Author Topic: Could World War II Have Been Won... (Read 2198 times)

Shuckins · « **Reply #60 on:** June 01, 2004, 12:09:15 AM »

Chairboy,

We have been speaking hypothetically since this thread was begun. If you can refrain from your sneering tone, I and others would be willing to listen to your thoughts. Otherwise, you're just coming across as an ass.

Shuckins/Leggern

Red Tail 444 · « **Reply #61 on:** June 01, 2004, 12:10:23 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2

I hold out hope for him tho.

lazs

And I for you.

Chairboy · « **Reply #62 on:** June 01, 2004, 12:13:44 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Shuckins
Chairboy,

We have been speaking hypothetically since this thread was begun. If you can refrain from your sneering tone, I and others would be willing to listen to your thoughts. Otherwise, you're just coming across as an ass.

Shuckins/Leggern

What type of response from me would you accept as appropriate, then?

"Yep, we're all a bunch of pansies compared to those that lived in the US during the years encompassing World War II"?

If that's all you'll accept, then sir, I cannot accomodate you.

Captain Virgil Hilts · « **Reply #63 on:** June 01, 2004, 12:35:58 AM »

"my countrymen" "thinly veiled bigotry"

You use that as an excuse for a cheap shot at a generation you and yours cannot hold a candle to.

I find no bigotry in it at all. And I'm a citizen, by birth. Not to mention a "baby boomer".

The average citizen/sheep of 'generation x" and the last of the "baby boomers" is not cut from the same cloth as those of my parents generation. Those people were simply made of sterner stuff, tempered in the forge of the Great Depression, World War II, and the Korean War.

Leslie · « **Reply #64 on:** June 01, 2004, 01:04:07 AM »

Thought provoking question, and impossible to speculate on without the real thing. A better question might be...Could today's generation/executive authority cope with a war the magnitude of WWII? I would have to qualify my answer first by basing it on the fact that a war like that is not business as usual.

Everything was rationed back then. Some things were very difficult to get...tires for example. You were allowed one set of tires for the duration. Even the black market couldn't supply tires.

Censorship was in effect. WWII was a spy war. I doubt game shows like Wheel of Fortune would be allowed to air, much less games like Aces High or computer forum boards of any kind. If they did, they would be strictly regulated by federal agencies. Excercising freedom of speech would be at your own risk I would think.

Without gasoline or tires though, where would you go? Computer activities involving the Internet would be out. There'd probably not be much to do unless you wanted to stay home. No matter what you decided to do, it would involve hard work and personal sacrifice of some kind.

The main difference between then and now, is back then you didn't hear as much putting down of one's own country. Most criticism during war time was directed at the enemy, and did not focus on our own shortcomings. Winning WWII was serious business. Defeat was not an option for the Allies.

If you're asking, would today's generation have what it takes to deal with WWII by today's standards, I say don't judge this generation by what you read on this forum board. I think they would be more than up to the task. I hope they never have to do it.

The ones having a tough time would be the Baby Boomers I think. I won't speak for others, but the older I get, the more I think about acquiring nice things and personal comfort. This is misguided thinking, I admit..

You can't go back. I believe though, there would be a drastic change in attitude if WWIII happened.

Everything depends on the situation, which can and does change. The question is about as difficult to answer as "What would you do if.....?"
Until it happens, no one knows.

Les

Chairboy · « **Reply #65 on:** June 01, 2004, 01:27:22 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts
"my countrymen" "thinly veiled bigotry"
You use that as an excuse for a cheap shot at a generation you and yours cannot hold a candle to.

Actually, I'm taking a shot at people who sneer at the current generation and make sweeping generatlizations about how weak we are compared to our forefathers. I have nothing but respect for my parents and grandparents that lived and fought through that period.

As for the rest of your message, you just confirm my opinion about your bigotry. Everyone has opinions, and mine means something only to me, but, there you are.

I agree with Leslie's sentiments, I feel it represents my views as well, for the record.

lazs2 · « **Reply #66 on:** June 01, 2004, 08:15:24 AM »

akwulf... you want to compare afghanastan.. that is fine but you must realize that is a war that is pretty much fought with our special forces.. our spartans. they have been culled from society and beaten into a shape resembling several generations back.

look at the physical condition of the average American today compared to the 40's.. They may have died younger from bad nutrition and bad health care but they were very fit in their younger days.

