Eldon: a typical American?

[excalibur2]

Many Americans forget that Germany declared war on the USA, so they were forced to be involved in Europe as well.

[Kimo]

Anyone catch the apology? (or attempt at one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3rEykLZLGo&NR

[Saracen]

Pilot: young Airforce major, probably in his late 20s
This guy: white-haired old vet with a chip on his shoulder.
How many people have a 'best mate' who's 2-3 times their age? He probably met the guy once in a bar.

Nah, the pilot has more than 20 years experience in the USAf, Col Kohntopp's his name... So it's very likely that he and ELdon are buddies.

If the reports of the pilot's identity are accurate, he's a mid-40s Idaho National Guard reservist, who's day job is flying 737s for Southwest Airlines. He may be ex-USAF, but he's not regular military any longer (and wasn't during this incident).

[charleski]

If the reports of the pilot's identity are accurate, he's a mid-40s Idaho National Guard reservist, who's day job is flying 737s for Southwest Airlines.

Ah, true, I'd forgotten that most of the US soldiers in Iraq are part-timers rather than professionals.

[madad2005]

How else could they afford to post that many soldiers there? The situation would never be this bad if professional soldiers were used.

[nichomach]

BTW There were 7 volunteer US pilots in the Battle of Britain. The new US eagle squadron was only operational after it was all over.

*Ahem* It's worth noting that the Neutrality Act made enlisting in the services of a belligerent country a criminal offence. Consequently, while there were 7 "official" American pilots, quite a few gave their nationality as Canadian, and quite a few gave it about in their own country that they were on a "hunting trip to Canada". The reality is that the number is not known, although about the highest estimate that I've seen is 21. The problem is complicated by the Canadian question; some Canadians fought as members of the RCAF, while others enlisted directly into the RAF - so who do you count as Canadian...

[coco]

With regards to WWII, the Americans should think of the amount of money themselves and Canada made out of the allies for the 4 years they stayed out of the war, before Japan forced the US to join.

Please don't tar Canadians with the same brush as the Americans.
Canada along with the rest of the commonwealth (Australia, NewZealand,etc)
stood by us from the start to the end of WWII.
Without there sacrifices we wouldn't have survived.

[excalibur2]

*Ahem* It's worth noting that the Neutrality Act made enlisting in the services of a belligerent country a criminal offence. Consequently, while there were 7 "official" American pilots, quite a few gave their nationality as Canadian, and quite a few gave it about in their own country that they were on a "hunting trip to Canada". The reality is that the number is not known, although about the highest estimate that I've seen is 21. The problem is complicated by the Canadian question; some Canadians fought as members of the RCAF, while others enlisted directly into the RAF - so who do you count as Canadian...

erm dont you think after all these years it was possible to determine who was American and Canadian pilots in the BOB and no American would have faced jail for volunteering to fight with the UK and commonwealth as quite a few Americans fought in the Spanish civil war.
In 1939 there were about 20,000 commercial pilots in the USA, so if they were interested in Europe would have volunteered in droves.

Nationality of pilots in the BOB

3000 pilots involved in the BOB.
Poland 147; New Zealand 101; Canada 94; Czechoslovakia 87; Belgium 29; South Africa 22; Australia 21; France 14; Ireland 10; United States 7; Southern Rhodesia 2; Jamaica 1; Palestine 1.

[Nick]

ANYWAY... the point is, Hollywood would have us believe that the US won the war... any war...ever...

Jeez, if they could, I swear they'd be in on the Crusades... saving Richard the Lionheart (played by Alan Rickman) by choppering in Brad Pitt in a helicopter... It'd be directed by Mel "I'm an Australian so you can't draft me" Gibson and co-star Halle Berry as the oppressed African Slave (who just happens to know Kung Fu).

Coming to a vacant, gullible mind like Eldon's sometime in 2008...

[excalibur2]

Please don't tar Canadians with the same brush as the Americans.
Canada along with the rest of the commonwealth (Australia, NewZealand,etc)
stood by us from the start to the end of WWII.
Without there sacrifices we wouldn't have survived.

The Canadians were vital as they protected the convoy of ships (from the USA) in their half of the Atlantic and the UK did our half.......The USA played a minor role as their naval craft were needed in the Pacific war.

[Saracen]

ANYWAY... the point is, Hollywood would have us believe that the US won the war... any war...ever...

Come on now, Nick, don't exaggerate.

I distinctly remember that the Galactic Alliance were the ones to defeat the Dark Side.

[Nick]

Come on now, Nick, don't exaggerate.

I distinctly remember that the Galactic Alliance were the ones to defeat the Dark Side.

Aye... but with American accents... (except for Ewan McGregor's rather good impersonation of Alec Guinness)

[Saracen]

True .... but I think American accents are much better than third-rate attempts at the British accents.


Seriously though, while Hollywood's propensity for portraying everything as though the US won it is irritating as hell, I can't say I'm surprised. After all, they're making entertainment, and doing it for profit, not making a documentary or educational material. So, they'll do what appeals to their target audience which, in large part, in the US.

The mistake is when people see a film and assume it bears anything more than a passing resemblance to actual history. Surely, that's a naive assumption on the part of the audience who, really, ought to know better?

[MadduckUK]

Surely, that's a naive assumption on the part of the audience who, really, ought to know better?

no, were talking about America here. That place which has a leader who struggles with chewing his food.

[Dorza]

Anyone catch the apology? (or attempt at one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3rEykLZLGo&NR

Yep he is a fool indeed, he even looked like one towards the end of that. Anyway, there is probably no meaning to his "apology", its just for the cameras. Like many Americans he didn't seem to grasp the concept of what countries Britain is made up of....he seems to think it only includes England. As far as I'm concerned he apologised to just England, so I think ITV should go back there and ask him to apologise to Wales and Scotland. It might then click with him that Britain includes more than one country - IDIOT!

The problem with America is that its like a little child thats been suddenly thrown into the top job of a major business; It lacks any real depth in its history compared to Europe/rest of the world (thats not say there hasn't been significant events there obviously have been), yet they have been thrust upon the world as its super power. Its no wonder their the way they are (as a whole nation). America has long been a very closed nation media wise, which filters down to the general public lacking knowledge of the wider world. Though in recent years this may have improved with everything thats been going on. Before the Afghan war the majority of them couldn't place Afghanistan on the map not even in a general location i.e. Middle East. Many probably still can't and despite everything thats happened in the last several years many of them still don't know who Tony Blair is. It's pretty sad tbh that the worlds super power has such a closed society.

[RedPutty]

I don't think it's the best and brightest who end up in their armed forces.