Ernest Schaal wrote:
> Brett,
> 
> Considering your deification of Montgomery and your attempts to minimize the
> role of the American military in both world wars, 

No, it is putting things into perspective. One that Americans 
usually lack, and you specifically lack.

> I am curious how deep your
 > prejudice interferes with any judgment that you might have.
 >
> Do you think that the British and the French could have won the war after
> Russia pulled out if it were not for the influx of American troops?



I should point out what follows is my judgement which is a strong 
contrast to stating facts as I have before.

I don't think the British and French won. I am not being 
pedantic, the result would have been much the same - Germany 
calling for an armistice and negotiating peace. Germany would 
have had a stronger position the negotiated peace would have been 
more equal. Germany was unable to match the techonology and 
manufacturing and was barely able to feed it's men. The ironic 
thing is US not entering the war may have been a better result. 
When it would have finished is a debatable point but

If you disagree with me that's fine, but you had better know the 
political machinations happening in Germany and Austria in 1917. 
More likely all you know is the US turned up and the war was won.

Of course you know that George Patton and his crew did not win 
WWII? 80% of German casualities were caused by the Russians.


> 
> Do you think that either the British or the French did anyway near as much
> in winning the war in Asia during WWII as the Americans, or anyway near as
> much in winning the war in Europe as the Russians or the Americans? 

(enough speculation, a history lesson)

French????? What fucking planet do you live on? The fall of 
France was June 1940 and Pearl Harbour (the start of your war) 
was December 1941.

Oh, and you forgot one really important country. I'll give you a 
clue, they eat rice and speak Chinese.

So of course it is a pissing match you want to hear that the US 
did the most don't you? Of course 2 really big bombs and the 
firebombing pretty well sealed Japan's fate.

For most of the war there were 3 areas, the sea/air war in the 
west (USN), the land war being fought by the British (including 
us) and of course China. At most times the British had more 
troops in battle than the US, up until Okinawa. I am sure you 
would find the fighting in Malay and Burma quite boring but you 
really should make an effort.

You might like to read up on Papua New Guinea. How my 
grandfather's brigade of CMF (Civilan Military Force) stopped the 
Japanese.

"The 39th Australian Infantry battalion was a CMF unit. It was 
raised in October 1941 from volunteers in Victoria and arrived in 
Port Moresby in January 1942. When it was relieved during the 
Kokoda operations in September, the Battalion's strength of about 
1500 had decreased, because of battle casualties and illness to 185."

"Initially the troops of the United States 32nd Division, 126th 
and 128th Regiments, made little headway at Buna. Partly because 
of their inexperience and unreadiness for the type of fighting 
required, the Americans suffered heavy casualties. Matters 
improved with the appointment in late November of a more 
competent American commander, Lieut-General R.L. Eichelberger. It 
was not, however, until the Australian Brigadier George Wootten 
took direct command of the Americans on 17 December that the 
battle for Buna began to go well for the Allies. Wootten brought 
with him the Australian 2/9th, 2/10th and 2/12th Infantry 
Battalions."

An Australian brigade commander had a US division attached to his 
brigade! Bet they don't teach that at West Point!

So add that to your reading list. Malay, Burma, India, PNG, Darwin.

Thanks for the battle of the Coral Sea, that was really important.


 > (for your information, North Africa is not in Europe)

Thanks for the tip, is there a reason you made that point? You 
want to specifically exclude it? It was fought by the European 
powers. It was also the staging area for the Italian campaigns.