What WARS has France won?

[Paraclete]

But the Canadians held the lines against the germans at the second battle of Ypres april 22, 1915 ........... quite memorable too .........

I think it was the first battle where the germans used poisoned gas - and the Canadians still managed to hold the line !!!!!!!

 

[Paraclete]

At Ypress about 95000 soldiers died - about 60000 British and about 35000 Germans .....

But in the end the British held the line ..........

 

[Von Chav]

Von Chav:

Look at the timeline of WWI. Look at when the ANZACS and Canadians rushed to the aid of Britain (almost as soon as war had been declared on Britain, in 1914), and then when America decided to join in the fun (Declared war in 1917, but U.S troops joined the other Allies on the front in 1918). Trust America to join in when everyone had expended their resources and manpower!

Right on! The first world war seems to be an even better example than the second. Hell, after WWI, it's the Canadians and Aussies who shoulda remained isolationist for a change - give em a break from war; they woulda deserved it. Especially seeing as it did'nt reall have that much to do with em. They did'nt have to fight on behalf of the Brits, especially for a second time! And especially seeing as no one declared war on them personally, although you could argue in the first world war it was against the 'British Empire' but it was still different for them, as it did'nt geographically effect em (To the Germans neither Canada or Australia were 'British'). Even if Britain fell, I still don't see how it coulda effected them that much, hell it may have done them some good. Quite a curious topic this...

Quite simply, America didn't really care less about a European War. Hell, why would it help Britain, who it had fought a bloody war against? Why would it feel indebted to a country which had burnt Washington D.C to the ground? Canada and Australia were on much better terms with Britain. After all, Australia hadn't fought any bloody wars with Britain (I'm not sure about Canada? I don't know much about the Canadians, except that they were once a British colony).

Very true. I'm sure the Yanks woulda been very happy to fight against the Japs and not get involved in Europe, despite Churchills pleas to Roosevelt. Besides, it would'nt have done much for public opinion - though there are two sides to that argument. In WW2 that is.

The main reason America joined the war was because the Germans were trigger happy with their submarines, which threatened America's shipping industries. Coming out of the top of the heap after winning the war was an added bonus of joining so late.

Agreed. Thats the only foreseable reason why I think they got involved too.

It's interesting, because Canada and Australia seem to be quite similiar in many ways, especially in the context of WW1. Before WW1, Canada and Australia + New Zealand (which I believe Australia should annex!) were merely seen as extensions of the British Empire. After WW1, the bravery and grit of Canadian and Australian soldiers helped to define Canada and Australia as separate nations, who could stand on their own two feet. Australia was no longer some hunk of nameless rock in the southern hemisphere, it was 'Hey, didn't those guys send up the ANZACS? Man, they kick ass!'

Ironic how fighting on behalf of Britain defined their independence eh? The ANZACs really do whoop ass!
Both wars in this case seem to have striking similarities, and I'm equally curious about the role of the Aussies and Canadians in both. You can never stress the importance of their role enough. Move along Yanks, the ANZACs are here!

 

[Von Chav]

But the Canadians held the lines against the germans at the second battle of Ypres april 22, 1915 ........... quite memorable too .........

I think it was the first battle where the germans used poisoned gas - and the Canadians still managed to hold the line !!!!!!!

Bless em.

 

[Roman]

The main reason America joined the war was because the Germans were trigger happy with their submarines, which threatened America's shipping industries. Coming out of the top of the heap after winning the war was an added bonus of joining so late.

Zimmerman telegram?

 

[Hapsburg]

Bless em.

Fuck em. If they had run, and if the Germans had won WW1, the world would've been a lot better, i.e no WW2, no holocaust, no cold war(iffy).

 

[Zephyr]

there are no winners in war

But there are survivors.

 

[Hapsburg]

there are no winners in war

Yeah there are. The winners are the ones that gain the most and usually dictate the peace terms after a war.

 

[alain]

change 'gain the most' to 'lose the least' and maybe you have a deffinition

 

[mountainhare]

Hapsburg:

The winners are the ones that gain the most and usually dictate the peace terms after a war.

The winners are the rulers who gain land and riches. The loser is the common man, who died for their respective rulers vanity and greed.

 

[john smith]

No one. I just get pissed off when the yanks take all the credit. Remember, the only reason why they entered the European theater of war was because Hitler declared war on them. The canadians never get enough credit.

