BS: D Day + 65years

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 02:58 PM

Stalin was (understandably) pressing hard for an Allied invasion of western Europe much earlier than June '44 in order to take pressure off his own forces in the East. He was hoping the Allies would launch their invasion in 1943. As things stood, however, I think they were wise to wait until June 1944. An invasion in '43 would probably not have succeeded, but would have met a bloody defeat, and that would have prolonged the war.

The Russians are probably not all that interested in the D-Day observances since their forces did not take any part in that invasion...but it would still make sense to invite them to attend.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Ref
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 02:14 PM

Hey pdq, where were you when Bush was kissing the Saudis on the lips?

What the dickens does segregation in Phoenix AR have to do with this thread?

Obviously Sarkozy should have invited Her Maj, but it's not President Obama's fault. The REAL screw-up is not inviting representatives of the people of the old Soviet Union, who carried so much more of the weight than any of the Western Alliance. We owe so much, to steal a phrase, to the valor of so many, among the leaders and the boys (that's what they were!) who carried out the plans.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 01:36 PM

It's not okay either way, BB. ;-) You know I defended Reagan over that Bittburg visit, and I will defend anyone on the Right or the Left who is unfairly attacked in a partisan manner.

Sadly, that is not so true of many of my (so-called) "liberal" compadres here. Their righteous moral scruples end abruptly at the party line.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 01:29 PM

My uncle was crewof one of the first landing craft over. My father landed six days later.
We were travelling home from holiday through Normandy on Thursday and saw long convoys of troups and parachutes dropping in ready for todays events.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 12:21 PM

Poem 212 of 230: REMEMBER THEM?

Back when we became defenders
    (We have plainly been attackers),
Defenders' blood, sweat and years
    Were paid to keep a good home-way -
A way yet to be part stealth-blown,
    As mass immigration gained-sway
And as we slipped as maintainers.

From http://walkaboutsverse.sitegoz.com (e-scroll)
Or http://blogs.myspace.com/walkaboutsverse (e-book)

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: GUEST,beardedbruce
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 12:06 PM

LH,

For the same reason Bush was blamed for anything that happened when he was president. Once precedent is established, the side originating it has little room to complain when it is used against them.


But of course it was ok when it was against someone you did not like.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 11:57 AM

My father landed on the 5th day. He encountered heavy fighting almost immediately.

It sounds to me like Obama had nothing to do with the failure to invite the Queen, so why blame him for it?

Subject: RE: BS: D-Day 65 Years Ago Today
From: gnu
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 10:58 AM

What's with the English accent?

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 10:54 AM

My Father-in-Law landed 21 days after. He said that when he looked at what had had to be done only then did the realization hit him of the magnitude and heroism of that day -- on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Sword, and Juno and from the sky above the night before.

Subject: RE: BS: D-Day 65 Years Ago Today
From: bobad
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 10:37 AM

Oops, didn't check for prior thread.......my boo boo.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 10:28 AM

Today is the anniversary of D-Day.

Five years ago, just a month before anniversay 60, Mrs. JotSC and I took a most awesome bus tour from Paris to Normandy. The tour guide, who had written books on D-Day related the saga of events leading to the landings and the battle itself. He wore a night mask while relating the story in detail, as if he were seeing that historic past as he spoke.

We made stops at the Peace Museum in Caan (I believe), and at the American Cemetery for the D-Day fallen. We placed a flower at the grave of one of those heroes.

But standing at the edge of the Omaha Beach cliffs, it astounded me that anyone could actually have scaled cliff and survive to fight, so heavily was the area fortified. German bunkers are still there, as, in the water, are the hulls of landing craft that did make it to the beach.

So, to all the brave allied fighters who took part in the Normandy invasions, thank you for your sacrifice.

Subject: BS: D-Day 65 Years Ago Today
From: bobad
Date: 06 Jun 09 - 10:19 AM

A tribute to the D-Day Dodgers of Canada: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXl_xzqIRgk

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 02 Jun 09 - 08:44 AM

Prince Charles will represent the Queen.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 02 Jun 09 - 03:40 AM

President Obama is trying to get an invite for Q.E.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8078294.stm
Sadly, probably too late to make arrangements now.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 May 09 - 08:25 PM

Sounds like a bloodbath in the making.

I think I'll just pause and reflect on what I was doing when I was two years old.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 09 - 07:29 PM

Herself is the (token) head of the the Allied Forces of 26 commonwealth nations and also allied in NATO and beyond. It is at the very least, a disgraceful affront to millions of loyal military personnel around the globe.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: jacqui.c
Date: 31 May 09 - 07:16 PM

Much though this may surprise some, the President of the USA is not the person who chooses who will be invited to an event of this type. That duty falls to the leaders of the country in which the event is to be held and, so far, France has not become the 51st state.

