise my views. America also seems to ignore all the other countries contribution towards the war and the eventual victory of the Allies, not just the British. I apologise if i offended anyone by just stating that it was the British, whose contributions were left unrecognised.

Are you offended that Americans weren't portrayed defending Stalingrad in "Enemy at the Gates?"

I did not mean to undermine the other countries contributions.

But you are by completely ignoring every movie that shows the efforts of the non-American Allies.

Useless, you should have cited "The Great Escape" as that's a good example of Americans changing history for a story to glorify themselves.

That's true, but we must keep in mind that movies are intended as entertainment to make a profit. That movie didn't claim to be an accurate documentary. The filmakers needed to fill seats in American theaters. I think educated adults know this & aren't being tricked by Hollywood propaganda.

At least they did show that British officers were in charge of the POWs & that most of the POWs were British.

 

[PeteAtoms]

Some movies off the top of my head, about WW2 participants besides America:

Enemy at the Gates (Soviets)
K-19 Widowmaker (Soviets)
Letters from Iwo Jima (Japan)

And here is a list of WW2 movies... look how many there are, surely they are not all as American-centrist as Band of Brothers of Saving Private Ryan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_films

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

The Devil's Brigade.

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Maimonides got it spot on, basically. Further regarding Band of Brothers, it was a series/book based upon an American company, drawing from the experiences of the American veterans. Funnily enough it was a bit America-centric.

I think British troops were portrayed once in the entire series, when a British tank commander ignores the advice of some of Easy and gets obliterated by a German tank because of it. Given that it's an anecdote from the book, and virtually the only mention of the British beyond their training in England (which is portrayed in a mostly good fashion in the book), you're grasping a bit.

 

[PeteAtoms]

I think British troops were portrayed once in the entire series, when a British tank commander ignores the advice of some of Easy and gets obliterated by a German tank because of it. Given that it's an anecdote from the book, and virtually the only mention of the British beyond their training in England (which is portrayed in a mostly good fashion in the book), you're grasping a bit.

I remember that scene. Simon Pegg had a small bit part in it too, though he played an American. He was a messenger or something in one of the earlier episodes

 

[emzie]

That's true, but we must keep in mind that movies are intended as entertainment to make a profit. That movie didn't claim to be an accurate documentary. The filmakers needed to fill seats in American theaters. I think educated adults know this & aren't being tricked by Hollywood propaganda.

At least they did show that British officers were in charge of the POWs & that most of the POWs were British.

Most of the PoWs at that camp were Americans. Just none of them, you know, escaped.

Enemy at the Gates (Soviets)

Though Hollywood-ized, I wish more Americans would have seen that. Gives a nice background to what happened to the USSR in WWII and provides a foundation for understanding why Russians seem so friggin paranoid (though, obviously, more than just WWII played into that!)

 

[RomeoTheCat]

Why is it in films such as Band of brother and Saving private Ryan, that the British are shown to be incompetent or even left out altogether? With the recent events regarding the queen, it seems that America is slowly changing what actually happened: Making it that the British did nothing, whilst America was the one who "Did everything". Why is this happening?

I'm watching BoB right now & I don't see the British shown as incompetent. Just absent. But it is a movie about the American 101'st and not a movie about the British 1st Airborne.

We here in The Americas know that you British are bad-ass...We see it in movies...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCvnm8BExJQ&feature=related

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

I remember that scene. Simon Pegg had a small bit part in it too, though he played an American. He was a messenger or something in one of the earlier episodes

Sergeant Evans, I think. You're quite right, he was a messenger. Then got shot down over Normandy.

Bless Simon Pegg with his American accent. Almost as good as his Scottish

 

[amadeus]

I have no idea how this myth started, but it is the naive view of many Americans that we singlehandedly won the war. It was actually the Soviet Union who contributed the most if you want to go by the only metric that really makes much sense: The number of military personnel who died.

Once again proving that Russia is good for cannon fodder.

 

[RomeoTheCat]

It would still clearly be the Soviet Union. And given the number of Chinese who died, they would have likely 'outscored' us in the Far East, unless you want to include civilian casualties...

What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?