Stands Among The World's Most Stands Among The ... - Index of

cross the heavily defended Aa Canal and seize the town of Watten. On the afternoon of 24th May
1940, however the Fuhrer's Headquarters countermanded the crossing. Dietrich (Sepp) simply
disregarded Hitler's order and a few hours later his troops were over the canal. "
- Heinz Hoehne, The Order of the Death's Head, p.481/482
It is interesting but hardly surprising to note that even fifty years on, Hitler's Germany is held to be the
aggressor in attacking a weaker France, when the undeniable fact is that the far more militarily
powerful France - without in anyway being threatened by Germany, invaded her neighbour and
throughout the autumn and spring 1939 - 1940 shelled German communities; in the face of which
Germany showed remarkable tolerance before retaliating. In doing so and as the foremost British
historian A.J.P Taylor pointed out, Hitler was motivated to do so 'only on preventive grounds.'
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Likewise the myths that surround the 'Battle of Britain' have been repeated so often that they are now
accepted as gospel. It was Phillip Knightley, the special correspondent (Sunday Times) and author
who in his book, The First Casualty - The War Correspondent as Hero, Propagandist, and Myth
Maker from the Crimea to Vietnam', revealed that Britain in 'its finest hour' was far from being the
underdog of legend.
British air defence consisted of 1,416 aircraft against 963 German aircraft. Britain had the further
advantage of retrieving downed pilots and salvaging downed airplanes whereas German aircraft and
pilots were irretrievably lost.
".... yet throughout the battle the RAF regularly lost more fighters than the Luftwaffe - it was the
German bombers that swelled the score and to break even the British had to shoot down a great many
of them." which in fact he goes on to point out owed more to the radar advantage.
Fighter pilots often found Churchill's rhetoric embarrassing, not the least such descriptions as
'crusaders' who 'grin when they fight'. It was in many respects an ignoble and bloody confrontation in
which German pilots, knowing that the parachuting enemy could be airborne again within hours had
no compunction about firing on them. Similarly, the RAF had no qualms about shooting down a
Heinkel 59 clearly marked with a Red Cross and civilian markings, as it engaged itself in rescuing
downed German pilots.
In fact, the only RAF pilot to win a Victoria Cross, Flight-Lieutenant J.B Nicholson, was wounded by
the Home Guard who mistaking him for a German pilot, blazed away at him as he parachuted to earth.
FIGHTING ON THE BEACHES - OF NEW ENGLAND (U.S.A)
The Duke of Windsor was appointed Governor of the Bahamas, the gold reserves of the Bank of
England were shipped off to Ottawa, the Minister of Information, Alfred Duff Cooper sent his son
Julius to Canada - but failed to inform everyone. Parents who could afford to shipped their families
out to America or the Commonwealth. Royal Navy ships were placed on standby to evacuate
members of the Royal Family and key members of the government to the United States.
"In June, July and August of 1940, over 6,000 children took part in the exodus of the rich." The Fears
that flawed the Finest Hour, P. Addison, Sunday Times Magazine, May 21st 1972
"The working class began to feel, with some justification, that the rich had plans to get out whilst the
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