DIR Explorers - View Single Post

Gareth Burrows · April 26th, 2008, 12:35 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Kevrumbo)

With absolutely no help or material support from the United Kingdom, it was the all-volunteer AIF who fought and died to protect Australian soil; it was the Aussies in 1942 who first stood up to and finally repelled the Japanese Army Juggernaut, and started the Allied turnaround ending in the ultimate defeat of the Japanese Empire. . . Long live the survivors and remembrances of the fallen on the Kokoda Track (and of WWI Gallipoli as well). . .

Hail to the Diggers! Stand by your Mates! --the best Jungle Fighters of WWII. . . Better than any Marine, Royal or US (The Marines on Guadalcanal only had the better publicity. . .)

ive picked you up for the bollox you spout about war before and I'll do it again. Let's do WW1first. Australia lost 20,000 men at Gallipoli. The UK lost 52,000, over half the allied losses, so please dont publicise the impression that australia faught alone.

Now let's examine WW2. Australia was never going to be invaded by the Japanese - they never had plans to do so. However, by capturing the solomon islands they intended to isolate Australia from their American supporters, a plan scuppered by the Americans in their victory in the battle of the coral sea.

Australia also did not "start the allaid turnaround". The Americans did that at Guadalcanal when for the first time they took land held by Japanese forces. Following that battle, the Japanese were constantly on the defensive. As for "help or material support from the United Kingdom" let's not forget that complete control of Australian military was handed over to Mcarthur in 1942, who immediately the entire Australian command structure, leaving on epuppet commander, and almost no senior Australians in the al;lied command system governing the area. How exactly was the UK supposed to assist at this point bearing in mind we had lost all military power in the area, and handed over control of the seas forever more to the USA.

So let's just cut through the crap shall we. 50 million people died in WW2. Everyone fought bravely, including the Germans and Japanese, and indeed the Australians, but at the end of the day it was just the madness of a few men that led to 50 million wasted lives, and it was a group of countries all weighing in together that resolved the issue, not one single group or country.

This comment "Better than any Marine, Royal or US" is likely to earn you a slap if you are daft enough to speak like that around ex-forces types face to face. Even the booties I know have enough pride and self respect to be thoroughly insulted by bullshit like that. Try to remember that for every 1 Australian marine that lost their lives, 9 UK men perished, 10 american boys did not come home, and 200 Russians, which is the one no one metions.

By all means celebrate a nations history, but don't do it at the expense of other countries. Especially not ones that gave lives for the same cause.

April 26th, 2008, 12:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
Gareth Burrows(Offline) Chimp 2 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Horsham, West Sussex Posts: 369	Quote: (Originally Posted by Kevrumbo) With absolutely no help or material support from the United Kingdom, it was the all-volunteer AIF who fought and died to protect Australian soil; it was the Aussies in 1942 who first stood up to and finally repelled the Japanese Army Juggernaut, and started the Allied turnaround ending in the ultimate defeat of the Japanese Empire. . . Long live the survivors and remembrances of the fallen on the Kokoda Track (and of WWI Gallipoli as well). . . Hail to the Diggers! Stand by your Mates! --the best Jungle Fighters of WWII. . . Better than any Marine, Royal or US (The Marines on Guadalcanal only had the better publicity. . .) ive picked you up for the bollox you spout about war before and I'll do it again. Let's do WW1first. Australia lost 20,000 men at Gallipoli. The UK lost 52,000, over half the allied losses, so please dont publicise the impression that australia faught alone. Now let's examine WW2. Australia was never going to be invaded by the Japanese - they never had plans to do so. However, by capturing the solomon islands they intended to isolate Australia from their American supporters, a plan scuppered by the Americans in their victory in the battle of the coral sea. Australia also did not "start the allaid turnaround". The Americans did that at Guadalcanal when for the first time they took land held by Japanese forces. Following that battle, the Japanese were constantly on the defensive. As for "help or material support from the United Kingdom" let's not forget that complete control of Australian military was handed over to Mcarthur in 1942, who immediately the entire Australian command structure, leaving on epuppet commander, and almost no senior Australians in the al;lied command system governing the area. How exactly was the UK supposed to assist at this point bearing in mind we had lost all military power in the area, and handed over control of the seas forever more to the USA. So let's just cut through the crap shall we. 50 million people died in WW2. Everyone fought bravely, including the Germans and Japanese, and indeed the Australians, but at the end of the day it was just the madness of a few men that led to 50 million wasted lives, and it was a group of countries all weighing in together that resolved the issue, not one single group or country. This comment "Better than any Marine, Royal or US" is likely to earn you a slap if you are daft enough to speak like that around ex-forces types face to face. Even the booties I know have enough pride and self respect to be thoroughly insulted by bullshit like that. Try to remember that for every 1 Australian marine that lost their lives, 9 UK men perished, 10 american boys did not come home, and 200 Russians, which is the one no one metions. By all means celebrate a nations history, but don't do it at the expense of other countries. Especially not ones that gave lives for the same cause. __________________ Garf Amusing and Clever Signature under construction. Last edited by Gareth Burrows; April 26th, 2008 at 12:44 AM.