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[Misc] What was Britain’s single greatest achievement of the 20th century?



















Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
14,744
Bucks Fizz. The Eurovision-conquering pop group, not the drink.

:jester:
 






Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
29,719
Hove
It’s has to be standing alone against German aggression while the rest of Europe capitulated.

Well, the reality is we capitulated with the rest of Europe as our entire BEF was on the mainland and routed with the other armies. Lets be brutally honest, we only stood alone because of water. That said, and it has been pointed out, specifically the Battle of Britain is what turned the war, but let us also not forget, 20% of the pilots who fought as 'The Few' where not British nationals either.
 


DavidinSouthampton

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jan 3, 2012
16,536
As well as Russia

Indeed. I read somewhere recently that more Russians died in Leningrad during the second world war than the Americans and British combined lost in that war.
 






wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patreon
Aug 10, 2007
13,584
Melbourne
From a confirmed right winger, the defeat of German facism. Any left winger trying to play down the importance of this event needs to take a long hard look at themselves.
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
From a confirmed right winger, the defeat of German facism. Any left winger trying to play down the importance of this event needs to take a long hard look at themselves.

I don't think anyone is playing down the significance of this: the question is whether it's a British achievement. There were many countries involved. And, as pointed out earlier, even British squadrons/regiments had significant proportions of foreign members.
 




jakarta

Well-known member
May 25, 2007
15,616
Sullington
Well, the reality is we capitulated with the rest of Europe as our entire BEF was on the mainland and routed with the other armies. Lets be brutally honest, we only stood alone because of water. That said, and it has been pointed out, specifically the Battle of Britain is what turned the war, but let us also not forget, 20% of the pilots who fought as 'The Few' where not British nationals either.

Which means 80% were, and many of the rest (Canadian, South African, New Zealander and Aussies) had British Ancestry. I'm not knocking the Poles and Czechs who fought on our side but it is a fact that around 95% of the Pilots were from the British Empire.
 






studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,553
On the Border
Indeed. I read somewhere recently that more Russians died in Leningrad during the second world war than the Americans and British combined lost in that war.

Sadly true, an estimated 800,000 civilian deaths in the near 900 day siege of the city which is nearly the same as the total civilian deaths of British and American civilians during the whole of World War II
 






daveinplzen

New member
Aug 31, 2018
2,846
Sadly true, an estimated 800,000 civilian deaths in the near 900 day siege of the city which is nearly the same as the total civilian deaths of British and American civilians during the whole of World War II

We played a massive role in WW2, but so did others. Four out of five German military personal who were killed, died in the East.
Its a bit of a strange thread. To pick any one thing can be disrespectful to others just as deserving.
 



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