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As one of those boys, evacuated from home, my mother deciding to stay with my father because he was fire officer, fighting the blitz, the American service men and their generosity to us kids, was fantastic. Yes of course we were chasing them for gum, but they not only gave us gum and chocolate, they also bought us fish and chips. When I think back how so many of those generous hearted forces guys never made it home, makes so sad, but proud to have known them. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
My grandfather fought with the 7th Indian Division under Gen Messervy at the Admin Box in '44. If you don't know about it, it was one of the most intense hand-to-hand battles in the war and helped stop the Jap tide once and for all. F-M Slim was without doubt one of the best generals of the war.
For the record, I just want to say 'thank you' to the Americans who came over here and fought. This was not their war and they did not need to get involved, but they did and showed huge bravery in doing so. There were cultural mistakes and a failure to understand each other because there always will be when Allies of different countries fight together, but there was huge common ground and the Americans showed vast generosity towards a people who had been through some hard and lonely times.
@@Hartley_Hare...the Americans did have to get involved because Japan attacked them at Pearl Harbour .....and the British soldiers had been fighting the japs for two years by then ...Hitler had plans to invade the USA via Canada and Mexico .....
The British approach of being more cautious was mainly as a result of losing over 888,000 in the First World War as against the 53,402 US combat deaths in the same conflict. Virtually every hamlet, village, town and city in Britain had lost people then and it scarred a whole generation. A generation that would find itself back at war just 21 years later.
Tim, yes, I briefly mentioned this fact, although not to your detail, in an earlier video: What German Soldiers thought about Allied Soldiers -- World War 2 ua-cam.com/video/_69AThNKKM0/v-deo.html Yes, if my country had lost that much, then I'd be cautious too! Papa wants to come home to mommy! Thanks for your comment!
@@EmersusTech Thank you for that. Well, Dad (or Father) wanted to go home to Mum (or Mother). 😉 Do you know about the 'Blessed Villages' and the 'Doubly Blessed Villages'? Worth your time and research. 👍😀
British at the time meant British Empire. Can you not read? 'UK' was not used so makes your statement at best idiotic, at worst an insult to 888.000 who died. @@vincentlefebvre9255
Dick Winters met the couple who housed him, Francis and Louie Barnes in a churchyard in Aldebourne. He asked them why they were there, they replied they were laying flowers on their son's grave, he was killed on 12th June 1942, serving in the RAF. When the Barnes's were asked if they could " take in " two US Officers, they agreed as long as one was Lt. Winters. He and Lt. Harry Welch moved into the spare bedroom above the Village Grocers that they ran. They lived there until they went to camp just prior to D-Day ... Francis Barnes died aged just 54 in October 1944, but Winters visited Mrs Barnes before returning home after the war. They kept in touch by letter until her death on Christmas Eve 1958. Winters returned to Aldebourne several times with other veterans over the years. On each occasion, he would ask to be excused and spend a solitary half hour, laying flowers at their grave ... To American readers, I cannot tell you enough of the respect that Dick Winters still commands in the United Kingdom, he was the very best of America ...
rawschri, when I read that account, which was a while back, I remembered that he came back to visit before departing. What I didn't know is that Francis Barnes had died. Either I had totally forgotten that or Dick didn't mention it. Either way, I was moved by your comment. If I could give you three hearts, I would. But you only get one!
With all respect to the American Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen, my upmost respect will always go to the Canadians, the first to answer to call, not once but twice, when we were on our knees, it was the Canucks who pick us up and pushed us on...
Too true. Also the ANZACs! They came to battle too. Others as well, South Africans, Newfoundlanders, North Africans, and of course the Indians. God bless them all.
Served in the US Army in the British sector of Germany in the early 1980's. The British soldiers were concerned TOP NOTCH soldiers. Tough and professional.
My mum used to tell me about the time an American soldier gave her an orange. She ran all the way home with it to share it with her brother. It was the first time they had oranges since they were tiny.
My Nan was born in Soho in 1939 and raised there. They lived above a pub and she remembers as a little girl listening to blues downstairs from bed with her big sister. The other kids bothered the American soldiers for sweeties but she and her sister hassled the black soldiers for music and dance moves. She absolutely loved rock and motown by her teens. She annoyed her parents and went to school to become a dancer. They were supposed to be evacuated with the other kids from the cities but my great-grandmother had brothers kidnapped and trafficked abroad by Bernardo homes. She didn't trust British authorities. I get it. Her family came from generations of poverty and her experiences told her nice homes would go to kids from good homes and abusive homes would be waiting for lower class kids from east London. I don't know if she was right. My Nan lost a younger sister in the bombings.
My parents were 15&16 when ww2 began my mum never saw an orange or banana from 1939-1946. Dad did he joined the navy in 1941 his brother never saw UK from 39-45 desert rat after ww2 ended he was on leave for 14 weeks first leave he had !!
My father fought in normandy with the coldstream guards, he said the yanks were so generous and would throw cartons of cigarettes out of their tanks to them plus chocolate etc. He had the utmost respect for them as people and would never have anyone call them to his face.
stevekay5486, I read a story about a GI who didn't smoke who they were given them cartons of cigarettes hours before the D-Day landings. He said something like: "I don't need those!" The guy said that he would. Then a lot of GIs found out that cigarettes were better than the "French money" that they were given. You could also throw them to your fellow Allied soldiers, who'd remember it forever! :) Thanks for your comment!
Yes, relatives told me of their experience of the US soldiers and the kindness they showed to those in the UK when based here. Likewise when serving in Europe, many gave rations to our chaps who did not have a lot other than tea on a few occasions! I've worked with the US armed forces myself when in Germany back in the 80s, great chaps and while we may be divided by a common language it's usually more banter than upset these days as we rub along well together.......long may that last
A Bengarsie burner is an oil drum 🛢️ filled with sand and a grill placed on top with holes punched in to the top for air supply then petrol or desiel poured in to the sand. Which is ignited. Using dixy or military bills it can be used to cook or boil water to wash or Tea.
My uncle worked on an airbase with his dad in ww2 in Norfolk, they played baseball with the Yanks and had witnessed planes coming back from missions all shot up from german flak. The Yanks were very friendly to the locals and will always be remembered with great fondness . Don't forget that the Yanks were mostly young lads thousands of miles away from home and many never returned to see their loved ones, so so sad .
David, my favorite bomber was the B-17, because it could take A LOT of damage and you'd wonder how in the world it would keep flying. I've read about B-17s coming back on one engine, with no tail, bullet holes all over, but somehow they limped back. Thanks for your comment!
If the British people did not like the way we talked then they should have got somebody else to save their asses that is what I would have told them...
My Grandad fought alongside with Americans in WW2.Never spoke much about it but told my Dad that he admired there bravery. He left the Army in the early 1930,s but signed back up the day after war was declared in 1939.He had large tattoos front back arms and legs from his active duties spent in Asia in the late 1920,s. Corporal Tom Lemon Royal Wiltshire Regiment. A quiet kind man in civilian life. A tenacious brave man who (as my Dad informed me ) accepted no quarter and expected none in return on the battle field. We will remember them.
lemonaid3510, ah -- I see why your handle is lemonaid -- last name Lemon! Yeah, that was definitely an amazing generation -- sacrificing self interests for the good of the whole. I wonder how much that would happen now? Thanks for your comment and for your grandad's service!
@EmersusTech 2 days ago here in Plymouth a WW2 bomb has been located in a residents back Garden.80 years on from the blitz 300yard exclusion zone and families relocated while bomb disposal unit make safe and remove.
I remember my Grandmother telling stories of American soldiers when she was evacuated to the countryside. My Uncle was a blond toddler at the time, just starting to talk, and they would always get loads of attention from Americans, as well as chocolate, and tins of fruit. She would tell me about the kids following trucks and jeeps shouting "Got any gum, chum?" and she would always get wolf-whistles, and compliments about her red hair, but was never harassed, and the Americans were never anything but unfailingly polite and respectful.
My mother was 8 yrs old in 1944 living in a south coast english town. She has told me many times of her meeting GI's as a child and being given chocolate and gum (something they had never seen before). She has a tale of a very perplexed unit of black GI's camped in a country lane being accosted and licked by many children who were convinced that the GI's tasted of chocolate !! Her saddest tale is of a fitful nights sleep with a continuous noise of vehicles and planes then going in the morning to the country lane and field to find that everyone had gone. She says it was the 4th of June 1944, she never saw another American and the gum supply dried up overnight !!!
SteveR-nl8dl, yes, I heard an interesting story like this too: An English child brought soap to a black GI, because he thought he needed a scrubbing. The GI took it kindheartedly and laughed and said something like, "That's the way I am." Thank you for the wonderful comment! You get a heart!
I remember the sight and sound of an enormously endless convoy of military vehicles heading south past my grandmother's house. I was only about two and a half, far too young to understand, but it was just prior to D day.
My late mum was engaged to an American before she met my dad, Poor guy was killed in Italy Mum Never spoke about it,our Aunts spoke very highly of him. After mum died we found a photograph when going through her stuff. He was a fine looking man a Lieutennant I think, looked like a Steve McQueen type. Twenty years ago before I became a pensioner myself,I met some on a cycle track which had formerly been part of the countrys rail network on which we had travelled when it was a railway. The old boys told me 'The Yanks' used to be landed from the Queens by Clyde Paddle Steamer at Princes Pier Greenock,Entrained and crawl up The Princes Pier Railway overlooking Greenock and Port Glasgow to the rest of The UK beyond. The kids would line the route almost to Paisley. They knew what a train loaded with Yank's meant. Sweets, Chocolate and other assorted goodies. Back in the nineties I met an American family with the Grandad looking for the place he had landed. They were on the wrong side of the river and much of the infrastructure had now gone. I was able to show the old chap where he had landed though. It was strange to think this grandfather must have been like my own late father who was serving in The R N at the time, - A Scared Young Kid !
@@philiprufus4427 that's very interesting mate, thank you for sharing! I love reading about the times of our American brothers and our soldiers caring and giving equal respect to one another. Also looking at WWII-era photos and videos in colour seems almost unbelievable, the footage captured is undeniably precious and should be protected at all costs. I used to have some photos and memorabilia from my grand parents but sadly lost literally everything in a house fire I'm so gut-wrenched I don't have any of it anymore.
My mum was 21 in 1944, her boyfriend was an American flying fortress navigator called Bernie from Cleveland - I asked her "Mum why did you choose the Navigator? She said, "Well, he knew his way around".
The B.V. (Beevee) or Boiling Vessel is without a doubt the single most important piece of kit on any British armoured vehicle. Without it nothing else will work...
Paul, especially the soldiers! "You see, we integrated it into the ignition and fire-control systems, so the tank just won't work without it!" Thanks for your comment! You get a heart!
It was an extraordinary period that bound the English speaking people together but unfortunately we have diverged significantly in recent years, culturally if not militarily. I have massive respect for the Americans that came to help us, both black and white. Almost as much as I do for the two generations of solders of the Empire and Commonwealth who came across the world to defend us, and fought in every theatre of war imaginable. All the Indians on the Western Front, the Jamaicans in the RAF, the King's African Rifles fighting the Axis in East Africa and Burma, the Gurkhas, the Canadian boys who had never left the farm but crossed an ocean to fight for the motherland, the Australians and New Zealanders, the Jewish Legion, the Arab armies, the Highlanders and the Ulster regiment and all those who paid the blood price for the British Empire to win two World Wars. It's that spirit of unity, of peoples and nations coming together, of fighting the good fight that we miss today, and a most vital lesson of those conflicts seemingly lost. Also, as an Englishman I would definitely rather drink tea than fight a battle.
I was not in the Military, am a US Citizen,..and way too young to know anything other than second hand about WW2, but although there are many differences between UK and US, UK has always been a valued ally. I am half English, half German. Last name Wray.
My father, Clifford Franklin, along with an officer was the first British soldier to meet up with the Americans in the push up Italy. He was an armoured car driver. He never disparaged American soldiers, but what I do remember him telling us is that the officer he drove was the bravest man he ever met. Unfortunately this chap couldn't pronounce his Rs and always called my father Fwanklin.
My Grandfather, British Army front line solider 1940 - 47 (from 18yrs) never had a problem with "Yanks". He fought/worked alongside New Zealanders in North Africa & Crete along with a "mixed bunch" (though he was put on a charge and demoted *twice* for fighting Australians !) - said Yanks were young, eager and brave in Sicily, they generally looked up to British/Commonwealth frontline troops during the bloody push through Italy.
The Australian and New Zealand solders were the toughest fighters even though they were a small group. My father fought in the Middle East ,Crete and was captured by the Germans in Crete .Along with several other Aussies and New Zealanders escaped, along with being shot and bombed they made it to the beaches and were rescued by a British warship.They were brave courageous men.
Also my mother was born in exeter and was 14 in 1944. They used to go on the american dumps to see if anything was salvageable. Once the yanks knew this they would dump meat in grease proof paper , steaks etc. and the locals would have steak dinners courteously from these guys.
stevekay5486, there probably was extra. When I was in college, I used to go "dumpster diving" for books behind a local bookstore, which is totally legal (although frowned upon). I didn't find much, but there was a lot of hope!
@@EmersusTechand the question to ask then given the British people were known to be suffering under rationing, why was that surplus not automatically organised to go to the local British instead of them being required to go dumpster diving.? How awful. How insulting.
Thank you so much for this. My uncle was one of those 9,000 babies born in England during the war to a US Serviceman. My Nan was from Northern Ireland and aged 19, she was living in Herts, England during the 40s. My Nan met a black American serviceman and then in 1944, my half uncle John Joseph McKelvey was born as the eldest son. We sadly never knew what happened to his father and can only assume he lost his life in Europe. After the war, my Nan met my grandfather and they married in 1946 and had the rest of the siblings. My Nan and Granddad moved to Northern Ireland and after having all their children (including lastly, my Mum), they all moved back to England where they spent the rest of their lives.
Alan-go4uc, thank you for sharing your family history! Sometimes you can find out what happened to the soldier online. If you liked this video, then you'll probably like the one below: What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html For your sharing, you get a heart!