Thats true

LMAO! To quote you John, "Thats the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" I was refering to the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) despatched in 1940 to France, but on taking the Western offensive General John Gort was forced to retreat back to Dunkirk. I was'nt talking about the events after D-day. (Even if I was, you're wrong - they were never "bogged down" by the French resistence.) I take it you know nothing about the BEF then? (Besides the bloody 2nd SS Panzer division was in damn Russia at that time!!)
By D-Day (And I was'nt talking about D-day!!) the 2nd SS Panzer division was in France and while it had'nt established itself at the beachheads, it already occupied the vincinity of surrounding towns and villages. They were not bogged down by the allies at this point, and certainly not by the French resistance. On the contrary, during D day, the 2nd and 9th SS Panzer divisions held the allies back significantly long enough for the Germans to make a prudent retreat. Later they took part in the break through of the Ardennes (Area of the "Battle of the Bulge") forest and then back into Germany. I simply assumed it was Hitler logic that they were'nt established in a more formidable position!!

One thing you've never learned, however much you study, however many facts you get 'right', you will never beat me...i think you know exactly what i mean!

It's much harder to occupy than to conquer a country my simplistic friend. Go read Sun Tzu's "Art of War." The only formidable defence the French had was the Maginot Line. And they were always alittle twitchy following the events of the first world war, and when Hitler marched into the Ruhr it confirmed the worst. Remember, I was speculating as to wether it was part of their strategy, and not saying it was gospel. (In fact Britain augmented a similar plan if it were ever invaded by the Nazis.) Surely you have'nt wondered why they did'nt try harder, despite the effectivness of the Blitzkreig?

Im not intrested in what your borrowed library books have to say on the subject...i want your opinion, you have accused others of just 'googling up' information to sound superior, yet you are a hypocrite as yo obviously have done exactly that! If however you have actual knowledge of this, who you trying to impress??!!

Go read GCSE History books my friend. Maybe theres some Terry Deary ones like "Hateful Hitler", "Nasty Nazis" or "Fearsome French." They'll suit your simplistic knowledge and non-existant understanding.

So you wanna get personnal huh? What could i possibly use against you??! Think about it moron, i know what you've said above is what you think but you got a bad ass problem, you wanna know why i took GCSE history??Think about it a little!!!

See you around, probably trying to insult Max and MountainHare as usual!

 

[john smith]

Fuck em. If they had run, and if the Germans had won WW1, the world would've been a lot better, i.e no WW2, no holocaust, no cold war(iffy).

A very different and intresting approach.I like it

 

[candy]

I tend to concur that European arrogance created Hitler's power base but without a Hitleresque German state there would still have been the problems of Stalin in the East, Mussolini, Franco, and Japan in the Far East. It was a time of aggressive attitudes and we have not yet found a way to stop aggression before it creates havoc in lives of the individual maybe someday we will achieve this but not today.

 

[Roman]

Fuck em. If they had run, and if the Germans had won WW1, the world would've been a lot better, i.e no WW2, no holocaust

Without the Holocaust, eugenicist would still be a respectable profession.

 

[Xylene]

I could argue that if France had not been so determined to screw reparations money out of the German state after WW1, the situation wouldn't have got so bad in Germany (where they were using banknotes as wallpaper) and Hitler wouldn't have got a chance to start up.

 

[River Ape]

You sound critical of the French, Xylene.

You should know that many of the French statesmen of the day would have remembered, as children, the Peace of Frankfurt, signed at the end of the Franco-German war of 1870-71. France had to pay collossal reparations of 5 billion gold francs to Germany. And she did. Ahead of schedule.

Small wonder, then, that France and Belgium sought reparations after the Great War, which had, after all, been fought on their soil and at a hideous cost in physical destruction. (In England, we are inclined to consider only the cost in lives of the war, ignoring the devastation of town, village and countryside which we did not experience.)

The factors which led to the German hyper-inflation are worthy of closer scrutiny. They were not the inevitable outcome of the demand for reparations. (Except, of course, in the sense that all is pre-ordained by Destiny!)

 

[Hapsburg]

They may not have been the inevitable outcome, but the reparations was the catalyst for the economic upfuckery, and Hitler used defiance Versailles Treaty as a rallying cry, which led to his rise to power.

 

[River Ape]

The Germans invaded and trashed Belgium and incinerated Louvain. The idea that Germany should have made reparations seems pretty reasonable. Or should Belgium have been the country that lost the war?

The FUNDAMENTAL problem was that while France wanted to make sure no threat arose from Germany ever again, England wanted a Germany that could stand up to the threat of Russian Bolshevism. France needed England's support to suppress a resurgent Germany but did not get it, and was bitterly divided between left and right over seeking an alliance with the Soviets.

 

[Hapsburg]

If anyone, Serbia should've been forced to pay reparations, they're the one's that began the war, by organizing the assassination of Francis Ferdinand.

 

[River Ape]

Ah, but now you are not talking serious history!

Point is: suppose reparations had never become a big issue. Imagine that German nationalism had followed a different course, and that the Monarchists rather than the National Socialists had emerged as the main political force. Would a resurgent Germany have been prepared to leave Elsass and Lothringen in French hands?

Take a look at Strasseburg! Did you ever see such a fine German-looking city? Wundebar!