They didn't sit in front of the TV or puter and they didn't have a "safety net" so they had to work... a large portion of those kids first shoes were the ones the Army gave em.

lazs

lazs2 · « **Reply #67 on:** June 01, 2004, 08:21:30 AM »

what chairboy and some of the others are upset about is the fact that the more politicaly correct and socialist we get the weaker we get.. to admit that socialism is not working in (at least) this respect, is too much for them.

But cheer up... it isn't socialism that is making us weak per se.. it is the combination of the wealth from the remaoins of capitalism and the new destructive socialism.. chairboy need not worry ... once we are as poor as true socialist countries like the Soviet union... we will toughen up again. Being poor is good for the soul and body I guess. I mean... look how tough the russians were against the nazis... little rough to be a russian soldier then but if you survived...

lazs

ravells · « **Reply #68 on:** June 01, 2004, 08:29:33 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
akwulf... you want to compare afghanastan.. that is fine but you must realize that is a war that is pretty much fought with our special forces.. our spartans. they have been culled from society and beaten into a shape resembling several generations back.

look at the physical condition of the average American today compared to the 40's.. They may have died younger from bad nutrition and bad health care but they were very fit in their younger days.

They didn't sit in front of the TV or puter and they didn't have a "safety net" so they had to work... a large portion of those kids first shoes were the ones the Army gave em.

lazs

Agree with you there, 100% Lazs.

Ravs

Leslie · « **Reply #69 on:** June 01, 2004, 08:57:03 AM »

My Dad was in WWII Lazs. I asked him one time, if we had to be conquered by either the Nazis or the Russians, and effectively be under their rule. He said he'd rather be a Nazi...that the Communists were worse.

I know that seems shocking, but that's what he said. And I believe that was the way Americans felt about Russia in those days. That Nazi Germany was not as bad as Communist Russia. Communism was a greater evil.

Les

Chairboy · « **Reply #70 on:** June 01, 2004, 09:14:15 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by lazs2
what chairboy and some of the others are upset about is the fact that the more politicaly correct and socialist we get the weaker we get.. to admit that socialism is not working in (at least) this respect, is too much for them.

Now I'm a communist for having the gall to suggest that my generation could rise to the occasion?

What depths of self loathing lead you to this conclusion? Why can't you accept the possibility that todays US citizens are more then a 15 second sound byte on CNN? Has the media really brainwashed you so much that you believe it to accurately represent the country as spineless? Are you really that much a tool of the biased media that you accept their spoonfed, sensationalistic skew of american life? That's pretty sad.

Now that you've called me a socialist lover, might I suggest that you follow it up with either pedophile, terrorist, or tax & spend democrat? Your brush seems pretty indiscriminate, I look forward to hearing your next attack. If my faith in my fellow citizen is so offensive to you, it's gotta be one of those. Or maybe you'll just call me naive? It must be frustrating for you when someone stands up for his country instead of joining in this simultaneously self hating and self congratulatory attack.

Airhead · « **Reply #71 on:** June 01, 2004, 11:05:25 AM »

We may not be as tough as our Granddaddies were, but we can still beat the French.

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #72 on:** June 01, 2004, 11:08:08 AM »

I was comparing Afghanistan and the will of our country to WWII and the will of our country.

Not who is doing the fighting.

But, if you want to get into fitness - I'd wager a guess the majority of obese people are in their 30s and 40s, not in their teens and 20s.
-SW

Scootter · « **Reply #73 on:** June 01, 2004, 11:50:45 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by capt. apathy
you forgot one Rip-

Dec, 7 1941,
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Bush declares war on Korea, stating "we can't let these attacks go un-answered"

Ahh we started by attacking Germany, what link did they have to 12/7/41?

Lets see a Democrat attacked in the other direction (E) instead of to Japan, I wonder how the press would have spun that?

AKS\/\/ulfe · « **Reply #74 on:** June 01, 2004, 12:06:07 PM »

Dec 11, 1941 Germany declares war on the United States.
-SW