My uncle Dennis (now long gone) was barred from serving in the British military during the war because of a heart defect (much to his despair). Anyway, he always told the story of him and his friends drinking in a pub in Kettering, Northamptonshire one day when a black US serviceman walked in, ordered a beer, and stood alone at the bar looking lost. Dennis and his mates said ‘You alright mate? Come and have a drink with us.’ So the black guy came and sat with them and they all got on really well. And then two Snowdrops walked in - US military police. They took one look at the black guy sat drinking with a bunch of white guys, came straight over and ordered the black guy out of the pub. Dennis and his pals stood up to the snowdrops, but the MPs grabbed the black guy and dragged him straight out of the pub.
greva2904, I've heard stories of American who were classified 4F -- unfit for service who committed suicide! Wow, how times have changed! Thanks for your contribution, for that, you get a heart!
This story is well known but the version I've heard was that a fight broke out and the two American servicemen got a pasting, before the military police arrived.
A friend of my mothers was a war bride and married an American, they came back to England to visit and came to my mums. During casual conversation her husband said he had ordered a black serviceman out of the pub he was drinking in,saying “get out of here boy” My dad said after they left . I don’t want him in my house again. Phil.
My father was a B 24 pilot who got permission to go visit his brother who was under Patton he was hitching a ride with British officer driving a Jeep my father said he was more scarred than all of his combat experiences the British officer kept driving on wrong side of the road on narrow roads
John, that's funny. Evidently, the British officer forgot that there were Americans who drive on the other side of the road, who might come around the corner. So, I've got to write a dumb joke, but it's apt: A guy goes to NYC and gets a cab. The cab driver keeps talking to him and when the taxi comes up on a red light, he just drives on through it. Then it happens again and the passenger says, "Hey, what gives?" The cab driver explains that his cousin Louie told him to just ignore red lights, that Louie has blown through them for years and never had a problem. So, the taxi driver comes up on a green light and he stops the cab cold and looks around nervously. The passenger asks, "What are you doing? It's a green light!" The cab driver says, "I'm looking for my cousin Louie!". Thank you for your comment and for watching!
In 1942 I was 6. We lived in Gretna and Yanks who landed in Northern Ireland or Stranraer came past in convoys (streams of open backed lorries) They would get held up and always spoke to us and threw us gum and other things which tasted good. Well done Yanks !
None of the British, Canadians, Australians, Kiwis or many other countries, put up with the segregation demands, there are many stories of locals fighting white US troops, who had demanded that the black troops leave (from pubs, for example).
Sadly though, these days it is not uncommon to see the Cross of St George flag in a pub window. This is a sign, to those who know, that only English people are welcome in that pub. I have seen this on numerous occasions in certain parts of London.
My Mum's parents ran a baker and confectioner in Chorley Lancashire. She vividly remembered the early morning train into Chorley station, when it deposited US soldiers with their MP escort on their way to the 'glasshouse' on what the Americans renamed Washington Lane (formerly it was German lane) at Euxton. They used to call into the shop for a wash and brush up of their uniforms before a lorry picked them up for the short ride to their punishment. The soldiers and the MP's always gave my Mum gifts as she was about 8 when this started happening, and were always polite.
I'm half English and half German. When the Allies invaded Germany, they kindly gave out chocolate and chewing gum to the German children. One of my aunts gave some chewing gum to my grandmother. She loved it, chewing away all evening and when she went to bed put the chewing gum on her bedside table. Next morning, when she awoke her first thought was chewing gum and she fumbled around on her bedside table to find it. When she did, she started to chew and was very disappointed to find that it was hard and very tasteless. Only when she switched on the light did she realize that she was in fact chewing the rubber buttons of her stocking holders - lol !!!
I heard somewhere that the Black soldiers were heavily based in Devon . The Soldiers liked and respected the locals , and never forgot their hospitality . Some named their Kids Devon , after their time in England . Hence why Devon is still a popular Name generations later .
Touching on the whole tea thing (We see this in the film "A Bridge too far") British troops didn't stop fighting to make tea. They made tea because they had stopped fighting. British army issue tea was basically an energy drink ( it was mainly sugar), so troops drank it whenever possible. Also the act of stopping, setting up a tommy cooker or hexi burner, pouring and boiling the water, brewing the tea and then sharing a hot drink with your pals (You never brew up for just yourself, it's always at least with one mate) Is a great way to slightly de-stress, regain composure, warm up and more importantly hydrate.
I'm really gratefully we could count on America to come to the aid of the free world, not just us Brits. I re-watched Band Of Brothers again recently and the accounts of the elderly former Airborne soldiers and it's really touching. What upsets me most is, they fought and died to preserve a civilization and free speech is under threat again from our own leaders, especially here in England.
Gareth, yes, I love that series Band of Brothers and its sister show the Pacific. Yes, someone said that free speech needs to protect "the unpopular side", otherwise not only will our natural human rights be trampled, but the vast majority will have "groupthink", where everyone thinks the same. No, I believe in free speech. Thanks for your comment!
With all due respect, the USA joined the war only after the USA was attacked by Japan and then Germany and Italy declared war. Even Lend Lease wasnt free, and Britain had to do deals in America's interests with the Destroyers For Bases agreement on late 1940. Total respect to all allied nations, including America, but it was already America's war too by the time US troops crossed the Atlantic. German U-boats were attacking American shipping straight away. US forces were not rushing over to England after Dunkirk and during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Just saying.
You are so right. I hope that my country (USA) always supports the free world and comes to its aid when needed. Unfortunately we now have as many interal enemies as external.
It is interesting to see some of the differences and stereotypes that remain the same to this day or have changed. For example as a Brit I was embedded with a USMC unit in Afghanistan 2011. I did notice that their doctrine is more aggressive when it comes to taking casualties, they keep going no matter the loss of life and do not disengage. Sometimes this can be very effective. The reason why a UK unit in the same situation may disengage is just purely down to conserving the much smaller amount of manpower at its disposal. Same for equipment....I could be picked up anywhere by a US helicopter, they did not care about the risk anywhere near as much, whereas any area deemed as high risk, a UK asset would sometimes refuse to pick us up because the loss of one helicopter would be a much greater drain on resources. On the flip side, I did witness younger USMC marines talking about how scared they were and that they thought they would die at any moment. The first time I witnessed it was on a vehicle patrol, I was so shocked to be hearing it. Its not that a British soldier wouldn't think those exact same thoughts, its that they probably wouldn't ever express them out loud. So I guess there are still some cultural differences. I would also say the US military is now more strict than the UK in terms of discipline. And in ambushes, now UK doctrine is to fight out aggressively just like the US. So I think we have learnt a lot through the decades from each other. And I haven't ever agreed with the US/UK humour issue, maybe it was true once upon a time but some of the most sarcastic individuals I have ever had the pleasure of meeting were Americans. One final thing about the tea...do not underestimate the power of a hot drink when you are working long days outside, sometimes in tough conditions. Any form of hot food or drink will work to keep your body temperature and morale up. I believe all soldiers of any nation understand this well....the Italian airborne forces I trained with in Northern Italy hiked 12km with us carrying heavy metal espresso makers just so they could have a nice cup of coffee at the end of the day. I would not be that dedicated to my tea.
Think the cautious nature of the British army is down to manpower, they had alot less. Been cautious was a way to keep loses down. Whereas the US had alot more troops that could be more direct. My Great Uncle was a Commando, then moved over to the Special Boat Service and was attached to the US units in Italy. His job was to go behind enemy lines and report positions and then soften up the defences before the main US invasion.
If I recall correctly, we (The UK) never raised a new division after 1944, we had run out of manpower and had to consolidate divisions instead to replace losses
Masterfully done! I especially enjoyed the “Tea Time” (12:14) commentary. For me in Vietnam (69-70) it was coffee. Since I was in a cavalry unit we needed to wait until the fire-fight was over. Then we broke out our end connector (M48 tank), a piece of C4 explosive, canteen cup (w/water), and the ever present C-ration coffee. Less than a minute for a cup of coffee. Excellent work, you gained a new sub!
Michael, thank you so much for your nice compliment! I put a lot of effort into gathering that material and organizing it! I knew that "Tea Time" had to have its own section. My dad was in Vietnam in '66-67. Watch this video if you have the time -- you may enjoy it: A Vietnam Veteran's True Story ua-cam.com/video/Qixfo8iR-LE/v-deo.html You get a heart for your great comment and contribution!
I don't blame any American GI, as long as they behaved honourably. They were so far from home, and life was not exciting for British women. The stark racism did not suit the British locals as they found the black soldiers very polite and considerate. Overall I think the Brits appreciated the generosity of many Americans, and many GIs were glad to stay in British homes as it gave them their feeling of family. There will have been good and bad, and that applies everywhere and in a lot of situations.
I heard a lot about how the Black GIs were treated by their own soldiers ! Pretty disgusting ! Shepton Mallet prison of which the Americans took over for execution ( much to British horror by the way they did it ) a lot were black American soldiers sad 😞 britain was appalled !
Seeing the poster for the woman's land army made me think of my late Grandmother who was in it here in Scotland she used to work on local farm for the war time years and she said she worked hard but enjoyed it.
user-gm6lc7py5x, then you ought to really like my newest video: British Women's Land Army -- World War II ua-cam.com/video/bOsofRGvf3w/v-deo.html Thanks for your comment and for watching!
A U.S soldier from Michigan was the father of my older half-sister born 1945. Pleased to say she had a good life with her adopted parents. My late mother also recalls different U.S ethnic groups fighting with each other in one popular pub.
My grandmother still fondly remembers American soldiers giving chocolate, candy, coca cola every month or so in her high-school (rationing was in effect and you just could not get sweets) she remembers sheltering from the blitz bombings and later helping out in hospitals Both of my grandfather's died at a relatively young age due to diseases and injury from ww2, I never met them, I can just about remember my great grandfather when I was so small he had 1 leg he joined during the last year of ww1 when he was 14 or 15 he was over 100 when he died. He did not drink but he would take enough opiates to kill and elaphant daily.
i'm actually related to Field Marshal Montgomery and he's buried in my home town. I've always been interested in history and war and it's always a nice surprise when his name gets brought up in videos like these. Always fills me with a sense of pride.
Montgomery always said positive words about American troops and when he took over command of US 1st Army in the Battle of the Bulge he saved many of their lives with his decisions and his refusal to use them as cannon fodder in competition against Patton's US 3rd Army. Patton was desperate to beat Montgomery to Houffalize and ordered 3rd Army forward in a blizzard without adequate preparation and recon. His men suffered grately and unnecessarily. Montgomery in contest, waited for the blizzard to abate and for his men to be better prepared and organised. Asia result, the US 1st Army under him suffered far fewer casualties.
As i know (books, articles etc), Montgomery didn't like American military leaders. Especially Patton and (less) Eisenhower. Of course, was an important of WWII.
My Farther in Law passed away in 2014. He was a naval fighter pilot serving on both the Arctic and the Med convoys. Like many he was training by the US Navy in Michigan and then Pensacola. As a member of the “Pensacola Cub Club” he returned many times after the war for Vet reunions. The respect, grace and honour the US Navy gave these men (and their wives) was unbelievable. He had a huge regard for America and Americans….their fighting spirit, work ethic and can do attitude and would talk with passion about how grateful as a nation we should be for their engagement.
The RAF Lancaster crew shown at .16:11 is that of Flt Lt Joe McCarthy, an American from New York, who joined the RCAF and served as a pilot with 617 Sqn RAF, piloting Lancaster AJ-T ("T-Tommy") on the Dambusters raid. (Front centre with hat on) He died in Virginia in 1998. On the extreme left is Johnny Johnson, bomb aimer and last surviving participant of the raid, who died Dec 2022 aged 101.
Extremely brave young men .Britain will always be in debt to them and all the other young Americans ( boys really ) who came to our aid in that desperate time . Forever grateful, 🏴
Grandad (Gunner not a private as he always said) told me that the Americans were better paid, better fed and taller but he had total respect for them. He visited legions in Canada and some veteran clubs in US in the years after the war and was always warmly welcomed. We still have some bits of memorabilia from these trips.
As a british person the tea bit it 100% true, it just brings a warm and comforting feeling that makes everything better no matter how bad ĺife is at the moment
Timothy, yes, I found the same in my research and personally, because I'm getting fonder of Earl Grey tea (hot -- as Captain Picard would say) the more I drink. Or as the British might say, I fancy my cuppa tea! (Forgive me if that isn't correct, but I tried!) For your comment, you get a heart!
I'm a Yank convert from primarily coffee to primarily tea...tea the old Brit way. Proppa cuppa, Taylor's loose leave and bagged PG Tips with a spot of milk. Electric kettle, English made Brown Betty pot, three minutes for the bags and 4.5 minutes for the loose leave. Oh and water must be boiling as it is poured into pot. Once i learned this by watching some Brits' videos, i realized that I and so many Americans have no idea what tea really tastes like and is so good this way.
@@roadwary56it sounds like you really do know how to make a proper cup of tea. They always say take the pot to the kettle and not the kettle to the pot. It’s because thoroughly boiled water is essential.
@@EmersusTech It's actually not just about the tea, although we're famously obsessed with it, but got drinks in general. A hot drink is warm and comforting. One of my personal favourites is Bovril, which, if you're wondering what that is, you've probably heard of a recent fad called Bone Broth? It's a hot beef stock drink, a paste rather than a powder, which has a high nutritional content, a good source of salt (which is essential we consume, just but too much, you need it be able to stay hydrated) and tastes absolutely wonderful, especially when it's cold. And now I need to go and make myself a mug. 1 tbsp in a coffee mug with boiling water, stir well (and add Tabasco!) 😊
Not only Bamber Bridge but my father told me about the treatment the black soldiers received from their countrymen in my local Devon town of Newton Abbot where I am proud to say the locals sided with the black soldiers against the racist whites.
debnbhuy, I haven't heard about that one -- but now I have! There are two other videos out that you may want to see: What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html Monash's Masterpiece: The Battle of Hamel ua-cam.com/video/93mVu2vgErs/v-deo.html Thanks for your comment and for watching!
