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June 6
With June 6 approaching, I expect the media will emphasize the bravery and sacrifices of our armed forces during World War II, an annual event. Fewer of those survive another year.
My dad nearly died in North Africa (probably in Eastern Algeria), while serving in Patton's army.
Before we get carried away with remembering how great America was when saving the world from the Nazis, Americans should remember what really happened in that terrible war, fought far away.
In 1938, Hitler wanted part of what is now the Czech republic to make his invasion of Russia easier.
The 1938 Munich agreement between England, France, Italy forced Czechoslovakia to comply and with Poland also taking territory, Czechoslovakia was quickly off the map as a country.
On Sept 1, 1939 Germany launched its "1939 Defensive War" against Poland.
On Sept 3 France declared war on Germany.
On Sept 17 Russia invaded Poland.
In June, 1940 Germany took only 6 weeks to occupy France, with the English troops going home.
On Oct 28, 1940 Germany invaded Greece.
On June 22, 1941 Germany invaded Russia.
On Sept 8, 1941 siege of Leningrad began, lasting 872 days.
In January 1942 "Top United States military leaders hold their first formal meeting to discuss American military strategy in the war."
One should note:
The defeat of Hitler was decided by the Soviet troops because that is where most big battles took place and for a time that was the only army opposing Hitler while he insanely sought the city named Stalingrad after failing to take Moscow and Leningrad as expected.
England had a side show in North Africa to protect the Suez Canal from Rommel, done in May 1943.
In Feb 1943 "United States' VI Corps arrives in North Africa."
On June 6, 1944 D-Day began the Western front.
On Sept 10,1944 "First Allied troops enter Germany, entering Aachen, a city on the border."
In Feb 1945 Allies fire-bombed Dresden.
In Feb 1945 Soviet troops enter Germany's borders.
On May 8, 1945 "End of World War II in Europe"
"World War II was the deadliest military conflict in history. An estimated total of 70–85 million people perished, which was about 3% of the 1940 world population (est. 2.3 billion)."
3% of the world's population was lost in roughly 6 years!
However, this burden was mostly in a few countries.
Those losing more than 3% of their populations in casualties:
Austria 6%
China 3.5%
Dutch East Indies 5%
Estonia 7%
French Indochina 6%
Greece 9%
Germany 9%
Hungary 5%
Japan 4%
Lithuania 14%
Philippines 3.5%
Poland 17%
Portuguese Timor 11%
Romania 3%
Yugoslavia 8%
USSR 13.7%
within that total:
Armenia 14%
Belarus 25%
Latvia 12.5%
Russia 12.7%
Ukraine 16%
by comparison:
France 1.44%
United Kingdom 0.94%
United States 0.32%
The glory of America winning WW II is misplaced when considering the tragic toll in Eastern Europe.
Unfortunately, American history always puts our country in an undeserved place as the hero.
Americans need to know some real history beyond the biased news. We are all people regardless of the country by birth.
Even now Russia is the big enemy because our war machine needs Russia in that role again, after Kuwait, Somalia, Iraq, Libya, and Syria were just too weak for the greatest country in the world.
Meanwhile, we ignore feeble Afghanistan which remains defiant after over 18 years.
America plans to be down to 8,600 troops by July 15, 2020.
Maybe while celebrating the anniversary of D-Day and our victory (or our role in it) that followed, we should also remember our brilliance in Afghanistan. America knows nothing of modesty.
Created June 2020
Last update 06/04/2020
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