Get over it, we weren't at the heart of World War II

[FLG]

To be completely honest with you Shane, I haven't heard too much about such things here in the states, maybe it's a bigger issue in Australia? I do try and stay on top of global issues, but maybe that's just not front page news here. The article could (from one POV) just be trying to fabricate controversy where none exists, saying things like, "He's going to upset a lot of people who hold the blah blah blah", when in reality, there are few, if any, folks who would dissent from his position. :dunno:

Having lived in Oz (Brisbane) in 95-96 it was a big deal then. You would have thought the "The Kokoda Trail" was up there with Alamein, Stalingrad and Midway. Great time there, great people, but the view of WWII from the average guy was pretty over the top. (It was much like it is here IMO in that most didn't know squat about WWII, and what people did "know" just wasn't true.)

I think it is just human nature to overestimate ones own importance. I don't mean that in a petty negative way but rather that the we use our own standards to measure things so the contributions of our own nation seem to be more important on our own scales. I think as nations we are all guilty of that.

Here in England the average Joe on the street still think we could have won the war without the US, probably with the liberal application of some 'Stiff Upper Lip', and most people are only vaguely aware Russia was involved at all. Similarly, in the US Hollywood has all but forgotten that anyone accept America fought on the allied side.

Here on this forum most of us are educated enough to appreciate the proper contribution made by all nations.