Appears to have been common across UK. Locals just thought it was unfair. A factor in east Anglia and probably elsewhere is that black soldiers were sent in advance and built the infrastructure. They had already established friends. Then the site soldiers turned up and the the black soldiers were ordered to leave. Another factor was that black soldiers brought music and live to British pubs during a tough war
I believe there was a similar experience with some rascist American soldiers here in New Zealand ,in Wellington against Maori Soldiers in a Pub Other New Zealand Soldiers took offense at the behavior of the American soldiers and this resulted in the " Battle of Manners Street " Brawl.
To this day it's a mutual appreciation society between us and the Americans. I've been lucky enough to visit the US lots of times and I have always been treated exceptionally well whenever I'm there. I can say this hand on heart, if it came to it I would fight to the death for America.
NoobyGamer463, thank you for your sentiment! I too have had good brief contacts with British people on three occasions, all of them good or great. Although I've heard of British "snootyness" -- I've never actually experienced it firsthand. Thank you for taking the time to comment and for watching!
@EmersusTech the snooty thing is a very inaccurate steteotype. There is a tiny 'upper class' who are snooty but 95% of even us brits can't stand them either. Ppl in Britain for the most part are polite and treat ppl as they find them, wherever that might be.
The truth about this is that the US army tried to tell British people not to allow black soldiers into their establishments. The British put up a sign on the pub in Bamber Bridge which said 'Blacks only'. The US army did not like this.
lets not ignore the Anzac's or Canadians here who were a real help to Britain during both world wars many of there lads died too alongside us in every theatre Britain in war puts up a fierce fight this is who we are we might look small in number but we are mighty in spirit with a fight to the death attitude
savethebeesplantherbs8809, There are other videos out that you may want to see: What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html Monash's Masterpiece: The Battle of Hamel ua-cam.com/video/93mVu2vgErs/v-deo.html What Did Rommel and the Germans Think About Australian Soldiers in WWII? ua-cam.com/video/9rXT1i_uD6M/v-deo.html What WWI Germans Thought About Canadian Soldiers ua-cam.com/video/J7crFG0JOmA/v-deo.html Thanks for your comment and for watching!
Sick of the same old comments regarding this subject. “Let’s not forget this, and that..” It’s a 24 min UA-cam video, they don’t go into every single detail. 🙄There are proper documentaries out there that go into detail on TV or even UA-cam too, try looking into it to get that patriotic crazy shot you want.
Thanks or that. The different cultures, & nuanced meanings between people who speak the same shared language always fascinates me. Scots, Aussies, Welsh, Irish, Canucks, Yanks, Poms, and Kiwis. You can say something that you think is funny. Only to have it misunderstood as a deadly insult by another ally.
You know I was watching a Brit program entitled A Man and His Lancaster and at first I thought the fingers held up like Winston Churchill, I thought I thought it was the V for Victory. But watching and listening to the conversation I think it was the British form of the American salute. Remind me never to flash a v sign in Great Britain.
Let's not forget all the soldiers from the West Indies, African countries, and the the nations that were British India. I've seen the war memorials in Barbados, and the plaques at the Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar. The brave men from France, Poland, Czechoslovakia, that served with the RAF & the army here as free forces & specialist units. Everyone across Europe that took part in non-conventional warfare. Italians, Greeks, fighters in the Balkans... The Russians, pushing at the other front... On the other side... I think it would be contentious to give praise to the opposition, but the average fighting man was just looking to stay alive & protect his buddies. And there were young boys from Germany, across Europe & far into more foreign lands too. They recruited from as many places as they could. Yes, the Aryans could populate, but the Slavs and Armenians and Turks and Indians & Kazakhs can eat as many bullets for the Fatherland to win the war... There was courage, bravery, hardship, determination, skill, desperation, fear, despair, and from the people in charge: a total disregard for which ethnicity or nationality goes into the meat grinder. "But only because someone has to, otherwise we all have to". Death and war. Desolation and murder. Heroism and sacrifice. I'm only including the land war in Europe.
My late father , a British army veteran of WW2 often served alongside the Americans in North Africa Sicily and Italy, he was damned glad they were there with them , the American unswerving bravery sometimes to the point of recklessness often changed the outcome for the better , off duty they loved mixing with the jocks with their irreverent humor and ease of steering their American allies from the path of officous MPs by lightening the mood if challenged over behaviour whilst enjoying local hospitality , many lifelong friendships were cemented between the jocks and yanks due to their mutual respect in fighting ability especially in the Italian campaign
Excellent work, thanks for publishing this. Actually haven't watched the earlier one on British feelings about "the Yanks", will do so. As you noted, the tensions and anomalies that resulted from the US segregation policies of the time - and the attitudes of many US soldiers, reflecting common though not universal attitudes of the era - would be worth a video in themselves. The interaction of US soldiers and foreign civilians and societies throughout the war and just after is a fascinating topic.
lesmoore6443, here are the URLs for my last two videos: Monash's Masterpiece: The Battle of Hamel ua-cam.com/video/93mVu2vgErs/v-deo.html What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html Thank you for your comment and for watching!
bluewhistlechannel6058, thanks! I'm glad that they did! You might like the sister video: What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
My aunt was US war bride. Moved to PA. Shocked it wasn't Hollywood, but a shack with hand pump. My US uncle had nothing but praise for my granddad and his time in the army.
flybobbie1449, yes, but look at what he brought home! :) My mother grew up with an outhouse -- no kidding! But you know times have changed and now I bet you could even better outhouses, with steel and plastic and such out in the country! :) Just joking, but my mother did really have an outhouse when she grew up and my great-uncles had to clean it out, which they absolutely hated! Thank you for your comment and for watching!
Thanks I enjoyed this, was shocked at the pub shoot out that I previously hadn't heard of. Also pleased that a number of people have mentioned our SAS, SBS, SOE and Cammandos who operated behind enemy lines and without the constraints of the regular units but operating with knowledge of the regular senior ranks. The sector around Caen was also a particularly tough and well defended region which probably needed a more cautious approach.
johnnywarnerperfectroad66, yes, even though Monty claimed he would take Caen in the first day, because to the 12th SS Hitlerjugend division and the German armor in the immediate area, this wasn't easy, to say the least. Thank you for your comment and for watching!
The BV’s were in our Warrior AFVs and as a driver I was kept well fed by the rest of the crew. I had my coffee, never tea, in a Tommy Tippee, and drove very happily never spilling a drop. Every now and again a tap on my shoulder and Floddy , our gunner, would give me a sandwich that one of the boys in the back had made for me. The egg banjo was an absolute staple. After a cuds patrol in NI the cookhouse was always open and we had the run of the hotplate. I never toasted my banjo and all three of my teenage kids love their banjos. Top vid, cheers mate. 😊👍
American generals were much readier to take casualties than the necessarily cautious British, who had fewer men to lose. The stereotype of rule bound British has some truth, but British special forces and commandos where more flexible than any US forces.
My mum was 16 the year world war 2 broke out. She lived in Cardiff, Wales. She always recounted how generous and kind the yanks were and always loved them. This applied to all shades of G.I.s, and she was made so welcome when she managed to visit America in the 1980s via Friendship Force. We will never forget.
nothere7300, I'm glad that your mum had such a good experience with yanks. I've had really good experiences with British people too. Thanks for your comment! For this, you get a heart!
Some historians believe that the British military were more cautious because Britain didn’t, and never did have a huge manpower pool to draw on like USA or Russia, or in the old days France, which had a far larger population that the U.K. at the time of the French Revolution.
I once read . Fighting the Americans in WW2 was an exercise in frustration. They drilled well and marched fast, but couldn’t aim like the British, couldn’t camouflage like the Soviets, and weren’t as professional as the Germans. And not one of those disadvantages mattered a whit because they brought autocannons to every knife fight. Yes more men, yes more tanks, yes more planes, yes more artillery, but also *more fuel, more ammunition, more food*. More of absolutely everything that kept an army running than you (or your superior officer, or his) in the Wehrmacht could even really conceive of. One German officer wrote that he knew the war was lost when his unit captured a fresh chocolate cake in a counterattack. The label was from a bakery in New York City. Note that I said “fresh” - the American troops were so well-supplied with necessities that were was room, not just on transport ships, but on transport *aircraft*, for positive luxury items. You don’t fight that and win.
The British also had far more experience against the German Army and knew you don't go getting cocky and gung ho against them. Caution is your friend. Lose your caution and you will end up in trouble.....like the Ardennes.
My grandfather kept a tight rein on my mother when the GI’s started arriving in town. He also didn’t trust the Italian POWs who worked on his farm and used to lock my mother in the farmhouse when they were there. He was fine with the German POWs though - felt they were more professional and worked harder!
Yanks were first refused billets in my town as the townsfolk refused to take in only white GI’s, insisting the black troops bivouacked in tents on the town field were also given a home to stay in. The white US soldiers relented and the black GI’s marched into the town centre to cheering crowds; they were billeted in people’s homes and treat like kings.
My grandad was hit blue on blue in the Battle of the Bulge. His XXX Corps Guards Armoured Division were protecting Antwerp from the German spearhead that bypassed bastogne whilst other wermaht and ss units surrounding Bastogne. It was paint Shrapnel from a p51 mustang straffing His M10 tank destroyer. He rejoined his 21st Anti tank regt RA whilst they were liberating the camps in and around the Bergen Belsen area. He never felt any ill Will towards the pilot, it was just war.
As an Englishman......id like to say thank you for this upload, its content, and its presentation on here. Very historically informative, and interesting.
@@EmersusTech You are very welcome. THOROUGHLY enjoyed what i watched and i look forward to seeing more. Thank you for sharing your knowledge on here, and keep up the good work mate
We had great family friends growing up.The dad was from Texas & his war bride was English. They were the best family ever. Five kids that were my best friends. Irene's sense of humor was classic.
This was a truly excellent video. Factual, truthful and balanced. On the previous video I wrote a long comment, extremely critical of America because of their (political class?) deliberate financial destruction of Britain, after the war, by demanding excessive re-payment for America's war support. After researching some of the exploits and bravery of American soldiers (before seeing this video) I felt I had been so excessively affected by that one disgraceful act that I lost sight of the highly valued contribution made by our highly valued American friends and soldiers. I felt compelled to, and did, edit it somewhat. The ENTIRE world is indebted to ALL allied forces, of every nation for the shared contributions and heavy losses made by all. "NEVER WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW", was Churchills famous quote, when Britain originally stood alone in defeating the "Unstoppable" German Luftwaffe. (The few. was the the entire, very small, British air force) This quote also applies to the end of the war, "Never was so much owed by so many TO SO MANY". Owed by future generations to that entire generation that was shaped, by necessity, to rise into our "greatest ever generation". God bless you all.
Excellent video, thanks. The interaction of US soldiers and foreign civilians and their societies during the war is a fascinating topic, especially in the European theater where US forces encountered more populous and developed countries. The tensions and anomalies arising from the US military's segregation policies, and the attitudes of many US troops, would as you say be a worthy topic for a video of its own.
This video reminded me of my grandparents , my grandmother told me once a black US airman danced with her at a club that’s still there today, she laughed as she was a bit scared initially. My grandfather was at d day and he was involved in transporting US troops to the beeches, there’s a lot of shared history and story’s. I remember these in my older years and am glad there is still a great deal of respect on both sides. Thanks 🇬🇧✌️
Us Britt’s do love a cup of tea! 😅 Coffee is much more popular now with Costa and Starbucks everywhere. At the end of the day the US and UK have developed on different roads since 1776 so it’s not surprising we’re different cultures now. I find US history fascinating. 🇬🇧
sbishop6450, yes, it is interesting! Starbucks has a decent tea, so I've heard from fellow Americans. For example, the word "reckon" -- still used by Brits and Aussies (uncertain about other Anglophone countries), and it used to be said commonly in the 1800s in the US, but even though some Americans would understand what it means, it has fallen out of usage entirely. I don't think that Gen Z would understand "reckon" in America. There are other words like this. I also noticed that technologies that developed many years after 1776, like boot for a car's trunk and lift for an elevator, mobile for cell phone (although believe it or not, many Americans are starting to say mobile now), very interesting.
British troops would take tea and food breaks as a break came in the knowledge that another chance to eat and drink might be a long time coming. Lessons learned in North Africa before the Americans came into the war.
My father was in his early twenties during the war and remained resentful of the Americans being, as the saying went, “overpaid, oversexed and over here”. This was obviously more to do with off-duty activities than soldiering, but remained an irritation with him until he had to go to the USA on business in the early seventies. He loved it there and loved the Americans he met, and I never heard him complain about them again.
Britain stood alone against the Axis forces for exactly a year, from 22/06/40 to 22/06/41. And they fought on many Fronts: Africa, India, Norway south east Asia to name a few. They had every right to be cautious as they learned the lessons of WW1, one of which was the Economy of Force.
You tend to write off the hundreds of thousands of troops from the commonwealth who came to your assistance starting from the day that Britain declared war ? If another war breaks out Britain may well find themselves fighting it alone as those commonwealth countries have developed their own foreign policieswhich Britain my not be part of....Australias experience in 1942 with Churchill after the Japanese had attacked northern Australia led the then Aussie Prime Minister to over rule him and withdraw the troops from the Mediteranean and reassign them to the US led fight against the Japanese in the Pacific. In Australia our main military allie is the US not Britain and we have fought side by side with them in every conflict since Hamel in WW1.
Excellent video, I learnt a few things watching this. Also, it reminded me of the sacrifice African Americans gave, which is often overlooked in the war. Sending well wishes to the yanks across the pond 🇬🇧 brothers in arms
jake90052, I'm very glad you learned some things! When I research for a video, I almost always learn something, or perhaps, many new items of interest! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
As a Brit I'm happy to see proper attention paid to tea. The current british main battle tank has a tea dispenser, some things never change. Interesting video thank you.
patbaker2199, I appreciate your appreciation! It's for people like you that I make videos! I enjoy learning and sharing knowledge about old historical stuff! For this nice comment, you get a heart!
It's not really a tea dispenser. It's name is the BV, the Boiling Vessel. You fill it with water which it boils, you put your ration packs in and that heats up your dinner. Then, you use the hot water to make a hot drink (tea, coffee, Bovril etc) and then after You've had your meal you can use the left over warm water to wash up your mugs or anything else if you've used it. Tanks have one, larger APCs and IFVs have two. During the Gulf War America's soldier's first look at it and they were very impressed and somewhat jealous. America has since added their own BV copy to their Abrams tanks!
