The Battle of Britain Was The First Defeat For The German Luftwaffe.

[kendo65]

Originally Posted by Sternjaeger II

...
It got me thinking some time ago: out of all the European countries, Great Britain is the only one with SO much celebration about WW2, and for a buff like me and you it surely is paradise, but have you ever wondered why it doesn't happen as much in the rest of Europe?

I would say the Russians could be on a similar level to the UK, and for similar reasons - finishing as victors.

All the other European countries have painful memories of defeat and occupation. Best forgotten.

For the victors (in any conflict...?) there is more of a tendency to view it as a nation-defining achievement (though how long a country should keep clinging to its past glories is a valid question to raise)

[bongodriver]

From a German's perspective, however, it seems to be some kind of "popular culture" to constantly harp on about "the war". It's everywhere, in football, in the yellow press, in some of these mindless chants ... To me it does leave the impression that Great Britain is nowadays nothing more than a little poor island full of sad people who have nothing to be happy about and so they bring up times long gone whenever appropriate and especially when not.

All I ask is that people don't generalise and use these examples as what Britain is all about, I fail to see the difference in that and what the British are accused of.

And as for the British Empire I am absolutely convinced the only reason the colonies were given independence after WW2 is that GB no longer could afford the costs (political, military and especially financially) to keep them occupied and to suppress the local drive for independence. Otherwise GB might have found itself in the same position as France with the nasty wars in Indochina and Algeria.

Quite....but what about the ones who havent become independent? what is the massive gun we are holding to their heads?

[bongodriver]

For the victors (in any conflict...?) there is more of a tendency to view it as a nation-defining achievement (though how long a country should keep clinging to its past glories is a valid question to raise)

Why?......not really going to make any difference other than history being forgotten........whats that saying again?

[kendo65]

True. I'm all for remembering and marking the sacrifices and achievements of those years.

But maybe a nation (especially one with such a grand, imperial past as GB) can define itself too much by its past achievements. Reliving the past can maybe become an unhealthy attempt to avoid difficult choices in the present (?) (aircraft carriers with no aircraft, clinging onto the nuclear club, our continued addiction to 'punching above our weight' in various foreign conflicts under the last two governments.)

That last paragraph is more throwing a question in the air than saying i necessarily subscribe to that position.

I also don't think that most Brits (with the possible exception of Daily Telegraph readers ) have that strong identification with Empire and glory that some of the posters in this thread seem to believe.

[Sternjaeger II]

Originally Posted by bongodriver

All I ask is that people don't generalise and use these examples as what Britain is all about, I fail to see the difference in that and what the British are accused of.

Nobody is accusing the British of anything here, but a certain popular behaviour should be firmly condemned, not giggled upon or dismissed, not only because it's out of place, but because it embarrasses the British that don't think in that way. Same goes with humour: with SO many themes to joke upon, why the war one is SO recurrent!?

Quite....but what about the ones who havent become independent? what is the massive gun we are holding to their heads?

I'm not gonna go on this one, too off topic.

[bongodriver]

I'm not gonna go on this one, too off topic.

Like British Imperialism isn't off topic menough...

[bongodriver]

Nobody is accusing the British of anything here, but a certain popular behaviour should be firmly condemned, not giggled upon or dismissed, not only because it's out of place, but because it embarrasses the British that don't think in that way. Same goes with humour: with SO many themes to joke upon, why the war one is SO recurrent!?

is it?.......one sketch in a Faulty towers episode and a series of Blackadder based on WWI and it's repetitive?.......oh ok and there was that awfull 'alo alo' series years ago.

[csThor]

Originally Posted by bongodriver

is it?.......one sketch in a Faulty towers episode and a series of Blackadder based on WWI and it's repetitive?.......oh ok and there was that awfull 'alo alo' series years ago.

If I may remind you of the tasteless headlines and photos on british newspapers before the Euro 96 semi-finals, the equally tasteless "10 little Spitfires" chants propagated by british online communities before World Cup 2006 and actually sung by some (admittedly drunken) idiots in german city centers ... It's not just that the yellow press is so besotted with the topic but it's actually worse that it returns again and again and no voice is raised that tells 'em to STFU. Silent agreement or silent disagreement aren't distinguishable from the outside, you know.

[blackmme]

Originally Posted by csThor

If I may remind you of the tasteless headlines and photos on british newspapers before the Euro 96 semi-finals, the equally tasteless "10 little Spitfires" chants propagated by british online communities before World Cup 2006 and actually sung by some (admittedly drunken) idiots in german city centers ... It's not just that the yellow press is so besotted with the topic but it's actually worse that it returns again and again and no voice is raised that tells 'em to STFU. Silent agreement or silent disagreement aren't distinguishable from the outside, you know.

Idiots are idiots worldwide and I can only utterly apologise for anyone on the receiving end of such ignorance. I can't apologise on behalf of the whole British population but I can on behalf of my 1/60,000,000 of it.

Regards Mike

[bongodriver]

Originally Posted by csThor

If I may remind you of the tasteless headlines and photos on british newspapers before the Euro 96 semi-finals, the equally tasteless "10 little Spitfires" chants propagated by british online communities before World Cup 2006 and actually sung by some (admittedly drunken) idiots in german city centers ... It's not just that the yellow press is so besotted with the topic but it's actually worse that it returns again and again and no voice is raised that tells 'em to STFU. Silent agreement or silent disagreement aren't distinguishable from the outside, you know.

I concur...that wasn't me, nor will I ever condone it, it is not the mentality of all British, the red top newspapers cater for a very 'niche' section of our society......please don't generalise.

it's not like we 'can' do much about these idiots, have them rounded up and shot?