Just want to say, I wasn't born in the USA, but I have been here since I was very young, but I consider myself an American... With that aside, I'm growing really tired of all the US-hatred going on here. The only Americans that will say that "we" won the war single-handedly are the backwoods-toothless hicks that you find in the south and in mountain regions. Any American will say that it was a collaborated effort by the Allied forces to bring down the Axis. Now, not to toot the horn of the US of A, but if it wasn't for "us," Europe would be very different than it is today. Would there be a Fascist German Regime/Empire ruling over Europe? More than likely, no. But, you have to give credit where it is due. The French were almost entirely annihilated, and were forced into a surrender. Britain was bombed to shit, and could barely scrounge out enough men to take on the German War Machine of millions of soldiers, ready to die for their country...
You should thank the US for being there in the fight, giving the Allies some reassuring hope, and plenty of more men to fight the good fight. The blame for the US entering the war when it did is on the Japanese, it's an incident in history every educated person should know. I do personally feel that the US would have still entered the war, regardless of the Pearl Harbor attack. Obviously, the time that we entered was very early on, and enough to make a huge difference both in the European and the Pacific theater. If it was a year or two later, either WWII would have simply been longer, or Europe may have succumbed to Fascist Germany.
So, I personally suggest that this thread be closed, or heavily moderated... this is a thread that can easily turn into a flame fest and troll haven. Anything that's instantly attacking the US is not a good idea. Your title for this thread especially will attract the people we don't want here. Let's do our best to keep this civil, and have a clean discussion. Sound good?
Edit: I just want to add, the movies and series you see like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, are the same types of things you see in British-made movies about the Napoleonic Wars (Specifically the Waterloo campaign), where it puts heavy emphasis on the British winning Waterloo, or a major battle. It's propaganda. Shit to raise the the spirits of the nation it's made for, and to make people believe the country they are in is the best. Don't give too much into movies and books like that. Such things have been made since ancient times (disregarding movies and miniseries of course).
Side story: My great-grandfather served in WWII as a German Fallschirmjaeger Officer. He served in the 5th Fallschirmjaeger corps. He met his death during a German counter-attack in France where a few battalions of Fallschirmjaegers attacked behind the Allied lines, as to where, I haven't a clue. His parachute was shot, and he plummeted to his death. The only thing I have remaining from him is his Bayonet, a medal, and a badge that he wore on his collar. My Grandfather (the son of the great-grandfather in question), burned everything else. He was ashamed of his father, and he's a disgrace on Germany, to be ashamed of such a great nation.
My great-Grandfather on my Mother's side also served in WWII in the Italian Wolf Infantry, he survived the war... His story, I know very little about.