I live about 20 minutes north of Ye Olde Hobb Inn. Fascinating story, and fascinating that it's still around over 80 years later. Thanks for the video!
I’m from some of the beaches where they left for d day. Everything’s a couple of stops on a train ride away. People still remember, they put on shows and display the old photos along the beach. The general impression I get is that it went well having them here and they were most welcome. They were after all young, far from home, going to risk their lives in unimaginable situations and if they fail the bad guys are coming here next. Plus the hearts and minds campaign was highly successful. They knew it could be a problem so they did their best to respect the culture and locals. That’s not easy to do anywhere. The greatest generation of Brits and Yanks probably made good drinking buddys. It could have been a total cluster fluck. No doubt a lot of planning went into this.
My Mother, bless her soul, told me about the "Yanks" in the war - and that term "got any gum chum", she told me about when I was young. She said that British girls and women really "had the hots" for the "yanks" - such outspoken and confident men. As for the "Yanks" having their wicked way with the British girls, I'm sure the opposite happened too! - my Ma told me as much. It was war time, you never knew whether you would be alive the next day, so I guess you got all the kicks you could. The idea of the British being reserved? Entirely dependent on the upbringing and class. That's a middle to upper class concept. The working class of Britain were not even slightly reserved back then and nor are they now.
I've seen the Burgess Meredith training documentary about what the GI can expect landing here in the UK, a few times. Excellent history. As for GI Brides, there's a fun film with Cary Grant in a reversal of that role; 'I was a Male War Bride', based on a true story, about the tribulations of a male French Army Officer who marries an American female Officer and is trying to get across to the USA with her after the war. The system was definitely not set up to accommodate that scenario.
I was Born into a small village not far from Duxford and that’s where my Mother came from,my father was originally from Newcastle,along with his Dad. My Grandfather on my Dads side was in the Airborne during WW2,my grandfather on my mother’s side was an Air raid warden. In the village I grew up in during WW2 Duxford was a Major Air Base and plenty of American USAF troops were stationed in Duxford and Sawston,one thing that was done by the Village was Adopting a Yank,so the Americans weren’t felt left out and to help them acclimatise to the English way of life. The American my Mother’s family adopted became a firm friend during and after the War until he sadly passed away. Plenty of other nationality’s decided to end up living in Sawston and settling there and other villages in the area,this included Polish and Canadian and even Ex-POW’s who decided to stay in England. I don’t remember a one of my family members who said a bad word about the Americans or any of the Allies but I should hasten to add that my family were a lot more easy going than some other people,even after WW2 when mixed relationship couples were moving from South Africa my Mum and Dad were not Racist like a lot of others in the village. Many of us English will always be indebted to the Americans and Canadian and commonwealth forces,without any of them the Second World War would have probably been a very different story. The American Cemetery in Madingly just outside Cambridge is a very somber place and somewhere everyone should visit in order to pay their respects.
We Brits can never thank Americans enough, many young people of the greatest generation - coming a long way from home. There are no words that can convey enough thanks and rememberance for what was given. In early 43, young American flyers climbed aboard their B17s with a mission survival rate of 0.5 missions.
yeah, they were attacked at pearl harbour and dragged into the war, they kept out of it till then, and it took the wealth of an empire to pay them, not paid back till 2007, it wasn't free 'help'. Meanwhile stealing the patent to penicillia that was given free to the world by the British.
Michael, thank you very much. If you liked this one, then these others are similar -- peruse at your leisure! What WWI Germans Thought About Canadian Soldiers ua-cam.com/video/J7crFG0JOmA/v-deo.html What Did Rommel and the Germans Think About Australian Soldiers in WWII? ua-cam.com/video/9rXT1i_uD6M/v-deo.html What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html Thank you for watching and commenting!
You mention "Band of Brothers". I am watching this series once again, after having watched in 2x in years past. Actor Damian Lewis plays the role of Winters.
Yes, I really enjoyed his part -- it's a really great British actor that can imitate an American accent and Americans not know it! Thank you for your comment and for watching!
There were 51 British actors who had parts in Band of Brothers. Most were young actors and had small parts. They included Simon Pegg, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, James McAvoy, Stephen Graham and others.
Some British resentment about American soldiers in Italy occurred, as no matter who was in the vanguard of battle, the Yanks always led the victory parade through recaptured villages. The more experienced battle hardened Brits didn’t know that it was Churchill, not the American generals, who requested the US troops lead for the newsreels, as it proved cover for breaking the Enigma code.
Catherine, I didn't know that! I did know that they were always trying to find ways to cover their source. Thank you for the contribution. For this, you get a heart!
Fascinating video. The American horror over British tea culture is unintentionally hilarious. My Aunty Sally wed a Canuck who came over to fight in WW2. Lovely man.
neilog747, yes, I found it slightly amusing when I read that about US soldiers being "mystified" by British troops drinking tea in the middle of a battle. If Americans started up BBQ smoker in the middle of a battle, I believe the British would suddenly realize how much we love BBQ! Thanks for the comment!
Having been born in the last year of the war and listing to my mother stories about how generous the Americans where I’ve grown up with fond memories of her stories,and I truly believe if it wasn’t for the help and sacrifices of the Americans , we would have never won the war and the world would have been a different place today .
Thank you, that was brilliant, British and American people have more that unites them than divides them WW2 should remind us more, you have done a great job bringing that to light, cheers.
Peter, if you have the time, there is a sister video of this one that you might like: What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
suepem, you're welcome! There's a "sister video" to this one, made earlier, that you might like. Also, the one at the bottom was about Australians. Thanks for your comment! What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html What Did Rommel and the Germans Think About Australian Soldiers in WWII? ua-cam.com/video/9rXT1i_uD6M/v-deo.html
I find it disgusting how in WW2 the Americans come to our Pubs/Taverns and pressing for segregated areas long after we abolished it.. We're all people ffs, Just because we come from different backgrounds and speak in different tongues nobody should be segregated...
I always think about the relationship between the UK and the USA as like two brothers, with a slight age gap, that dont particulary get on, maybe because of the age gap. Although they say they hate each other (they dont really), they love each other, and would always back and defend each other in troubled times. A blood bond they can not break, even though they have their differences.
My grandfather, who was British, claimed there was only three things wrong with American soldiers: they were over- paid, over-sexed and over here! Lol The British particularly disliked those soldiers who were racists. They really disliked soldiers who demanded segregation at pubs, dances, or cafes. Luckily, my mum found the perfect American - my dad. She emigrated and they married in 1946.
The Australians did not like the British soldiers and called them Pommies, and said the Brits were lazy, dirty and arrogant. The Canadians didn’t like British insistence on too much spit and polish, and the fact that the British class system was still very present in all the services. Canadians serving in Bomber Command in both the RAF and the RCAF, were denied officer status, compared to their British counterparts even though they were doing the same jobs and taking the same risks.
Michael, yes, even in the history books, you can read that the British wanted to just integrate soldiers from the Commonwealth without giving them due credit. So, they wised up and started putting country patches on their uniforms -- that's how I see it. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
My grandfathers fought in ww1, my uncles fought in ww2, my dad fought in korea, my older brother was sniped at in NI and I thought, sod that for a game of soldiers and joined the Navy.
Yank military we warned, Do not drink with the British, Do not Gamble with the British, Do not fight with the British, You will lose! Some did find out the hard way😂. Huge respect for the yank military, loved working with them abroad and back in the states!
Chris-thecenxnt, when I was a teenager, I gambled with some friendly Swedes at cards -- strictly small stakes, but I lost overall. It could be luck, or....? Anyway, I learned that lesson!
This is very interesting, thank you. Funny to think that young Burgess Meredith, shown at the beginning, ended up in Grumpy Old Men and in three Rocky movies as Micky Goldmill. Burgess certainly had a long career.
elliottg.1954, yes, he was also the Penguin in the 1960's Batman series -- as well as on the Twilight Zone, and Rocky's manager (as you wrote). Thanks for your comment!
As a Brit, I really appreciate the US. Without your help in WW2 Europe's future would have been horrific. And your leadership in the Cold War was vital to preserve those freedoms. I hope the US remains an outward looking country willing to help defend freedom.
My grandfather went from Normandy, through Holland and Belgium and in to Germany. He was part of the British army that liberated Belsen. He was a despatch rider and always said that in Normandy he'd ride around the edges of fields and not through the middle, as US pilots would attack anything that moved.
Yank: Yankee Doodle Dandy! Years ago, one of my neighbors was a married couple, the wife from Britain. He was a retired USAF Colonel. Each morning as I left for work, the wife, Penny, would step outside and call out, 'Good morning, Lovey!"
maknorman7250, I tried to be balanced. People think because I'm American that I'll take the "American side" (whatever that is), but I was trained as a journalist and I know how to be objective! By the way, you might like this video: What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II? ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
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As one of those boys, evacuated from home, my mother deciding to stay with my father because he was fire officer, fighting the blitz, the American service men and their generosity to us kids, was fantastic. Yes of course we were chasing them for gum, but they not only gave us gum and chocolate, they also bought us fish and chips. When I think back how so many of those generous hearted forces guys never made it home, makes so sad, but proud to have known them. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Thanks will check it out we certainly owe our commonwealth troops a lot of respect
My grandfather fought with the 7th Indian Division under Gen Messervy at the Admin Box in '44. If you don't know about it, it was one of the most intense hand-to-hand battles in the war and helped stop the Jap tide once and for all. F-M Slim was without doubt one of the best generals of the war.
For the record, I just want to say 'thank you' to the Americans who came over here and fought. This was not their war and they did not need to get involved, but they did and showed huge bravery in doing so. There were cultural mistakes and a failure to understand each other because there always will be when Allies of different countries fight together, but there was huge common ground and the Americans showed vast generosity towards a people who had been through some hard and lonely times.
@@Hartley_Hare...the Americans did have to get involved because Japan attacked them at Pearl Harbour .....and the British soldiers had been fighting the japs for two years by then ...Hitler had plans to invade the USA via Canada and Mexico .....
The British approach of being more cautious was mainly as a result of losing over 888,000 in the First World War as against the 53,402 US combat deaths in the same conflict.
Virtually every hamlet, village, town and city in Britain had lost people then and it scarred a whole generation. A generation that would find itself back at war just 21 years later.
Tim, yes, I briefly mentioned this fact, although not to your detail, in an earlier video:
What German Soldiers thought about Allied Soldiers -- World War 2
ua-cam.com/video/_69AThNKKM0/v-deo.html
Yes, if my country had lost that much, then I'd be cautious too! Papa wants to come home to mommy! Thanks for your comment!
@@EmersusTech
Thank you for that.
Well, Dad (or Father) wanted to go home to Mum (or Mother). 😉
Do you know about the 'Blessed Villages' and the 'Doubly Blessed Villages'? Worth your time and research. 👍😀
The number you gave is not UK's ww1 casualties. You included all the empire's men killed.
British at the time meant British Empire. Can you not read? 'UK' was not used so makes your statement at best idiotic, at worst an insult to 888.000 who died. @@vincentlefebvre9255
Wear your poppy with pride... lest we forget.
Dick Winters met the couple who housed him, Francis and Louie Barnes in a churchyard in Aldebourne. He asked them why they were there, they replied they were laying flowers on their son's grave, he was killed on 12th June 1942, serving in the RAF. When the Barnes's were asked if they could " take in " two US Officers, they agreed as long as one was Lt. Winters. He and Lt. Harry Welch moved into the spare bedroom above the Village Grocers that they ran. They lived there until they went to camp just prior to D-Day ...
Francis Barnes died aged just 54 in October 1944, but Winters visited Mrs Barnes before returning home after the war. They kept in touch by letter until her death on Christmas Eve 1958. Winters returned to Aldebourne several times with other veterans over the years. On each occasion, he would ask to be excused and spend a solitary half hour, laying flowers at their grave ... To American readers, I cannot tell you enough of the respect that Dick Winters still commands in the United Kingdom, he was the very best of America ...
rawschri, when I read that account, which was a while back, I remembered that he came back to visit before departing. What I didn't know is that Francis Barnes had died. Either I had totally forgotten that or Dick didn't mention it. Either way, I was moved by your comment. If I could give you three hearts, I would. But you only get one!
Do you like the USA and Americans?
Thankyou for your enlightening contribution. ❤
He was also the best of American men. There will never be another generation like him.
With all respect to the American Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen, my upmost respect will always go to the Canadians, the first to answer to call, not once but twice, when we were on our knees, it was the Canucks who pick us up and pushed us on...
captainblackudder01, that was a nice thing to say about the Canadians. You get a heart!
Very well said and they never get the praise they deserve. With the exception of the eternally grateful Dutch
Too true. Also the ANZACs! They came to battle too. Others as well, South Africans, Newfoundlanders, North Africans, and of course the Indians. God bless them all.
You do realise they had no choice as they where part of our empire 😂
Ever heard of the Indians, African colonies, Australia, new Zealand? Learn your history
Served in the US Army in the British sector of Germany in the early 1980's. The British soldiers were concerned TOP NOTCH soldiers. Tough and professional.
My mum used to tell me about the time an American soldier gave her an orange. She ran all the way home with it to share it with her brother. It was the first time they had oranges since they were tiny.
Linda, that is a moving story! You get a heart!
My Nan was born in Soho in 1939 and raised there. They lived above a pub and she remembers as a little girl listening to blues downstairs from bed with her big sister. The other kids bothered the American soldiers for sweeties but she and her sister hassled the black soldiers for music and dance moves. She absolutely loved rock and motown by her teens. She annoyed her parents and went to school to become a dancer.
They were supposed to be evacuated with the other kids from the cities but my great-grandmother had brothers kidnapped and trafficked abroad by Bernardo homes. She didn't trust British authorities. I get it. Her family came from generations of poverty and her experiences told her nice homes would go to kids from good homes and abusive homes would be waiting for lower class kids from east London. I don't know if she was right. My Nan lost a younger sister in the bombings.
Climate and logistic prevented Britain for having many fruits that were not able to grow in the UK. Only the well off could afford such items.
