How Those Bad Allies Made Germany Invade Poland in 1939

[mike_baram]

G-8,
"same thing applied in '73 though the pre-emption came from the other direction"
I beg to differ on this point (I was there in '73). The '67 war was preceded by a buildup of forces on Israel's borders, repeated threats to "drive the Jews into the sea" from Nasser and other Arab leaders, and the blockading of the Straits of Tiran, an act of war in anyone's book. The Israelis decided not to wait for annhilation.
In '73, Anwar Sadat, frustrated by the failure of diplomatic efforts to resolve the Mid-East Stalemate, co-ordinated a two front war with Assad of Syria. The military situation with Israel had not changed...there was no increase of Israeli forces on the Golan Heights nor along the Bar-Lev line....both were defensive positions, and the bulk of the Israeli army was in Israel proper (in the North), or at major bases in Sinai. As history showed, it took the better part of 48 hours to get enough reserve forces and equipment moving toward the front to relieve the units at the front (who were outmanned and outgunned 9-1).
In one case, it was definitely "I won't let you hit me first", in the other case it was "you won't come to terms, so I'm gonna clobber you".
As I said, I was there.....
Mike

I guess if you punish the people enough they are an easy target for the Hitlers and Saddam's of this world. I guess the best analogy today is Iraq. The Allies motives are laudable enough but the net result is we are punishing the average Iraqi on the street, so do you think they love us? No, they hang on every word from Saddam. If they could get access to enough hardware then what Hitler did may happen again! So we really haven't learned from our mistakes.

Stephen, congrats on the 30+ thread! Also buy RBII 3D, it is great. Really "immersive". I do envy you trip to France, it's a long way from Australia to France so I'll have to save a while yet.

Cheers

Dave

I don't beleeeeev it! All the way down here and it's STILL not my fault!

[mike_baram]

True Brit,
It IS your fault, you bad, evil person. I just avoided blaming you till now because I'm trying to be a nice guy, but there's a limit to my patience.
Mike (aging Badass Jewish kid from Brooklyn) Baram

[Barrett]

Hey, I'll do my part to run this thing to 40. Remember the set-to about the Enola Gay display at the Smithsonian 3 to 4 years ago? The claim was made--by NASM employees--that the Jap(anese) government pre-empted the US at Pearl because after all, they were only "defending their unique culture." In truth, THAT war was fought over oil, or to be exact, Japan's impending shortage of same. Yet we had Talking Heads during Desert Storm assuring us "This is the first war ever fought for oil."
Sigh...how quickly they forget. If they ever bleeping knew.
I think I'll run a coupla mags thru my Colt .45 just for therapy. As a fellow Arizonan, I just KNOW that Frank Luke would approve.

[mike_baram]

Barrett,
Actually, the Japanese needed Southeast Asia for its oil, and rubber, as well as some other resources. But what did China have that the Japanese needed? (Slaves come to mind, but only white folks can have slaves, we all know that.)
Hmm, maybe the U.S. was not so much an impediment to them as it was a potential source of trees for lumber to make the %$#*^%$ Zeros and Yamaha pianos.
Mike

[Rittm]

Hey, Yamaha makes good musical instruments. I still have my trumpet. ...So.... does this help the thread go a little longer?

Yamaha makes copies of old European designs for all its instruments.

I have a yamaha guitar...anyone know where I can buy a wooden zero?

Hey Stephen, I think your thread has run out ideas....
Chris