Australia/New Zealand in the Twilight War

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Originally Posted by Targan

Just watching a documentary about Robert Menzies, Australian Prime Minister having gone to England during WWII where he tried as hard as he could to talks sense into Winston Churchill and watching as plan after plan of Churchill's fell apart, despite Menzies having told him they would. Particularly the disasters in North Africa early on, in Greece and then the fall of Singapore. So very often Australian and New Zealand troops have been sent to the other side of the earth and used as cannon fodder. What a stupid waste. ANZACs make REALLY good troops. Used well we can really make a difference. I accept that casualties, sometimes heavy casualties, happen in wars and Australians know that as well as anybody. But the damned British threw away tens of thousands of Australian and New Zealand lives during WWII pretty much for bugger all.

Churchill didn't want to antagonise the Japanese before they were at war with Britain and wasn't willing to send sufficient naval assetts or air cover to the Pacific so there was no way Singapore was going to hold out once the Japanese started fighting the Allies. You know how many soldiers were captured by the Japanese in Singapore? About 130,000 for cryin' out loud, 15,000 of them Australians. Most of those 15,000 Australians were subsequently killed by the Japanese or worked to death by them in captivity. It makes me want to scream with frustration because we Australians will fight to the death if required and we are courageous in battle. I'd rather die than surrender, personally. Just make it quick.

talked to a canadian feller once who claimed that the Canadians saw Montgomery and several other top brass as war criminals for sacrificing tens of thousands of Canadian troops in hare brained schemes.