My parents were 15&16 when ww2 began my mum never saw an orange or banana from 1939-1946. Dad did he joined the navy in 1941 his brother never saw UK from 39-45 desert rat after ww2 ended he was on leave for 14 weeks first leave he had !!
My father fought in normandy with the coldstream guards, he said the yanks were so generous and would throw cartons of cigarettes out of their tanks to them plus chocolate etc. He had the utmost respect for them as people and would never have anyone call them to his face.
stevekay5486, I read a story about a GI who didn't smoke who they were given them cartons of cigarettes hours before the D-Day landings. He said something like: "I don't need those!" The guy said that he would. Then a lot of GIs found out that cigarettes were better than the "French money" that they were given. You could also throw them to your fellow Allied soldiers, who'd remember it forever! :) Thanks for your comment!
Yes, relatives told me of their experience of the US soldiers and the kindness they showed to those in the UK when based here. Likewise when serving in Europe, many gave rations to our chaps who did not have a lot other than tea on a few occasions! I've worked with the US armed forces myself when in Germany back in the 80s, great chaps and while we may be divided by a common language it's usually more banter than upset these days as we rub along well together.......long may that last
My father was the there too with the Grenadiers
A Bengarsie burner is an oil drum 🛢️ filled with sand and a grill placed on top with holes punched in to the top for air supply then petrol or desiel poured in to the sand. Which is ignited.
Using dixy or military bills it can be used to cook or boil water to wash or Tea.
My uncle worked on an airbase with his dad in ww2 in Norfolk, they played baseball with the Yanks and had witnessed planes coming back from missions all shot up from german flak. The Yanks were very friendly to the locals and will always be remembered with great fondness . Don't forget that the Yanks were mostly young lads thousands of miles away from home and many never returned to see their loved ones, so so sad .
David, my favorite bomber was the B-17, because it could take A LOT of damage and you'd wonder how in the world it would keep flying. I've read about B-17s coming back on one engine, with no tail, bullet holes all over, but somehow they limped back. Thanks for your comment!
Yes lads forced to fight, before Hitler attacked the US mainland
"The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming!"
"Roger that. Friendlies approaching from the west."
If the British people did not like the way we talked then they should have got somebody else to save their asses that is what I would have told them...
@@WilliamDotson-mm4fo Is that what you did?
Veteran here. I was in a UK armoured brigade and yes, we had BV's. Whether you are on ops or exercise, we do stop for tea breaks. It helps the moral.
SuperParatech, thank you for confirming what I researched! For this, you get a heart!
Do you like the USA and Americans?
There is never a bad time for tea it's nice to know that you have your priorities right
We make fun of Americans as much as Americans make fun of us, but I'd say I have a soft spot for the Americans compared to other people.@@TheIceman567
I remember those days too. 😀
My Grandad fought alongside with Americans in WW2.Never spoke much about it but told my Dad that he admired there bravery. He left the Army in the early 1930,s but signed back up the day after war was declared in 1939.He had large tattoos front back arms and legs from his active duties spent in Asia in the late 1920,s.
Corporal Tom Lemon Royal Wiltshire Regiment.
A quiet kind man in civilian life.
A tenacious brave man who (as my Dad informed me ) accepted no quarter and expected none in return on the battle field.
We will remember them.
lemonaid3510, ah -- I see why your handle is lemonaid -- last name Lemon! Yeah, that was definitely an amazing generation -- sacrificing self interests for the good of the whole. I wonder how much that would happen now? Thanks for your comment and for your grandad's service!
And you get a heart!
Are you British? Do you like the USA and Americans?
@EmersusTech 2 days ago here in Plymouth a WW2 bomb has been located in a residents back Garden.80 years on from the blitz 300yard exclusion zone and families relocated while bomb disposal unit make safe and remove.
lemonaid3510, wow, y'all are still dealing with bombs from the Blitz! Stay safe!
I remember my Grandmother telling stories of American soldiers when she was evacuated to the countryside. My Uncle was a blond toddler at the time, just starting to talk, and they would always get loads of attention from Americans, as well as chocolate, and tins of fruit. She would tell me about the kids following trucks and jeeps shouting "Got any gum, chum?" and she would always get wolf-whistles, and compliments about her red hair, but was never harassed, and the Americans were never anything but unfailingly polite and respectful.
marekohampton8477, thank you for your good contribution, which I read with interest! For this, you get a heart!
@@EmersusTech
My mother was 8 yrs old in 1944 living in a south coast english town. She has told me many times of her meeting GI's as a child and being given chocolate and gum (something they had never seen before). She has a tale of a very perplexed unit of black GI's camped in a country lane being accosted and licked by many children who were convinced that the GI's tasted of chocolate !! Her saddest tale is of a fitful nights sleep with a continuous noise of vehicles and planes then going in the morning to the country lane and field to find that everyone had gone. She says it was the 4th of June 1944, she never saw another American and the gum supply dried up overnight !!!
SteveR-nl8dl, yes, I heard an interesting story like this too: An English child brought soap to a black GI, because he thought he needed a scrubbing. The GI took it kindheartedly and laughed and said something like, "That's the way I am." Thank you for the wonderful comment! You get a heart!
I remember the sight and sound of an enormously endless convoy of military vehicles heading south past my grandmother's house. I was only about two and a half, far too young to understand, but it was just prior to D day.
My late mum was engaged to an American before she met my dad, Poor guy was killed in Italy Mum Never spoke about it,our Aunts spoke very highly of him. After mum died we found a photograph when going through her stuff.
He was a fine looking man a Lieutennant I think, looked like a Steve McQueen type.
Twenty years ago before I became a pensioner myself,I met some on a cycle track which had formerly been part of the countrys rail network on which we had travelled when it was a railway.
The old boys told me 'The Yanks' used to be landed from the Queens by Clyde Paddle Steamer at Princes Pier Greenock,Entrained and crawl up The Princes Pier Railway overlooking Greenock and Port Glasgow to the rest of The UK beyond. The kids would line the route almost to Paisley. They knew what a train loaded with Yank's meant.
Sweets, Chocolate and other assorted goodies.
Back in the nineties I met an American family with the Grandad looking for the place he had landed. They were on the wrong side of the river and much of the infrastructure had now gone. I was able to show the old chap where he had landed though. It was strange to think this grandfather must have been like my own late father who was serving in The R N at the time, - A Scared Young Kid !
@@philiprufus4427 that's very interesting mate, thank you for sharing!
I love reading about the times of our American brothers and our soldiers caring and giving equal respect to one another. Also looking at WWII-era photos and videos in colour seems almost unbelievable, the footage captured is undeniably precious and should be protected at all costs. I used to have some photos and memorabilia from my grand parents but sadly lost literally everything in a house fire I'm so gut-wrenched I don't have any of it anymore.
23:52 @@davidbouvier8895
My mum was 21 in 1944, her boyfriend was an American flying fortress navigator called Bernie from Cleveland - I asked her "Mum why did you choose the Navigator? She said, "Well, he knew his way around".
great humor there
Your coat's on the hook by the door.
Lol that's funny.
The B.V. (Beevee) or Boiling Vessel is without a doubt the single most important piece of kit on any British armoured vehicle. Without it nothing else will work...
Paul, especially the soldiers! "You see, we integrated it into the ignition and fire-control systems, so the tank just won't work without it!" Thanks for your comment! You get a heart!
Like TF2's coconut
I used to make them.
Nothing ever worked in British armoured vehicles with or without the BV lol
@@AverageWagie2024I never had a problem with the warrior apc everything worked pretty well !
It was an extraordinary period that bound the English speaking people together but unfortunately we have diverged significantly in recent years, culturally if not militarily.
I have massive respect for the Americans that came to help us, both black and white. Almost as much as I do for the two generations of solders of the Empire and Commonwealth who came across the world to defend us, and fought in every theatre of war imaginable.
All the Indians on the Western Front, the Jamaicans in the RAF, the King's African Rifles fighting the Axis in East Africa and Burma, the Gurkhas, the Canadian boys who had never left the farm but crossed an ocean to fight for the motherland, the Australians and New Zealanders, the Jewish Legion, the Arab armies, the Highlanders and the Ulster regiment and all those who paid the blood price for the British Empire to win two World Wars. It's that spirit of unity, of peoples and nations coming together, of fighting the good fight that we miss today, and a most vital lesson of those conflicts seemingly lost.
Also, as an Englishman I would definitely rather drink tea than fight a battle.
Kamau1865, thank you for your lengthy comment about WWII soldiers!
Love back to the UK 🇬🇧 🤝🇺🇸
Very well said.
I was not in the Military, am a US Citizen,..and way too young to know anything other than second hand about WW2, but although there are many differences between UK and US, UK has always been a valued ally. I am half English, half German. Last name Wray.
My father, Clifford Franklin, along with an officer was the first British soldier to meet up with the Americans in the push up Italy. He was an armoured car driver. He never disparaged American soldiers, but what I do remember him telling us is that the officer he drove was the bravest man he ever met. Unfortunately this chap couldn't pronounce his Rs and always called my father Fwanklin.
mustelidpeter, he must've had a speech impediment. Thank you for your nice compliment about the American soldier!
My Grandfather, British Army front line solider 1940 - 47 (from 18yrs) never had a problem with "Yanks". He fought/worked alongside New Zealanders in North Africa & Crete along with a "mixed bunch" (though he was put on a charge and demoted *twice* for fighting Australians !) - said Yanks were young, eager and brave in Sicily, they generally looked up to British/Commonwealth frontline troops during the bloody push through Italy.
scotthooton7478, thank you for retelling your grandfather's story. On yours and his behalf, you both get a heart!
The Australian and New Zealand solders were the toughest fighters even though they were a small group. My father fought in the Middle East ,Crete and was captured by the Germans in Crete .Along with several other Aussies and New Zealanders escaped, along with being shot and bombed they made it to the beaches and were rescued by a British warship.They were brave courageous men.
Aye Aussies....always winding us up!
Also my mother was born in exeter and was 14 in 1944. They used to go on the american dumps to see if anything was salvageable. Once the yanks knew this they would dump meat in grease proof paper , steaks etc. and the locals would have steak dinners courteously from these guys.
stevekay5486, there probably was extra. When I was in college, I used to go "dumpster diving" for books behind a local bookstore, which is totally legal (although frowned upon). I didn't find much, but there was a lot of hope!
Up the Grecians.
@@EmersusTechand the question to ask then given the British people were known to be suffering under rationing, why was that surplus not automatically organised to go to the local British instead of them being required to go dumpster diving.? How awful. How insulting.
Thank you so much for this. My uncle was one of those 9,000 babies born in England during the war to a US Serviceman. My Nan was from Northern Ireland and aged 19, she was living in Herts, England during the 40s. My Nan met a black American serviceman and then in 1944, my half uncle John Joseph McKelvey was born as the eldest son. We sadly never knew what happened to his father and can only assume he lost his life in Europe. After the war, my Nan met my grandfather and they married in 1946 and had the rest of the siblings. My Nan and Granddad moved to Northern Ireland and after having all their children (including lastly, my Mum), they all moved back to England where they spent the rest of their lives.
Alan-go4uc, thank you for sharing your family history! Sometimes you can find out what happened to the soldier online. If you liked this video, then you'll probably like the one below:
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
For your sharing, you get a heart!
Wow. Your nan is one foul woman for race mixing back in the 40s, how vile
'Many US troops thought that the British would rather drink tea than fight a battle' - I mean, who wouldn't?
chean1815, yes, you have a good point! Thank you for your comment!
My immediate thought was that. who wouldn't??
Drinking my 10th cup of tea today whilst reading your comment 🤣
My uncle Dennis (now long gone) was barred from serving in the British military during the war because of a heart defect (much to his despair). Anyway, he always told the story of him and his friends drinking in a pub in Kettering, Northamptonshire one day when a black US serviceman walked in, ordered a beer, and stood alone at the bar looking lost. Dennis and his mates said ‘You alright mate? Come and have a drink with us.’ So the black guy came and sat with them and they all got on really well.
And then two Snowdrops walked in - US military police. They took one look at the black guy sat drinking with a bunch of white guys, came straight over and ordered the black guy out of the pub. Dennis and his pals stood up to the snowdrops, but the MPs grabbed the black guy and dragged him straight out of the pub.
greva2904, I've heard stories of American who were classified 4F -- unfit for service who committed suicide! Wow, how times have changed! Thanks for your contribution, for that, you get a heart!
This story is well known but the version I've heard was that a fight broke out and the two American servicemen got a pasting, before the military police arrived.
A friend of my mothers was a war bride and married an American, they came back to England to visit and came to my mums. During casual conversation her husband said he had ordered a black serviceman out of the pub he was drinking in,saying “get out of here boy” My dad said after they left . I don’t want him in my house again. Phil.
@@jenny2tone242there are well documented accounts , but this was a fairly common occurrence at the time by many accounts.
@@janicereadymartcher7696 her dad is an idiot and he should be ashamed of the state of London crime today.
My father was a B 24 pilot who got permission to go visit his brother who was under Patton he was hitching a ride with British officer driving a Jeep my father said he was more scarred than all of his combat experiences the British officer kept driving on wrong side of the road on narrow roads
John, that's funny. Evidently, the British officer forgot that there were Americans who drive on the other side of the road, who might come around the corner. So, I've got to write a dumb joke, but it's apt:
A guy goes to NYC and gets a cab. The cab driver keeps talking to him and when the taxi comes up on a red light, he just drives on through it. Then it happens again and the passenger says, "Hey, what gives?" The cab driver explains that his cousin Louie told him to just ignore red lights, that Louie has blown through them for years and never had a problem. So, the taxi driver comes up on a green light and he stops the cab cold and looks around nervously. The passenger asks, "What are you doing? It's a green light!" The cab driver says, "I'm looking for my cousin Louie!".
Thank you for your comment and for watching!
In 1942 I was 6. We lived in Gretna and Yanks who landed in Northern Ireland or Stranraer came past in convoys (streams of open backed lorries) They would get held up and always spoke to us and threw us gum and other things which tasted good. Well done Yanks !
par576, that was nice of them! Thanks for backing up what I said in the video!
