# I pit DrDeth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [February 28, 2021, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971 "2021-02-28T19:52:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 46

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**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/904 "2021-05-12T14:15:47Z")

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OK, everything so far, including the questionable service record, the conflicting accounts, the conspiracy theories, etc. are part of what let’s call **The Little Lies**.

With a heavy heart and profound personal sadness, we must now address a far more serious affair: **The Big Lie**.

I have to admit that I have been hesitant to bring attention to **The Big Lie** but untruths must be uncovered, regardless of any potential embarrassments or personal costs to any of participants. Fuck it! Let’s get the ugly truth out and let the chips fall where they may!

Sigh. I really didn’t want to do this, and I have been holding back as it could have disturbed the sensitive nature of @Left_Hand_of_Dorkness . Hopefully, he will have figured out how to turn off the notifications or developed the will power to simply ignore something he hates and will not again be subjected to yet another factfinding tour of previous threads.

This is yet the most hideous example of a clear exaggeration but while DD has steadfastly refused to acknowledge any error so far, all the while furiously backpedaling on **The Small Lies** , for some reason, I think he will have no problem completely disavowing authorship of **The Big Lie** and will likely come and actually join with me, hand-in-hand to refute the details.

First, though, before we uncover **The Big Lie** , let’s go back and quote DD.

> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> What TokyoBayer hates and why he came here- is having someone prove him wrong, which I have done several times.

So DD says that I’m making up shit about his father because I’m a sore loser after he’s schooled me in the past. That’s it’s a personal vendetta.

As much as the idea seems romantic and melodramatic, sadly, this is yet another case where a current statement is in direct conflict with a previous statement.

Here is, what I’m sure _he_ will now call **The Big Lie** ; In a post dated March 21, 2021 on the latest WWII thread about the Pacific War, DD made a bold claim, one I’m sure will cause him tremendous embarrassment now.

As bad as exposing the inconsistencies in his statements made concerning his father’s service record, showing this post will undoubtedly be much more unpleasant for him. But, the truth is the truth so let’s rip off the Band-Aid.

> [@Pacific War: McArthur vs Nimitz: Who Was Right?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pacific-war-mcarthur-vs-nimitz-who-was-right/296959/79):
>
> Altho **TokyoBayer** and myself have sometimes disagreed on some of the finer points of the War in the pacific (with either TokyoBayer ending up with him being right and me being wrong or simply a matter of opinion on “what ifs”), he is likely the pre-eminent expert here on the SDMB on the [Imperial Japanese Navy] and the Pacific front.

Oops. I’m certain that he regrets posting the **The Big Lie** and it’s certain that this is one statement which he will walk back immediately and denounce.

As to its accuracy? Who knows? I am a WWII Pacific War enthusiast, as anyone can tell, and have an inconvenient habit of doing my research. However, if his assessment is true, it’s simply because several very well informed posters have gone MIA, for which they are sorely missed.

So DD’s statement that the reason I attacked DD’s claims is because I was proven wrong by DD is contradicted by DD’s statement concerning the nature of our previous disagreements.

Pretty ugly isn’t it?

I do feel for his potential embarrassment, and will offer several face-saving excuses.

1. That post was made under the influence of Ambien.

2. His account was hacked and a Russian bot posted that statement.

3. I have naked photos of his father in bed with Cleopatra as they discovered the New World together (hubba hubba) prior to Columbus and was blackmailing him into saying nice things about me.

Any further suggestions may be appreciated.

> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> @Left_Hand_of_Dorkness But hadn’t you already unsubscribed and bowed out?

Isn’t it a SDMB requirement that anyone who flounces away publicly must always return to make additional huffy points?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/905 "2021-05-12T15:08:48Z")

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Jesus. As I said, I’ve unsubscribed except from direct mentions. I’ve said what I’ve done. I know folks want to be cute, and believe me, you’re _adorable_, but don’t make it out like I’ve said anything else

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**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/906 "2021-05-12T15:18:35Z")

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All these posts and I still am not sure why the two of you are squabbling. Can’t we all just come together and unify under our shared core belief that DrDeth is a fuckin jackass?

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**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/907 "2021-05-12T16:27:05Z")

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I don’t get LHoD’s objections either. He’s been on the SDMB long enough to understand there’s bound to be disparity of opinions, and there’s other reasons to be pissed off at DrDeth than his opinions on D&D.

(I replied to Gyrate instead of LHoD so he wouldn’t feel like he had to reply to a thread he said goodbye to multiple times)

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**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/908 "2021-05-12T16:36:36Z")

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I’m not sure, either. A number of people have stated that it’s DD that’s being mocked and not his father but LHoD has his mind made up.

@IvoryTowerDenizen explained it really well, I thought.

