Roflmfao!!!

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The Union Flag is St. George's Cross for England, (Red cross White Field)

St. Andrews Cross for Scotland (White Saltair, Blue Field)

And St. Patricks Cross for Ireland (Red Saltaire, White field)

Wales is not included as it is a principality and not a Kingdom of the Union, which incidentaly was formed around 1742 long before the colonists in north america expressed independent thought...

And long after the reformation (16th Century)

As for Whining Poms, I've known enough aussies to get used to that one LOL.

Will

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You know, I have been out here all this time, and have yet to see anything go "wrong" in the forums. I find it amazing that we all can act like adults on serious subjects, and yet, others, like infants. No other forum (that I have seen) is this way.

Thanks Crumbso,

I didn't for a moment think you were being "snotty" or anything like that.
I was concerned that I had actually overstepped the mark and upset you, and you hadn't "cooled" enough to address the incident.
I'm glad to hear that wasn't the case, and that we're fine.
Thanks.

At the risk of upsetting a Frenchman or two. It does seem they weren't much of a help (compared to the efforts of the US, Briatain, USSR and yes, even Australia).
They did crumble pretty quickly.
However, let's not forget that out of all the occupied countries, France was at the forefront in Underground, Guerilla and Partisan fighting. In fact, the Normandy invasion would have been far more difficult and costly had it not been for their activities. 

You may well be right, Smokes. And probably are.

I don't mean to say that they didn't fight, or that they were by any means lacking in courage. After all, as you say, the British would have gone down in the same way, and did, to a degree if you consider the Expeditionary Force.

I think my bewilderment (admittedly with total hindsight) and frustration at the way in which the French allowed the Nazis to march into the Rhineland without so much as a protest, tends to get me thinking of WWII France as just "not having the stomach for it".
The Nazis were under very strict orders from Hitler himself to turn back if they met the slightest resistance.
They didn't come up against so much as one shot.
I often think what would have been had the French not been so desperate to avoid another war.
This was at a time when it is widely agreed that the French Army could have beaten off a German invasion. The German war machine at this time was still very much in its' infancy.

All this considered, I concede your point. They don't deserve what may have been misconstrued as scorn in my post. 

I've seen the 30,000,000 figurealot. I don't think it takes into account the "sketchy" Russian figures of civilians.
Most of the authorative books and indeed the acclaimed "World at War" BBC series (the one narated by Lawence Olivier, put it at an even 50 million.
For the purpose of these discussions, though, 30 or 50 is academic.

I know, once again, my comments are made with "20/20 hindsight" but sometimes I get so very..................disappointed with those who were, not the "architects", but at least the "building permits department" of that terrible 5 years, 8 months and 1 week (Sept 1 - beginning of hostilities - to May 8 ) in Europe. I mean, those that allowed events to take place, that in any other place and time would not have been allowed to continue, at least not completely unchallenged.

I suppose Hitler or "fate (if you beleive in that philosophy) chose exactly the right time, place, people and climate.
In discussions, I often say to people, with occasional quizzical looks, that WWII was ordained to be, the day WWI finished. So much unfinished business. So much malice in the Armistice to be avenged. So many dead for nothing.