None of the British, Canadians, Australians, Kiwis or many other countries, put up with the segregation demands, there are many stories of locals fighting white US troops, who had demanded that the black troops leave (from pubs, for example).
Dave, thank you for taking the time to comment!
Exactly...the 'Battle of Brisbane' was primarily about segregation.
"We demand segregation!"
Brits: Put up No Whites signs.
Now _that_ is British Humour at its peak. 😂
ha ha ha. Now look at Britain today, such an attitude has riddled it sick
Sadly though, these days it is not uncommon to see the Cross of St George flag in a pub window. This is a sign, to those who know, that only English people are welcome in that pub. I have seen this on numerous occasions in certain parts of London.
My Mum's parents ran a baker and confectioner in Chorley Lancashire. She vividly remembered the early morning train into Chorley station, when it deposited US soldiers with their MP escort on their way to the 'glasshouse' on what the Americans renamed Washington Lane (formerly it was German lane) at Euxton. They used to call into the shop for a wash and brush up of their uniforms before a lorry picked them up for the short ride to their punishment. The soldiers and the MP's always gave my Mum gifts as she was about 8 when this started happening, and were always polite.
andrewmyerscough9397, thank you contributing your story. For this, you get a heart!
Amazing story!
On a much lighter note, did Chorley FM exist then?!
@@anandmorris chorley fm, coming in your ears
i wonder what time it got renamed back to german lane
I'm half English and half German. When the Allies invaded Germany, they kindly gave out chocolate and chewing gum to the German children. One of my aunts gave some chewing gum to my grandmother. She loved it, chewing away all evening and when she went to bed put the chewing gum on her bedside table. Next morning, when she awoke her first thought was chewing gum and she fumbled around on her bedside table to find it. When she did, she started to chew and was very disappointed to find that it was hard and very tasteless. Only when she switched on the light did she realize that she was in fact chewing the rubber buttons of her stocking holders - lol !!!
GrafindKlevemark, that's a funny story! I read it with interest! You get a heart!
@@EmersusTech No British person says chum........... that is an american term
I heard somewhere that the Black soldiers were heavily based in Devon . The Soldiers liked and respected the locals , and never forgot their hospitality . Some named their Kids Devon , after their time in England . Hence why Devon is still a popular Name generations later .
Are you British?
Yes , English
Touching on the whole tea thing (We see this in the film "A Bridge too far")
British troops didn't stop fighting to make tea. They made tea because they had stopped fighting.
British army issue tea was basically an energy drink ( it was mainly sugar), so troops drank it whenever possible. Also the act of stopping, setting up a tommy cooker or hexi burner, pouring and boiling the water, brewing the tea and then sharing a hot drink with your pals (You never brew up for just yourself, it's always at least with one mate) Is a great way to slightly de-stress, regain composure, warm up and more importantly hydrate.
Spetznaz0o1, thank you for clarifying about tea! I appreciate your comment!
Are you British? Do you like the USA and Americans?
I'm really gratefully we could count on America to come to the aid of the free world, not just us Brits.
I re-watched Band Of Brothers again recently and the accounts of the elderly former Airborne soldiers and it's really touching.
What upsets me most is, they fought and died to preserve a civilization and free speech is under threat again from our own leaders, especially here in England.
Love back to the UK 🇬🇧 🤝🇺🇸
Gareth, yes, I love that series Band of Brothers and its sister show the Pacific. Yes, someone said that free speech needs to protect "the unpopular side", otherwise not only will our natural human rights be trampled, but the vast majority will have "groupthink", where everyone thinks the same. No, I believe in free speech. Thanks for your comment!
Nope, the only thing you can count the u.s army to do during WW2 was to try and enforce their segregation on us
With all due respect, the USA joined the war only after the USA was attacked by Japan and then Germany and Italy declared war.
Even Lend Lease wasnt free, and Britain had to do deals in America's interests with the Destroyers For Bases agreement on late 1940.
Total respect to all allied nations, including America, but it was already America's war too by the time US troops crossed the Atlantic. German U-boats were attacking American shipping straight away.
US forces were not rushing over to England after Dunkirk and during the Battle of Britain in 1940.
Just saying.
You are so right. I hope that my country (USA) always supports the free world and comes to its aid when needed.
Unfortunately we now have as many interal enemies as external.
It is interesting to see some of the differences and stereotypes that remain the same to this day or have changed. For example as a Brit I was embedded with a USMC unit in Afghanistan 2011. I did notice that their doctrine is more aggressive when it comes to taking casualties, they keep going no matter the loss of life and do not disengage. Sometimes this can be very effective. The reason why a UK unit in the same situation may disengage is just purely down to conserving the much smaller amount of manpower at its disposal. Same for equipment....I could be picked up anywhere by a US helicopter, they did not care about the risk anywhere near as much, whereas any area deemed as high risk, a UK asset would sometimes refuse to pick us up because the loss of one helicopter would be a much greater drain on resources. On the flip side, I did witness younger USMC marines talking about how scared they were and that they thought they would die at any moment. The first time I witnessed it was on a vehicle patrol, I was so shocked to be hearing it. Its not that a British soldier wouldn't think those exact same thoughts, its that they probably wouldn't ever express them out loud. So I guess there are still some cultural differences. I would also say the US military is now more strict than the UK in terms of discipline. And in ambushes, now UK doctrine is to fight out aggressively just like the US. So I think we have learnt a lot through the decades from each other. And I haven't ever agreed with the US/UK humour issue, maybe it was true once upon a time but some of the most sarcastic individuals I have ever had the pleasure of meeting were Americans. One final thing about the tea...do not underestimate the power of a hot drink when you are working long days outside, sometimes in tough conditions. Any form of hot food or drink will work to keep your body temperature and morale up. I believe all soldiers of any nation understand this well....the Italian airborne forces I trained with in Northern Italy hiked 12km with us carrying heavy metal espresso makers just so they could have a nice cup of coffee at the end of the day. I would not be that dedicated to my tea.
Do you like the USA and Americans?
Nice comments. Very interesting.
Unfortunately, our military is not as disciplined the days. We're too busy being diverse & inclusive, which weakens us.
Think the cautious nature of the British army is down to manpower, they had alot less. Been cautious was a way to keep loses down. Whereas the US had alot more troops that could be more direct. My Great Uncle was a Commando, then moved over to the Special Boat Service and was attached to the US units in Italy. His job was to go behind enemy lines and report positions and then soften up the defences before the main US invasion.
If I recall correctly, we (The UK) never raised a new division after 1944, we had run out of manpower and had to consolidate divisions instead to replace losses
Masterfully done! I especially enjoyed the “Tea Time” (12:14) commentary. For me in Vietnam (69-70) it was coffee. Since I was in a cavalry unit we needed to wait until the fire-fight was over. Then we broke out our end connector (M48 tank), a piece of C4 explosive, canteen cup (w/water), and the ever present C-ration coffee. Less than a minute for a cup of coffee. Excellent work, you gained a new sub!
Michael, thank you so much for your nice compliment! I put a lot of effort into gathering that material and organizing it! I knew that "Tea Time" had to have its own section. My dad was in Vietnam in '66-67. Watch this video if you have the time -- you may enjoy it:
A Vietnam Veteran's True Story
ua-cam.com/video/Qixfo8iR-LE/v-deo.html
You get a heart for your great comment and contribution!
Plus remember 70% of the American military deployed never saw combat in Vietnam
I don't blame any American GI, as long as they behaved honourably. They were so far from home, and life was not exciting for British women. The stark racism did not suit the British locals as they found the black soldiers very polite and considerate. Overall I think the Brits appreciated the generosity of many Americans, and many GIs were glad to stay in British homes as it gave them their feeling of family. There will have been good and bad, and that applies everywhere and in a lot of situations.
I heard a lot about how the Black GIs were treated by their own soldiers ! Pretty disgusting ! Shepton Mallet prison of which the Americans took over for execution ( much to British horror by the way they did it ) a lot were black American soldiers sad 😞 britain was appalled !
Seeing the poster for the woman's land army made me think of my late Grandmother who was in it here in Scotland she used to work on local farm for the war time years and she said she worked hard but enjoyed it.
user-gm6lc7py5x, then you ought to really like my newest video:
British Women's Land Army -- World War II
ua-cam.com/video/bOsofRGvf3w/v-deo.html
Thanks for your comment and for watching!
A U.S soldier from Michigan was the father of my older half-sister born 1945.
Pleased to say she had a good life with her adopted parents.
My late mother also recalls different U.S ethnic groups fighting with each other in one popular pub.
jakoat, thank you for telling your story!
My grandmother still fondly remembers American soldiers giving chocolate, candy, coca cola every month or so in her high-school (rationing was in effect and you just could not get sweets) she remembers sheltering from the blitz bombings and later helping out in hospitals
Both of my grandfather's died at a relatively young age due to diseases and injury from ww2, I never met them, I can just about remember my great grandfather when I was so small he had 1 leg he joined during the last year of ww1 when he was 14 or 15 he was over 100 when he died.
He did not drink but he would take enough opiates to kill and elaphant daily.
luked2767, those are very nice comments! For this, you get a heart!
i'm actually related to Field Marshal Montgomery and he's buried in my home town. I've always been interested in history and war and it's always a nice surprise when his name gets brought up in videos like these. Always fills me with a sense of pride.
dare69420, I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for your comment and for watching!
Montgomery always said positive words about American troops and when he took over command of US 1st Army in the Battle of the Bulge he saved many of their lives with his decisions and his refusal to use them as cannon fodder in competition against Patton's US 3rd Army. Patton was desperate to beat Montgomery to Houffalize and ordered 3rd Army forward in a blizzard without adequate preparation and recon. His men suffered grately and unnecessarily.
Montgomery in contest, waited for the blizzard to abate and for his men to be better prepared and organised. Asia result, the US 1st Army under him suffered far fewer casualties.
My mum was related to Monty as well - Jill Montgomery Boffin
As i know (books, articles etc), Montgomery didn't like American military leaders.
Especially Patton and (less) Eisenhower.
Of course, was an important of WWII.
My Farther in Law passed away in 2014. He was a naval fighter pilot serving on both the Arctic and the Med convoys.
Like many he was training by the US Navy in Michigan and then Pensacola.
As a member of the “Pensacola Cub Club” he returned many times after the war for Vet reunions.
The respect, grace and honour the US Navy gave these men (and their wives) was unbelievable.
He had a huge regard for America and Americans….their fighting spirit, work ethic and can do attitude and would talk with passion about how grateful as a nation we should be for their engagement.
Are you British?
The RAF Lancaster crew shown at .16:11 is that of Flt Lt Joe McCarthy, an American from New York, who joined the RCAF and served as a pilot with 617 Sqn RAF, piloting Lancaster AJ-T ("T-Tommy") on the Dambusters raid. (Front centre with hat on) He died in Virginia in 1998. On the extreme left is Johnny Johnson, bomb aimer and last surviving participant of the raid, who died Dec 2022 aged 101.
LezDentz, thank you very much for identifying people in the photos! For this, you get a heart!
Extremely brave young men .Britain will always be in debt to them and all the other young Americans ( boys really ) who came to our aid in that desperate time . Forever grateful, 🏴
Grandad (Gunner not a private as he always said) told me that the Americans were better paid, better fed and taller but he had total respect for them. He visited legions in Canada and some veteran clubs in US in the years after the war and was always warmly welcomed. We still have some bits of memorabilia from these trips.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment!
It's changed now though, British are taller than Americans. It's because American lack of access to affordable health care and a worse diet
The normal complaint about 😢Americans was "they're over sexed, overpaid and over here but we are and always have been grateful to them
As a british person the tea bit it 100% true, it just brings a warm and comforting feeling that makes everything better no matter how bad ĺife is at the moment
Timothy, yes, I found the same in my research and personally, because I'm getting fonder of Earl Grey tea (hot -- as Captain Picard would say) the more I drink. Or as the British might say, I fancy my cuppa tea! (Forgive me if that isn't correct, but I tried!) For your comment, you get a heart!
I'm a Yank convert from primarily coffee to primarily tea...tea the old Brit way. Proppa cuppa, Taylor's loose leave and bagged PG Tips with a spot of milk. Electric kettle, English made Brown Betty pot, three minutes for the bags and 4.5 minutes for the loose leave. Oh and water must be boiling as it is poured into pot. Once i learned this by watching some Brits' videos, i realized that I and so many Americans have no idea what tea really tastes like and is so good this way.
@@roadwary56it sounds like you really do know how to make a proper cup of tea. They always say take the pot to the kettle and not the kettle to the pot. It’s because thoroughly boiled water is essential.
@@EmersusTech
It's actually not just about the tea, although we're famously obsessed with it, but got drinks in general.
A hot drink is warm and comforting.
One of my personal favourites is Bovril, which, if you're wondering what that is, you've probably heard of a recent fad called Bone Broth?
It's a hot beef stock drink, a paste rather than a powder, which has a high nutritional content, a good source of salt (which is essential we consume, just but too much, you need it be able to stay hydrated) and tastes absolutely wonderful, especially when it's cold.
And now I need to go and make myself a mug.
1 tbsp in a coffee mug with boiling water, stir well (and add Tabasco!) 😊
Not only Bamber Bridge but my father told me about the treatment the black soldiers received from their countrymen in my local Devon town of Newton Abbot where I am proud to say the locals sided with the black soldiers against the racist whites.
debnbhuy, I haven't heard about that one -- but now I have!
There are two other videos out that you may want to see:
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
Monash's Masterpiece: The Battle of Hamel
ua-cam.com/video/93mVu2vgErs/v-deo.html
Thanks for your comment and for watching!
Different time... End of it
@@sutty85 ???? What do you mean ???
Appears to have been common across UK.
Locals just thought it was unfair.
A factor in east Anglia and probably elsewhere is that black soldiers were sent in advance and built the infrastructure. They had already established friends. Then the site soldiers turned up and the the black soldiers were ordered to leave.
Another factor was that black soldiers brought music and live to British pubs during a tough war
I believe there was a similar experience with some rascist American soldiers here in New Zealand ,in Wellington against Maori Soldiers in a Pub Other New Zealand Soldiers took offense at the behavior of the American soldiers and this resulted in the " Battle of Manners Street " Brawl.