I can agree with @Gyrate that we should unify under our shared core belief that DrDeth is a fuckin jackass. Works for me.

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**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/909 "2021-05-12T17:12:00Z")

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> [@TokyoBayer](#):
>
> I can agree with @Gyrate that we should unify under our shared core belief that DrDeth is a fuckin jackass.

I can’t get behind that.

DerDef is an fucken jakas.

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**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/910 "2021-05-12T17:13:14Z")

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Here’s the crazy thing about LHOD’s objection. The @DrDeth post linked in his OP features the exact same behavior that people are criticizing DD for in his posts about MacArthur.

Here’s DD claiming special knowledge about Dungeons and Dragons…

> [@D & D got woke and that's good because you should have all been playing that way (or not if you didn't prefer))](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-got-woke-and-thats-good-because-you-should-have-all-been-playing-that-way-or-not-if-you-didnt-prefer/933114/355):
>
> I met Gygax, played with Arneson once, and I have carried on a correspondence with many of the originals.

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**Author:** ![Enjoy\_Slurm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enjoy_slurm/32/3937_2.png) [@Enjoy\_Slurm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enjoy_Slurm)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/911 "2021-05-13T00:28:45Z")

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@Left_Hand_of_Dorkness do you prefer shrimp a la mode or @DrDeth’s spelling of the color purple?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/912 "2021-05-13T04:37:15Z")

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You’re alright.

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**Author:** ![omenran](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omenran/32/3318_2.png) [@omenran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omenran)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/913 "2021-05-13T07:25:56Z")

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> [@TokyoBayer](#):
>
> I have to admit that I have been hesitant to bring attention to **The Big Lie**

I have to admit that my big lie was thinking your user name was TokyoBa **k** er. My apologies to you and to any offended baked goods.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/914 "2021-05-15T02:30:22Z")

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> [@omenran](#):
>
> I have to admit that my big lie was thinking your user name was TokyoBa **k** er. My apologies to you and to any offended baked goods.

Anything I do is half baked so I think the baked goods should definitely feel insulted

I never did thank DrDeth for the compliment and it’s probably not the place or time now.

> [@Lance\_Turbo](#):
>
> Here’s the crazy thing about LHOD’s objection. The @DrDeth post linked in his OP features the exact same behavior that people are criticizing DD for in his posts about MacArthur.
> 
> Here’s DD claiming special knowledge about Dungeons and Dragons…

I don’t hang out in the game room, and the last time I played D&D was in high school decades ago so I wouldn’t have read the thread but I skimmed it now.

Interestingly, DD’s MO cuts across threads and topics.

> [@D & D got woke and that's good because you should have all been playing that way (or not if you didn't prefer))](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/d-d-got-woke-and-thats-good-because-you-should-have-all-been-playing-that-way-or-not-if-you-didnt-prefer/933114/403):
>
> How many times did you meet Gary?

It’s damn similar to one of his posts about his father and “Doug” where the claim of special insider knowledge trumps any reasoning or outside expert.

The funny thing is that LHoD would probably applaud a comprehensive dismantling of DD’s special connection with his buddy “Gary” if it were possible, even if it were to run into the same word count. It’s simply that LHoD isn’t interested in history but is passionate about D&D so the former is a “tedious wank-off” and the latter would be refreshing news.

Whacha gonna do?

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**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/915 "2021-05-15T02:55:00Z")

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> [@TokyoBayer](#):
>
> Whacha gonna do?

[Hulk Hogan]  
Whatcha gonna do, brother, when the @Left_Hand_of_Dorkness runs wild…on you?  
[/Hulk Hogan]

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/916 "2021-05-15T03:30:07Z")

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> [@TokyoBayer](#):
>
> The funny thing is that LHoD would probably applaud a comprehensive dismantling of DD’s special connection with his buddy “Gary” if it were possible, even if it were to run into the same word count. It’s simply that LHoD isn’t interested in history but is passionate about D&D so the former is a “tedious wank-off” and the latter would be refreshing news.

Not at all. I don’t give a shit whether he knew Gygax or not, any more than I give a shit whether his dad knew MacArthur or not. If his claim to know Gygax checks out perfectly, that doesn’t support his claim about the man’s racist status, because the thread wasn’t about Gygax’s attitude around buddies: it was about the cultural implications of his work.

The reason I found your posts so tedious is because they don’t matter (to me). If every jot and tittle in his story about how his dad knew MacArthur checked out, would you say, “Oh my goodness, I suppose FDR really _did_ know about Pearl Harbor in advance”? I certainly wouldn’t.

