 |
| |
|
| |
|
|
fairline
|
 |
of the wing
Sep 2002
time: 05:32
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by GoPostal
Most of the world is civilised because of Britain (especially Scotland), India, Japan, China, N America, Ireland, S Africa, East Africa, and it was Britain who stood alone against Hitler. |
I think India got there first with the civilisation thing - we were still running around in animal skins when the people of the Indus valley were building cities 
I take your point about civilising Scotland (j/k Curt  ) but I'm not sure where Japan and China come into it though, unless you count the British turning the whole of China into opium addicts. Ireland? Well we massacred lots of Irish and stood aside while they starved in the 1850s. Our record in Africa wasn't too stunning either.
And as Case said, we weren't exactly standing alone against Hitler; Canada, Australia, N Zealand and S Africa had the option of not declaring war on Germany but stood by Britain.
@Pericles: As usual you're full of it, you lousy Balkan poustes  What makes you think Austin Powers had anything to do with Britain? Mike Myers is a Canadian for God's sake. 
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Case
|
 |
The backlash starts here
Feb 2000
time: 15:32
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Palaiologos
As usual, British betrayal contributed to its defeat. |
 Britain (and Australia and NZ) certainly didn't betray Greece - Churchill (foolishly) abandoned the Libyan campaign to rush elite troops into Greece (after the Greek government belatedly agreed to this - they had refused earlier offers of troops in order to avoid upsetting the Germans). During the fighting, the Commonwealth forces did retreat with unseemly haste, but had they retreated any slower they would have been destroyed. Indeed, the Commonwealth books on the Greek Campaign blame the Greek Army for letting the Commonwealth down
As for Crete: the very near sucessful defence of that Island cost the Royal Navy much of it's strength in the Med, as well as over a division's worth of infantry.
All up, the Commonwealth's intervention in Greece cost it about 3 divisions worth of infantry (more if you count the losses incurred in the prolonged North African Campaign), about a third of the RN in the Eastern Med, and probably added a year to the North African war.
Incidently, Australians also blame the British for betrayal over the Greek adventure - Churchill lied to both the Australian commander in the Middle East and the Australian government in order to get our 6th Division and the I Australian Corps HQ (he told the government that the Aussie Commander was happy with the troops going to Greece and the Aussie commander that the Australian government was about to approve the deployment and that they weren't interested in hearing his misgivings. As a result, both the General and the Government overruled their concerns over the venture in the mistaken belief that the other approved of it. The resulting disarster in Greece ended up bringing down the Australian government).
|
|
| |
|
|
|
GoPostal
|
|
Yet, but if India was so civilised, why did they have Thugee ubtil the East India Company (Scots) put a stop to it? Also, the colonies are part of the British Empire. And Fairline, you have misunderstood my comment, I meant Scotland was doing the civilising.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
GoPostal
|
|
If America's hand had not been forced by Japan, Britain would probably have been at war with Hitler for much longer, but would hav eeventually survived.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
GoPostal
|
|
My last OT, sorry
The RN has prevented invasion since 1588
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Palaiologos
|
 |
Constantinople, Queen of Cities
Aug 2002
time: 05:32
|
|
Dark days these were..
After the initial Italian invasion the Greek army counterattacked in Albania. The city of Avlona (last major port in Italian hands) was ready to fall, and with the Italians lacking air supply capabilities it would spell disaster for the Italian army in Albania(500-600.000 men). The Italian high command terrified at the prospect of such a catastrophic defeat decided to ask the Germans for help. The German ambassador in Athens contacted the Greek goverment and told them that if we were gentlemen enough to spare the Italians the Furher himself would mediate peace. The Greek goverment fell for the bait, Avlona was not taken and the war continued.
After the German conquest, in tribute to Greek bravery no greek POWs were taken and the officers were allowed to retain their swords. Actually the campaign in Greece is considerd the last "gentleman's war" by historians. I mean later followed Barbarossa that shaped WW2 in a terrible and barbaric event and of course , Korea,Vietnam and the modern wars of our times.
Terribly sorry for the Off topic and the rant.
Last edited by Palaiologos on 03-01-2004 at 00:34
|
|
| |
|
|
|
GoPostal
|
|
Yes, you could have the Conquest (C10 - 1096), 100 Years War, War of the Roses, Tudors, Armada, Stuarts, Civil War and Jacobites.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
GoPostal
|
|
How big a map are you including? Will you have NW Germany, France, Norway, Denmark?
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Valuk
|
|
Acres Wild
Oct 2002
time: 05:32
|
|
Bah, multiplayer scenarios aren't nearly as good as single player one, thought you'd need some experts to help you, since the actual happenings were FAR more complicated than what they teach in schools.
As I remember it(ah, those were the days!), the Celts allied with the Vikings and harried the coasts, and Harold's brother defected to the Scandinavian side.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
GoPostal
|
|
Harold's brother (Odo), did in fact defect to Hardraade, but they were routed at Stamford Bridge.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
fairline
|
|
of the wing
Sep 2002
time: 05:32
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Valuk
Bah, multiplayer scenarios aren't nearly as good as single player one, thought you'd need some experts to help you, since the actual happenings were FAR more complicated than what they teach in schools.
As I remember it(ah, those were the days!), the Celts allied with the Vikings and harried the coasts, and Harold's brother defected to the Scandinavian side. |
It's a confusing period of history. The inhabitants of Britain when the Romans invaded were Celts who had been pushed westwards into Wales and Cornwall by Germanic invaders, the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians many years before the Norman Invasion (in the 6th and 7th Centuries). These Germanic invaders collectively became known as English. The heyday of the Viking raids on the British Isles were the 9th and 10th Centuries, during which time Wales and England were also raided by Irish Celts, although they were not allied with the Vikings.
Harald Hadraade was not part of the main Viking period (I think Corelli Barnett called him 'last of the Vikings'); like William Duke of Normandy (himself descended from Viking raiders) Harald saw a chance of usurping the English throne when Edward the Confessor died without an heir and it passed almost by default to Harold Godwinson. The earlier Viking raids had been principally about raiding for booty, rather than taking the throne of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, although many Danish Vikings eventually established their own province in Eastern and Northern England (the 'Danelaw').
Although the Norweigan Harald Hadraade had led the life of a Viking in his youth it's best to think of him as an invader intent on taking the throne, rather than a Viking raider. Come to think of it, a scenario based on his exploits would make a fantastic scenario. Among other things he became a Varangian Guard in the service of the Byzantine Empire, and subsequently ran off with the Emperor's daughter, IIRC.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
POTUS
|
 |
How could I possibly not have a Mozambican flag, I mean, what other country has an AK-47 on their flag?
Jul 2003
time: 21:32
|
|
Ok, so the Celts and Vikings, under Harald were attacking against Harold, were they allied with the Normans, or was it just that they both had the same goal?
And, if I am reading this right, the Celts were in Ireland and Wales. Where is Cornwall? And were the Irish Celts the only Celts fighting Harold, or were the Welsh ones also allied with Harald?
And, how important were the nobles?
|
|
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:32.
Apolyton Time is 00:32. |
top of page
|
| archivepost |
|
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|
02-01-2004 03:33
|