To this day it's a mutual appreciation society between us and the Americans. I've been lucky enough to visit the US lots of times and I have always been treated exceptionally well whenever I'm there. I can say this hand on heart, if it came to it I would fight to the death for America.
Love back to the UK, my fiancé and twin daughters are British just came back 3 weeks ago 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
NoobyGamer463, thank you for your sentiment! I too have had good brief contacts with British people on three occasions, all of them good or great. Although I've heard of British "snootyness" -- I've never actually experienced it firsthand. Thank you for taking the time to comment and for watching!
@EmersusTech the snooty thing is a very inaccurate steteotype. There is a tiny 'upper class' who are snooty but 95% of even us brits can't stand them either. Ppl in Britain for the most part are polite and treat ppl as they find them, wherever that might be.
@@Darren-sl7rp🫡
The truth about this is that the US army tried to tell British people not to allow black soldiers into their establishments. The British put up a sign on the pub in Bamber Bridge which said 'Blacks only'. The US army did not like this.
lets not ignore the Anzac's or Canadians here who were a real help to Britain during both world wars many of there lads died too alongside us in every theatre Britain in war puts up a fierce fight this is who we are we might look small in number but we are mighty in spirit with a fight to the death attitude
savethebeesplantherbs8809,
There are other videos out that you may want to see:
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
Monash's Masterpiece: The Battle of Hamel
ua-cam.com/video/93mVu2vgErs/v-deo.html
What Did Rommel and the Germans Think About Australian Soldiers in WWII?
ua-cam.com/video/9rXT1i_uD6M/v-deo.html
What WWI Germans Thought About Canadian Soldiers
ua-cam.com/video/J7crFG0JOmA/v-deo.html
Thanks for your comment and for watching!
Sick of the same old comments regarding this subject. “Let’s not forget this, and that..”
It’s a 24 min UA-cam video, they don’t go into every single detail. 🙄There are proper documentaries out there that go into detail on TV or even UA-cam too, try looking into it to get that patriotic crazy shot you want.
Thanks or that. The different cultures, & nuanced meanings between people who speak the same shared language always fascinates me. Scots, Aussies, Welsh, Irish, Canucks, Yanks, Poms, and Kiwis. You can say something that you think is funny. Only to have it misunderstood as a deadly insult by another ally.
gordonpeden6234, I appreciate and agree with your comment! Thanks!
You know I was watching a Brit program entitled A Man and His Lancaster and at first I thought the fingers held up like Winston Churchill, I thought I thought it was the V for Victory. But watching and listening to the conversation I think it was the British form of the American salute. Remind me never to flash a v sign in Great Britain.
Let's not forget all the soldiers from the West Indies, African countries, and the the nations that were British India.
I've seen the war memorials in Barbados, and the plaques at the Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar.
The brave men from France, Poland, Czechoslovakia, that served with the RAF & the army here as free forces & specialist units.
Everyone across Europe that took part in non-conventional warfare.
Italians, Greeks, fighters in the Balkans...
The Russians, pushing at the other front...
On the other side... I think it would be contentious to give praise to the opposition, but the average fighting man was just looking to stay alive & protect his buddies.
And there were young boys from Germany, across Europe & far into more foreign lands too. They recruited from as many places as they could. Yes, the Aryans could populate, but the Slavs and Armenians and Turks and Indians & Kazakhs can eat as many bullets for the Fatherland to win the war...
There was courage, bravery, hardship, determination, skill, desperation, fear, despair, and from the people in charge: a total disregard for which ethnicity or nationality goes into the meat grinder.
"But only because someone has to, otherwise we all have to".
Death and war.
Desolation and murder.
Heroism and sacrifice.
I'm only including the land war in Europe.
My late father , a British army veteran of WW2 often served alongside the Americans in North Africa Sicily and Italy, he was damned glad they were there with them , the American unswerving bravery sometimes to the point of recklessness often changed the outcome for the better , off duty they loved mixing with the jocks with their irreverent humor and ease of steering their American allies from the path of officous MPs by lightening the mood if challenged over behaviour whilst enjoying local hospitality , many lifelong friendships were cemented between the jocks and yanks due to their mutual respect in fighting ability especially in the Italian campaign
lachlanmacarthur6123, thank you for retelling a portion of your father's story! For that, you get a heart!
North Africa was won before the Americans arrived!
Excellent work, thanks for publishing this. Actually haven't watched the earlier one on British feelings about "the Yanks", will do so. As you noted, the tensions and anomalies that resulted from the US segregation policies of the time - and the attitudes of many US soldiers, reflecting common though not universal attitudes of the era - would be worth a video in themselves. The interaction of US soldiers and foreign civilians and societies throughout the war and just after is a fascinating topic.
lesmoore6443, here are the URLs for my last two videos:
Monash's Masterpiece: The Battle of Hamel
ua-cam.com/video/93mVu2vgErs/v-deo.html
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
Thank you for your comment and for watching!
Enjoyed that. I’m from Liverpool and the G.Is had a positive impact on our culture
Thanks
bluewhistlechannel6058, thanks! I'm glad that they did! You might like the sister video:
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
I’ll check out! Bless you
@@bluewhistleschannel6058love back to the UK 🇬🇧 🤝🇺🇸
@@bluewhistleschannel6058👆🏻
My aunt was US war bride. Moved to PA. Shocked it wasn't Hollywood, but a shack with hand pump. My US uncle had nothing but praise for my granddad and his time in the army.
flybobbie1449, yes, but look at what he brought home! :) My mother grew up with an outhouse -- no kidding! But you know times have changed and now I bet you could even better outhouses, with steel and plastic and such out in the country! :) Just joking, but my mother did really have an outhouse when she grew up and my great-uncles had to clean it out, which they absolutely hated! Thank you for your comment and for watching!
Thanks I enjoyed this, was shocked at the pub shoot out that I previously hadn't heard of. Also pleased that a number of people have mentioned our SAS, SBS, SOE and Cammandos who operated behind enemy lines and without the constraints of the regular units but operating with knowledge of the regular senior ranks. The sector around Caen was also a particularly tough and well defended region which probably needed a more cautious approach.
johnnywarnerperfectroad66, yes, even though Monty claimed he would take Caen in the first day, because to the 12th SS Hitlerjugend division and the German armor in the immediate area, this wasn't easy, to say the least. Thank you for your comment and for watching!
B lack people start trouble everywhere they go
Plenty of videos on the Battle of Bamber Bridge. We don't tolerate people being lesser than another, they were there to fight the same war after all.
I desperately hope this is legitimately 'black-humour'@@ronjohnson5070
Crawl back under your rock, into th dirt that spawned you.@@ronjohnson5070
The BV’s were in our Warrior AFVs and as a driver I was kept well fed by the rest of the crew. I had my coffee, never tea, in a Tommy Tippee, and drove very happily never spilling a drop. Every now and again a tap on my shoulder and Floddy , our gunner, would give me a sandwich that one of the boys in the back had made for me.
The egg banjo was an absolute staple. After a cuds patrol in NI the cookhouse was always open and we had the run of the hotplate. I never toasted my banjo and all three of my teenage kids love their banjos.
Top vid, cheers mate. 😊👍
gregpower308, thank you for confirming some of what I stated in the video! And thanks for the compliment! For this, you get a heart!
American generals were much readier to take casualties than the necessarily cautious British, who had fewer men to lose. The stereotype of rule bound British has some truth, but British special forces and commandos where more flexible than any US forces.
Tom, thank you for your input!
American generals hadn’t witnessed a lost generation as the Brits had barely 20 years earlier.
@@jackkruese4258 Indeed and to say nothing of 60,000 casualties in one day at the Somme
@@ingerlander19,000 on the first day.
Tom well said 🫡
My mum was 16 the year world war 2 broke out. She lived in Cardiff, Wales. She always recounted how generous and kind the yanks were and always loved them. This applied to all shades of G.I.s, and she was made so welcome when she managed to visit America in the 1980s via Friendship Force. We will never forget.
nothere7300, I'm glad that your mum had such a good experience with yanks. I've had really good experiences with British people too. Thanks for your comment! For this, you get a heart!
Happy St. David’s day from the US. 🇬🇧🏴🤝🇺🇸
Some historians believe that the British military were more cautious because Britain didn’t, and never did have a huge manpower pool to draw on like USA or Russia, or in the old days France, which had a far larger population that the U.K. at the time of the French Revolution.
David, thank you for your observation on the manpower pool!
I once read . Fighting the Americans in WW2 was an exercise in frustration. They drilled well and marched fast, but couldn’t aim like the British, couldn’t camouflage like the Soviets, and weren’t as professional as the Germans. And not one of those disadvantages mattered a whit because they brought autocannons to every knife fight. Yes more men, yes more tanks, yes more planes, yes more artillery, but also *more fuel, more ammunition, more food*. More of absolutely everything that kept an army running than you (or your superior officer, or his) in the Wehrmacht could even really conceive of.
One German officer wrote that he knew the war was lost when his unit captured a fresh chocolate cake in a counterattack. The label was from a bakery in New York City. Note that I said “fresh” - the American troops were so well-supplied with necessities that were was room, not just on transport ships, but on transport *aircraft*, for positive luxury items. You don’t fight that and win.
That was exactly the problem during the Battle of Britain - always more aircraft than pilots.
No the Generals were very skilled at unnecessary killing, just like Churchill!
The British also had far more experience against the German Army and knew you don't go getting cocky and gung ho against them. Caution is your friend. Lose your caution and you will end up in trouble.....like the Ardennes.
My grandfather kept a tight rein on my mother when the GI’s started arriving in town. He also didn’t trust the Italian POWs who worked on his farm and used to lock my mother in the farmhouse when they were there. He was fine with the German POWs though - felt they were more professional and worked harder!
Yanks were first refused billets in my town as the townsfolk refused to take in only white GI’s, insisting the black troops bivouacked in tents on the town field were also given a home to stay in. The white US soldiers relented and the black GI’s marched into the town centre to cheering crowds; they were billeted in people’s homes and treat like kings.
My grandad was hit blue on blue in the Battle of the Bulge. His XXX Corps Guards Armoured Division were protecting Antwerp from the German spearhead that bypassed bastogne whilst other wermaht and ss units surrounding Bastogne. It was paint Shrapnel from a p51 mustang straffing His M10 tank destroyer. He rejoined his 21st Anti tank regt RA whilst they were liberating the camps in and around the Bergen Belsen area. He never felt any ill Will towards the pilot, it was just war.
didgerb72, thank you for telling your grandfather's story. For this, you get a heart!
As an Englishman......id like to say thank you for this upload, its content, and its presentation on here. Very historically informative, and interesting.
Paul, thank you for your nice compliment! It's for people like you that I do this! Thanks for your comment and for watching!
@@EmersusTech You are very welcome. THOROUGHLY enjoyed what i watched and i look forward to seeing more. Thank you for sharing your knowledge on here, and keep up the good work mate
We had great family friends growing up.The dad was from Texas & his war bride was English. They were the best family ever. Five kids that were my best friends.
Irene's sense of humor was classic.
Dave, I'm actually from Texas myself, so I can understand how he'd be a great husband! Thanks for your comment!
It’s honestly crazy how different we acted to each, I honestly have huge to those who fought and fell for there country.
no1harris_989, thanks for taking the time to comment and for watching!
@@EmersusTech Np! It was honestly a great watch, very well put together and deserving my sub :)
I’m subscribed so will happily watch your programs.
In Gulf 1 we worked with the American Rangers. Top blokes to a man.
gregpower308, thanks -- I have some great videos that are hardly watched -- I'm unsure why this is. Thanks for your service!
This was a truly excellent video. Factual, truthful and balanced. On the previous video I wrote a long comment, extremely critical of America because of their (political class?) deliberate financial destruction of Britain, after the war, by demanding excessive re-payment for America's war support. After researching some of the exploits and bravery of American soldiers (before seeing this video) I felt I had been so excessively affected by that one disgraceful act that I lost sight of the highly valued contribution made by our highly valued American friends and soldiers. I felt compelled to, and did, edit it somewhat. The ENTIRE world is indebted to ALL allied forces, of every nation for the shared contributions and heavy losses made by all. "NEVER WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW", was Churchills famous quote, when Britain originally stood alone in defeating the "Unstoppable" German Luftwaffe. (The few. was the the entire, very small, British air force) This quote also applies to the end of the war, "Never was so much owed by so many TO SO MANY". Owed by future generations to that entire generation that was shaped, by necessity, to rise into our "greatest ever generation". God bless you all.
Britain also had to pay back to Canada which didn’t get paid off until 2006.
AaaBbb-rs9jz, thank you for your nice and well-thought-out comment! You get a heart!
Excellent video, thanks. The interaction of US soldiers and foreign civilians and their societies during the war is a fascinating topic, especially in the European theater where US forces encountered more populous and developed countries. The tensions and anomalies arising from the US military's segregation policies, and the attitudes of many US troops, would as you say be a worthy topic for a video of its own.
lesmoore6443, thank you for your comment!
This video reminded me of my grandparents , my grandmother told me once a black US airman danced with her at a club that’s still there today, she laughed as she was a bit scared initially.
My grandfather was at d day and he was involved in transporting US troops to the beeches, there’s a lot of shared history and story’s.
I remember these in my older years and am glad there is still a great deal of respect on both sides.
Thanks 🇬🇧✌️
Us Britt’s do love a cup of tea! 😅 Coffee is much more popular now with Costa and Starbucks everywhere. At the end of the day the US and UK have developed on different roads since 1776 so it’s not surprising we’re different cultures now. I find US history fascinating. 🇬🇧
sbishop6450, yes, it is interesting! Starbucks has a decent tea, so I've heard from fellow Americans. For example, the word "reckon" -- still used by Brits and Aussies (uncertain about other Anglophone countries), and it used to be said commonly in the 1800s in the US, but even though some Americans would understand what it means, it has fallen out of usage entirely. I don't think that Gen Z would understand "reckon" in America. There are other words like this. I also noticed that technologies that developed many years after 1776, like boot for a car's trunk and lift for an elevator, mobile for cell phone (although believe it or not, many Americans are starting to say mobile now), very interesting.