A claim of personal knowledge has an extremely small persuasive value. If you tell me, “I once served Bill Cosby a beer, and he was an excellent tipper,” I’ll likely believe you, and believe that Cosby was (at least on occasion) an excellent tipper. That’s not a subject on which I have any opinion, nor is the opinion of any consequence, so some random asshole online telling me a personal anecdote? May as well take it at face value.

But if what you’re saying is of any consequence or is in any way remarkable, I’ll discard it. Tell me (as someone once did) that Debbie Gibson beat you up and left you for dead? I’m not gonna change my mind about Debbie Gibson based on that. Tell me that Gygax wasn’t racist? Your personal anecdote is meaningless. Tell me your dad knew MacArthur and something something Pearl Harbor wasn’t a surprise? Fuck off.

And it beggars belief that anyone would have a different approach, would change their minds about anything of import based on some anonymous schmuck’s testimony.

So post awesome historical facts in threads about WW2, that’s great. Castigate DD for thinking an anonymous stranger’s claims about his dad will revolutionize the historical understanding of the war, cool.

But write ten million paragraphs picking apart the claim?

That shit’s tedious.

In anticipation:

1. BUT YOU FLOUNCED! Nifty. Not what I said, but cool. Sometimes if a person can’t think of anything clever to say, some half-related tired-ass smirking is the closest they can get, and I can’t begrudge anyone that brief glimmer of joy in this vale of tears–much less begrudge it to the sort of sad sack that’d engage in this sort of nonsense.
2. THE REST OF US FIND IT INTERESTING! Keen. Once I realized that, I dropped it. But people keep @ing me, so here I am.
3. THIS POST IS WAY MORE TEDIOUS THAN TOKYOBAYER’S EVER WERE! Almost certainly true. I’m boring the shit out of myself just typing it.
4. CAN’T WE JUST HATE ON HIM!!! Honestly at this point he’s said he’s gonna try to do better, so I’m not feeling the irritation I felt when I started this. If he keeps up with foolishness, I’m sure I’ll resume–but when he says his dad’s memories lack historical value, that feels like the end to me, for at least that bit.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/917 "2021-05-15T03:45:28Z")

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1. YOU DIDN’T ANTICIPATE DOPERS WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT REASONS THAN YOURS. This is the biggest enigma for me, because of your lengthy SDMB tenure.

I also can’t fathom why you would consider WWII history tedious. There’s no magic swords and dragons, but World War battles are real life “fate of the planet” struggles that inspired Tolkien and led to creation of the RPGs you love so much.

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/918 "2021-05-15T03:52:40Z")

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> [@Knowed\_Out](#):
>
> 1. YOU DIDN’T ANTICIPATE DOPERS WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT REASONS THAN YOURS. This is the biggest enigma for me, because of your lengthy SDMB tenure.

Uh, right. That’s why, when I realized other folks found it interesting, I bowed out. Folks keep after me, though, and because I’m a dumbass I keep explaining it to y’all again and again, as though this time you’ll get it.

> [@](#):
>
> I also can’t fathom why you would consider WWII history tedious. There’s no magic swords and dragons, but World War battles are real life “fate of the planet” struggles that inspired Tolkien and led to creation of the RPGs you love so much.

That’s not remotely what I said. WWII history is fine. Ten million sentences of it all in the effort of proving inconsistencies in some random asshole’s dad’s supposed war stories? That’s not interesting to me.

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**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/919 "2021-05-15T10:50:15Z")

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> [@omenran](#):
>
> I have to admit that my big lie was thinking your user name was TokyoBa **k** er. My apologies to you and to any offended baked goods.

I thought I was the only one. And it took me several _years_ to get the name right. I have to admit I’m kinda relieved by this news.

j

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/920 "2021-05-15T12:46:22Z")

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I have to say, this thread has turned into a really thorough pitting of **LHoD**! Bravo to whoever started it…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/921 "2021-05-15T13:01:01Z")

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I can’t let this stand.

WWI inspired Tolkien, not WWII so much. He fought in and nearly died in WWI. He lost many friends in WWI.

\*OK, back to your regularly scheduled pitting, \*  
_Nerd Out._

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/922 "2021-05-15T14:06:10Z")

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> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> WWI inspired Tolkien, not WWII so much. He fought in and nearly died in WWI. He lost many friends in WWI.

I said “World War” battles. I didn’t specify _which_ World War. Focus on the main point instead of quibbling next time.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-drdeth/933971/923 "2021-05-15T14:19:48Z")

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> [@Knowed\_Out](#):
>
> I said “World War” battles. I didn’t specify _which_ World War. Focus on the main point instead of quibbling next time

“I don’t understand why you don’t like WW2 history - an entirely different war loosely inspired something you do like” is a very stupid point, though, and I can’t blame @What_Exit for giving you the benefit of the doubt by assuming that wasn’t the point you wanted to make.

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