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[Lizzie Zoom]

As I Write. in 6 hours 02 minutes (Hawaii) time at 0800, 80 years ago today in 1941, the Japanese attacked the United States Pacific Naval Fleet at Pearl Harbour.

A tremendous day in history that altered the course of the Second World War, which would eventually save the British, and the rest of Europe and their democracies, so we can today in Britain continue to speak English, and created two new World super powers, displacing the old European Empires for good.

Four days from this day in 1941, on the 11th December, Hitler will seal the fate of the Third Reich which had on the previous 22nd June had made a crucial mistake by invading the Soviet Union, declared war on the USA.

The rest is history and means we have the freedoms of today.

May we remember the total of 2,403 Americans killed that day, and the millions of many nationalities overall who would die during the war, before this date and after.

[Rangie]

A very historic day indeed Lizzie, thank you for bringing it to attention.

[TheBoy]

Tis indeed.

Though a lot of recently released stuff shows that the allies were just turning the tide, and starting to get the upper hand by the time our colonial cousins joined in fashionable late to save the day

[redelitev6]

If Hitler hadn't gone into Russia things could have been very different

[Andy B]

There were 3 programmes on telly last week about the lead up to it and all the warnings that were ignored.
There were 2 Americans & a Japanese aircrew still alive that were there

[Lizzie Zoom]

Tis indeed.

Though a lot of recently released stuff shows that the allies were just turning the tide, and starting to get the upper hand by the time our colonial cousins joined in fashionable late to save the day

Not true TB.  The Americans made the early vital difference in December 1940 when President Roosevelt agreed to loan military supplies to Britain to aid their fight against the Nazis in the famous Lend-Lease arrangement which fully came into effect in March 1941. This agreement was extended to cover allies such as the USSR and China, which totaled $50 billion by 1945, $31 billion alone going to Britain. By giving Britain the initial Lend-Lease arrangement towards military equipment to aid it's desperate fight against the Nazis, it made the crucial difference.  The USA may not have officially entered the war until December 1941, but without their support for the British the country, and Europe WOULD have faced a very different future to what we now know.

In fact "the allies" in December 1941 were not "turning the tide", but fighting hard to stop any further German victories.  Yes, Operation Barbarossa into the Soviet Union had staggered to a near halt due to the Russian Winter, but in the West Britain was struggling in its North African campaign to overcome the Africa Corp under the command of General "Desert Fox" Erwin Rommel.  It was not until the Second Battle of El Alamein from 23 October to 11 November 1942, when finally the British achieved the victory that was desperately required to push the Germans out of North Africa, which it did eventually with the assistance of USA marines.

This victory was commented on by Churchill as being the turning point; before this their were only defeats, afterwards only victories.  So the turning of the tide had then commenced, but only after considerable American financial, material and military support.

[Lizzie Zoom]

There were 3 programmes on telly last week about the lead up to it and all the warnings that were ignored.
There were 2 Americans & a Japanese aircrew still alive that were there

Oh yes, that old chestnut.  It is still strongly argued that British intelligence had a very good idea of what the Japanese intended to do, which was passed on to BOTH Churchill and Roosevelt.  The latter, it is claimed, whilst desperate to have the isolationist USA enter the war to fight the Nazis, deliberately ignored the warnings and stopped any defensive measures at Pearl Harbour.  The laid back attitude, and some very strange 'defensive' decisions by the American military at Pearl before the 7th fully support that no warnings of a Japanese potential attack had been given.

[Varche]

I thought it was going to be todays phone call Putin had with Biden over Ukraine.

[Sir Tigger KC]

I thought it was going to be todays phone call Putin had with Biden over Ukraine.

How did that go? 

Putin: We're going to invade the Ukraine in the New Year.

Biden: OK.  Can you pump a bit more oil and gas?  My voters are getting pissed off with the price of petrol and gas!

Putin: Nyet!

Biden: Oh OK...  Well have a nice Christmas then Vlad!

 

[Raeturbo]

Yep..  mission impossible