Wouldn’t say different the culture is the same.
Are you sure you're from the UK? The word is Brits (one "t").
British troops would take tea and food breaks as a break came in the knowledge that another chance to eat and drink might be a long time coming. Lessons learned in North Africa before the Americans came into the war.
Phil, that makes total sense! Thanks for your comment!
My father was in his early twenties during the war and remained resentful of the Americans being, as the saying went, “overpaid, oversexed and over here”.
This was obviously more to do with off-duty activities than soldiering, but remained an irritation with him until he had to go to the USA on business in the early seventies. He loved it there and loved the Americans he met, and I never heard him complain about them again.
It was just the cheap tarts, not respectable women who entertained them!
Britain stood alone against the Axis forces for exactly a year, from 22/06/40 to 22/06/41. And they fought on many Fronts: Africa, India, Norway south east Asia to name a few. They had every right to be cautious as they learned the lessons of WW1, one of which was the Economy of Force.
You tend to write off the hundreds of thousands of troops from the commonwealth who came to your assistance starting from the day that Britain declared war ? If another war breaks out Britain may well find themselves fighting it alone as those commonwealth countries have developed their own foreign policieswhich Britain my not be part of....Australias experience in 1942 with Churchill after the Japanese had attacked northern Australia led the then Aussie Prime Minister to over rule him and withdraw the troops from the Mediteranean and reassign them to the US led fight against the Japanese in the Pacific. In Australia our main military allie is the US not Britain and we have fought side by side with them in every conflict since Hamel in WW1.
Excellent video, I learnt a few things watching this. Also, it reminded me of the sacrifice African Americans gave, which is often overlooked in the war. Sending well wishes to the yanks across the pond 🇬🇧 brothers in arms
Love back to the UK my fiancé and twin daughters are British. 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
jake90052, I'm very glad you learned some things! When I research for a video, I almost always learn something, or perhaps, many new items of interest! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
As a Brit I'm happy to see proper attention paid to tea. The current british main battle tank has a tea dispenser, some things never change. Interesting video thank you.
patbaker2199, I appreciate your appreciation! It's for people like you that I make videos! I enjoy learning and sharing knowledge about old historical stuff! For this nice comment, you get a heart!
It's not really a tea dispenser.
It's name is the BV, the Boiling Vessel.
You fill it with water which it boils, you put your ration packs in and that heats up your dinner.
Then, you use the hot water to make a hot drink (tea, coffee, Bovril etc) and then after You've had your meal you can use the left over warm water to wash up your mugs or anything else if you've used it.
Tanks have one, larger APCs and IFVs have two.
During the Gulf War America's soldier's first look at it and they were very impressed and somewhat jealous.
America has since added their own BV copy to their Abrams tanks!
I live about 20 minutes north of Ye Olde Hobb Inn. Fascinating story, and fascinating that it's still around over 80 years later. Thanks for the video!
georgey2632, yeah, perhaps they would like to see the video too! :)
I’m from some of the beaches where they left for d day. Everything’s a couple of stops on a train ride away. People still remember, they put on shows and display the old photos along the beach. The general impression I get is that it went well having them here and they were most welcome. They were after all young, far from home, going to risk their lives in unimaginable situations and if they fail the bad guys are coming here next. Plus the hearts and minds campaign was highly successful. They knew it could be a problem so they did their best to respect the culture and locals. That’s not easy to do anywhere. The greatest generation of Brits and Yanks probably made good drinking buddys. It could have been a total cluster fluck. No doubt a lot of planning went into this.
Are you British?
chongxina8288, I believe that they do the same thing with pictures and memorials over on the D-Day landing beaches in France. Thanks for your comment!
My Mother, bless her soul, told me about the "Yanks" in the war - and that term "got any gum chum", she told me about when I was young.
She said that British girls and women really "had the hots" for the "yanks" - such outspoken and confident men.
As for the "Yanks" having their wicked way with the British girls, I'm sure the opposite happened too! - my Ma told me as much.
It was war time, you never knew whether you would be alive the next day, so I guess you got all the kicks you could.
The idea of the British being reserved? Entirely dependent on the upbringing and class. That's a middle to upper class concept.
The working class of Britain were not even slightly reserved back then and nor are they now.
Matthew, thank you for such a good story from your mother! For this, you get a heart!
A good well balanced unbiased video .
chickennugget3362, thank you for your compliment! For this, you get a heart!
@@EmersusTech I'm not worthy 😭
I've seen the Burgess Meredith training documentary about what the GI can expect landing here in the UK, a few times. Excellent history.
As for GI Brides, there's a fun film with Cary Grant in a reversal of that role; 'I was a Male War Bride', based on a true story, about the tribulations of a male French Army Officer who marries an American female Officer and is trying to get across to the USA with her after the war. The system was definitely not set up to accommodate that scenario.
That last picture of the lads is everything!!
conarward1390, yeah, they look happy, don't they! Thanks for your comment!
I was Born into a small village not far from Duxford and that’s where my Mother came from,my father was originally from Newcastle,along with his Dad.
My Grandfather on my Dads side was in the Airborne during WW2,my grandfather on my mother’s side was an Air raid warden.
In the village I grew up in during WW2 Duxford was a Major Air Base and plenty of American USAF troops were stationed in Duxford and Sawston,one thing that was done by the Village was Adopting a Yank,so the Americans weren’t felt left out and to help them acclimatise to the English way of life.
The American my Mother’s family adopted became a firm friend during and after the War until he sadly passed away.
Plenty of other nationality’s decided to end up living in Sawston and settling there and other villages in the area,this included Polish and Canadian and even Ex-POW’s who decided to stay in England.
I don’t remember a one of my family members who said a bad word about the Americans or any of the Allies but I should hasten to add that my family were a lot more easy going than some other people,even after WW2 when mixed relationship couples were moving from South Africa my Mum and Dad were not Racist like a lot of others in the village.
Many of us English will always be indebted to the Americans and Canadian and commonwealth forces,without any of them the Second World War would have probably been a very different story.
The American Cemetery in Madingly just outside Cambridge is a very somber place and somewhere everyone should visit in order to pay their respects.
moffatt43, such a nice comment...you get a heart!
Much love back to the UK my fiancé and twin daughters are British 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
We Brits can never thank Americans enough, many young people of the greatest generation - coming a long way from home. There are no words that can convey enough thanks and rememberance for what was given. In early 43, young American flyers climbed aboard their B17s with a mission survival rate of 0.5 missions.
Love back to the Uk 🇬🇧 🤝🇺🇸 my fiancé and twin daughters are British.
My sentiments exactly.
@@DCheshireare you British?
yeah, they were attacked at pearl harbour and dragged into the war, they kept out of it till then, and it took the wealth of an empire to pay them, not paid back till 2007, it wasn't free 'help'. Meanwhile stealing the patent to penicillia that was given free to the world by the British.
I mean they saw the the threat from Germany and Japan. If Europe fell with her commonwealth. America would have been alone.
WOW…Exceptional Research And Presentation. Thank You.
Michael, thank you very much. If you liked this one, then these others are similar -- peruse at your leisure!
What WWI Germans Thought About Canadian Soldiers
ua-cam.com/video/J7crFG0JOmA/v-deo.html
What Did Rommel and the Germans Think About Australian Soldiers in WWII?
ua-cam.com/video/9rXT1i_uD6M/v-deo.html
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
Thank you for watching and commenting!
You mention "Band of Brothers". I am watching this series once again, after having watched in 2x in years past. Actor Damian Lewis plays the role of Winters.
Yes, I really enjoyed his part -- it's a really great British actor that can imitate an American accent and Americans not know it! Thank you for your comment and for watching!
There were 51 British actors who had parts in Band of Brothers. Most were young actors and had small parts. They included Simon Pegg, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, James McAvoy, Stephen Graham and others.
Some British resentment about American soldiers in Italy occurred, as no matter who was in the vanguard of battle, the Yanks always led the victory parade through recaptured villages. The more experienced battle hardened Brits didn’t know that it was Churchill, not the American generals, who requested the US troops lead for the newsreels, as it proved cover for breaking the Enigma code.
Catherine, I didn't know that! I did know that they were always trying to find ways to cover their source. Thank you for the contribution. For this, you get a heart!
Fascinating video. The American horror over British tea culture is unintentionally hilarious. My Aunty Sally wed a Canuck who came over to fight in WW2. Lovely man.
neilog747, yes, I found it slightly amusing when I read that about US soldiers being "mystified" by British troops drinking tea in the middle of a battle. If Americans started up BBQ smoker in the middle of a battle, I believe the British would suddenly realize how much we love BBQ! Thanks for the comment!
Sometimes I wonder why usa bothered to fight on the allied side, since the attitude of most white Americans of that were just like the nazis.
Having been born in the last year of the war and listing to my mother stories about how generous the Americans where I’ve grown up with fond memories of her stories,and I truly believe if it wasn’t for the help and sacrifices of the Americans , we would have never won the war and the world would have been a different place today .
Thank you, that was brilliant, British and American people have more that unites them than divides them WW2 should remind us more, you have done a great job bringing that to light, cheers.
Peter, thank you for the compliments! I make videos for people like you and I appreciate your heartfelt comment!
You also get a heart!
Peter, if you have the time, there is a sister video of this one that you might like:
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
I really enjoyed this programme. Thank you.
suepem, you're welcome! There's a "sister video" to this one, made earlier, that you might like. Also, the one at the bottom was about Australians. Thanks for your comment!
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
What Did Rommel and the Germans Think About Australian Soldiers in WWII?
ua-cam.com/video/9rXT1i_uD6M/v-deo.html
I find it disgusting how in WW2 the Americans come to our Pubs/Taverns and pressing for segregated areas long after we abolished it.. We're all people ffs, Just because we come from different backgrounds and speak in different tongues nobody should be segregated...
columnedfox, thank you for your comment and for watching!
Not disgusting just disappointing. They were of their time different cultures.
@@bigbird6039
They were fighting nazis while st the same time behaving like the nazis, the US clearly has no shame.
I always think about the relationship between the UK and the USA as like two brothers, with a slight age gap, that dont particulary get on, maybe because of the age gap. Although they say they hate each other (they dont really), they love each other, and would always back and defend each other in troubled times. A blood bond they can not break, even though they have their differences.
Are you British?
My grandfather, who was British, claimed there was only three things wrong with American soldiers: they were over- paid, over-sexed and over here! Lol
The British particularly disliked those soldiers who were racists. They really disliked soldiers who demanded segregation at pubs, dances, or cafes. Luckily, my mum found the perfect American - my dad. She emigrated and they married in 1946.
Abigail, thank you for sharing your family history!
My fiancé is British and we have twins my oldest is named Abigail oddly enough
The Australians did not like the British soldiers and called them Pommies, and said the Brits were lazy, dirty and arrogant.
The Canadians didn’t like British insistence on too much spit and polish, and the fact that the British class system was still very present in all the services. Canadians serving in Bomber Command in both the RAF and the RCAF, were denied officer status, compared to their British counterparts even though they were doing the same jobs and taking the same risks.
Michael, yes, even in the history books, you can read that the British wanted to just integrate soldiers from the Commonwealth without giving them due credit. So, they wised up and started putting country patches on their uniforms -- that's how I see it. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
My grandfathers fought in ww1, my uncles fought in ww2, my dad fought in korea, my older brother was sniped at in NI and I thought, sod that for a game of soldiers and joined the Navy.
Then your ship was sunk when a plane crashed into it...belonging to the RAF.
Sometimes, you just can't win.
Keep them coming history about war freakin love it new sub
bigbro3s64, thank you for watching and appreciating the videos! I am currently working on a new video that is taking longer than normal. Thanks!
One major factor in the different fighting styles was that the British couldn't afford major losses like the US so had to be more cautious
DJRockford83, that's totally true! Thank you for your comment!
A very well made video thanks
Robert, I appreciate your comment! Thank you very much!
Yank military we warned, Do not drink with the British, Do not Gamble with the British, Do not fight with the British, You will lose! Some did find out the hard way😂. Huge respect for the yank military, loved working with them abroad and back in the states!
Chris-thecenxnt, when I was a teenager, I gambled with some friendly Swedes at cards -- strictly small stakes, but I lost overall. It could be luck, or....? Anyway, I learned that lesson!
Don’t gamble with em cause y’all cheat, never keep your tab open around a Brit either
This is very interesting, thank you. Funny to think that young Burgess Meredith, shown at the beginning, ended up in Grumpy Old Men and in three Rocky movies as Micky Goldmill. Burgess certainly had a long career.
Are you British?
elliottg.1954, yes, he was also the Penguin in the 1960's Batman series -- as well as on the Twilight Zone, and Rocky's manager (as you wrote). Thanks for your comment!
Not forgetting playing the part of the penguin in the 60s version of Batman and Robin,
As a Brit, I really appreciate the US. Without your help in WW2 Europe's future would have been horrific. And your leadership in the Cold War was vital to preserve those freedoms.
I hope the US remains an outward looking country willing to help defend freedom.
Love bs k to the UK from the US my fiancé and twin daughters are British 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
And we got to back them up after the two towers we fight and die together all the time are country's are basically family
My grandfather went from Normandy, through Holland and Belgium and in to Germany. He was part of the British army that liberated Belsen. He was a despatch rider and always said that in Normandy he'd ride around the edges of fields and not through the middle, as US pilots would attack anything that moved.
Yank: Yankee Doodle Dandy! Years ago, one of my neighbors was a married couple, the wife from Britain. He was a retired USAF Colonel. Each morning as I left for work, the wife, Penny, would step outside and call out, 'Good morning, Lovey!"
What's funny is that the British mimicked the song "Simple Simon" and the Americans liked the whole thing and adopted it!
Thanks and well done. That came across as a very fair and balanced account for both US & British soldiers.
maknorman7250, I tried to be balanced. People think because I'm American that I'll take the "American side" (whatever that is), but I was trained as a journalist and I know how to be objective! By the way, you might like this video:
What British Soldiers Thought About American Soldiers in World War II?
ua-cam.com/video/jIT4VIa_aNs/v-deo.html
Are you British? Do you like the USA and Americans?