This sounds as if it was a total lash up on the part of the French and UK governments. Now Sarcosy is saying that it was up to the UK government to choose who was to attend from the UK. Brown is back-pedalling furiously and saying that any member of the Royal Family is welcome to accompany him to France, rather late in the day. This seems to be just another incidence of the disdain with which the UK government hold the Monarchy and, on this occasion, I think it is insulting as the Queen was actually in the Armed Forces during the war, when both the president of France and Brown weren't even a twinkle in their fathers' eyes.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 May 09 - 06:07 PM

I think many Americans, and indeed others, do not realise that most of the troops taking part in the D-Day landings were not Americans. I suppose that's show business...:

On D-Day, the Allies landed around 156,000 troops in Normandy. The American forces landed numbered 73,000: 23,250 on Utah Beach, 34,250 on Omaha Beach, and 15,500 airborne troops. In the British and Canadian sector, 83,115 troops were landed (61,715 of them British): 24,970 on Gold Beach, 21,400 on Juno Beach, 28,845 on Sword Beach, and 7900 airborne troops. (From The D-Day Museum)

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: pdq
Date: 31 May 09 - 06:05 PM

"There is deep significance with the Queen not being invited…she is the one world leader who has a personal stake in D-Day.  While serving with the British forces as a driver,  she met the Supreme Allied Commander for the D-Day landings, General Eisenhower, and developed a fondness for him which lasted for decades.  Her affection for Eisenhower, and his contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany is well known.  Seems that her not being invited by a serving President of the United States sends a message that the United Kingdom just doesn't matter in the big picture anymore.

How in the world can any world leader commemorate D-Day without the presence of the Brits?"


Remember, Obama is the same guy who did a full waiste-up bow to the Saudi Arabian ambassador. As a dipolmat, he is an embarrassment.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Ebbie
Date: 31 May 09 - 05:49 PM

Bonzo3, it may be segregation in fact but it is not necessarily a mandated thing. What about the various Chinatowns across the ocuntry? What about the Polish sections of a city? People, being people, tend to gravitate toward what is familiar.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 09 - 04:37 PM

I have been rather nasty in this forum in a few threads to some people about this subject... even telling them to "read a fucking history book." It makes my blood boil. As far as Herself not being invited, I cannot be nasty enough. Assholes!

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 31 May 09 - 04:23 PM

Damned keyboard!

When we visited Phoenix Arizona in 1998, it was pointed out to us that all the Latin American folks were stuffed at one end of the town - or is it a city? I call that segregation.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 31 May 09 - 04:22 PM

When we visited Phoenix Arizona in 1998, it was pointed out to us that all the Latin American folks were stufapprobriumfed at one end of the town - or is it a city? I call that segregation.

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 May 09 - 03:38 PM

I hope this is not forgotten by the next generation.

I have a similar hope over what I have learned, late in life, about the racism the USA's history so painfully includes. It's not any older than the D-Day memories the media tried to keep focus on, with "The Greatest Generation" material of recent years.

It's always interesting to me (really, I just mean interesting) how we can feel so strongly that "X is in the past, let's move ON!" while "X just happened, we must remember!!!"-- over things that took place at the same time on the timeline. It's just weirdly human.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: D Day + 65years
From: mg
Date: 31 May 09 - 03:35 PM

Well, I am sorry that they are not getting the recognition they deserve..I am sure most Americans are not aware of this. Maybe you could write an article for some publication on this.

And never worry too much about the younger generation forgetting too much and getting off easy somehow...we don't know what they will be called upon to do but it could eclipse what other generations have had to do..we just never know...mg

Subject: BS: D Day + 65years
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 31 May 09 - 03:21 PM

The event will be marked in Nomandy, and president Obama will be present.
Many veterans from Britain and Commonwealth will be there, many for the last time.
We here sometimes think that our veterans' efforts and the sacrifice of our fallen is being airbrushed from history.
We are used to Hollywood ignoring our part and even portraying our achievements being carried out by Americans.
Our head of state, the Queen, has not been invited.
Sarcosy has stated that it is to be a Franco American occasion.

I am sure most members here know that only two of the 5 beaches were American beaches, and that Americans were outnumbered, by several thousand, by British, Candian and other Commonwealth troops.
I hope this is not forgotten by the next generation.

I do not wish to understate our gratitude to USA for their sacrifice. I was moved to make this post by contributions to the Memorial Day thread.
Many veterans here feel hurt by this slight.
keith.