# Oi, Hollywood! Americans did NOT win the Battle of Britain **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 1, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111 "2006-09-01T19:35:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/81 "2006-09-04T15:58:04Z")
This is why Jews can’t be Ninjas! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/82 "2006-09-04T16:04:17Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] “The Philadelphia Story”, which may or may not be a war movie) [/QUOTE] It’s both a war story AND a [pirate](http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/barb-war/capt-phl.htm) story! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/83 "2006-09-04T16:10:27Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Oh yeah…what about Wonder Woman…huh? [/QUOTE] As American as a Cross Your Heart Bra. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/84 "2006-09-04T16:18:06Z")
As an aside, may i say, "Thank goodness for CGI. Hollywood technicians have been able to reveal so much more detail in their re-enactments of historical events. I had no _idea_ animal species communicated and cooperated so well together, so long ago, until seeing “Ice Age”. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/85 "2006-09-04T16:27:57Z")
Yes, you may. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/86 "2006-09-04T16:59:43Z")
To be fair, regarding **The Great Escape** , readers of Paul Brickhill’s book (upon which the film was based) know that Americans _were_ in Stalag Luft III along with the British (there were Poles and other nationalities there as well). the Germans apparently thought the Americans and British would be at each other’s throats, which would make planning and executing any escapes that much harder. they were wrong – the Americans got on very well with the British, and were involved in all escape activities (although not in any key positions I’m aware of – that’s an invention of the script, probably to make American viewers feel good.) In fact, they got on so well together that the Germans felt compelled to separate them and move the Americans off to their own compound shortly before the Big Break. There was some talk in the “X Organization” in the camp about speeding things up and having the break early, so that the Americans would be able to share in the fruits of their labor, but it was voted down as far too risky. So no Americans were involved in the actual escape. Fortunately for them, as it turns out, since Hitler personally signed an order to have a number of them shot after recapture, which was definitely against the Geneva Convention agreements. After the war they sought out those responsible for the shooting (besides Hitler) and put them on trial. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/87 "2006-09-05T01:12:42Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] Nope, that was McGuyver. Tom Cruise saved England, Tom Hanks freed France, after saving Africa and Sicily. I don’t know why the history books waste so much paper trying to complicate things. And let’s not forget that [Warren Beatty](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082979/) made Russia into a true Workers’ Paradise. And [Richaes Gere](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119994/) , albeit with the help of a beautiful Chinese lawyer, straightned out the Chinese justice system. In fact, we’ll never understand how we saved Iraq, until Hollywood figures it out and tells us. I thought [George Clooneu](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120188/), but [Jake Gyllenhaal](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418763/) lost again by his unmanly crying. [/QUOTE] Hell, remember when the entire 5,000,000 strong German army surrendered to [Gary Cooper](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034167/) to end WW1 on Memorial day? And he was a pacifist! And let’s not forget when the Germans [bombed Pearl Harbor](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077975/). :mad: amereka rulz, losrz drul!!111!!!1 However, our greatest shame came during the Japanese attacks on [Los Angeles](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078723/). Best we forget that one… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/88 "2006-09-05T01:27:17Z")
[QUOTE=cerberus] It’s not so much a US act of false aggrandisement, but rather the usual Cruise Protocol. [/QUOTE] Anyone else notice, during **War of the Worlds** (holy shit did that movie suck) that Tommy Boy was “The best crane operator on the docks”? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/89 "2006-09-05T01:30:35Z")
Yes, but the convention of the boss yelling “You’re my best guy!” as the employee is leaving predates WotW by decades. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/90 "2006-09-05T01:42:03Z")
I always think of Braveheart as a Hollywood movie - if it isn’t who is responsible for this piece of revisionist history? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/91 "2006-09-05T01:53:06Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] Yes, but the convention of the boss yelling “You’re my best guy!” as the employee is leaving predates WotW by decades. 😉 [/QUOTE] Sure, but the convention of it happening in EveryFuckingTomKroozeMovieEver predates WotW by Tommy Boy’s first movie! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/92 "2006-09-05T16:11:15Z")
If it makes anybody feel better, David Lean’s [The Sound Barrier](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044446/) left the viewer with a mighty strong impression that it was a Brit who first broke the Sound Barrier on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/93 "2006-09-05T17:36:08Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Well, we definitely know that Tom Cruise helped the Shogun defeat the Emperor … or something. I can’t wait to see a movie in which it is shown how a previously unknown Chagatai mercenary and military genius (and a teen-aged girl!), who just happened to be travelling through the United states in 1865, was really responsible for Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Actually, I forgot the part in which she ran into Abraham Lincoln a couple of times, giving him cruicial advice on the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation. And the only reason that the war lasted so long in the first place was because of the key strategic advice given to Robert E. Lee by a pygmy warrior, who one day was chasing his pet dog and ended up in Richmond, Va. This is fun! [/QUOTE] Lord help me, I want to invest in these films! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/94 "2006-09-05T18:44:29Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] … FUBAR? [/QUOTE] It’s german. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/95 "2006-09-05T21:41:23Z")
[QUOTE=Waverly] You really aren’t going to like my new screenplay, in which John Travolta, playing Batman, leads the Americans to victory at Hastings in 1066. [/QUOTE] Oh, that is so damned wrong. Travolta? As The Batman? What, are you some sort of traitor? No, The Batman should be played by a _real_ American hero who can get the flavor of the times down perfectly. Like, say, Jackie Chan. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/96 "2006-09-05T21:53:02Z")
Thetans on a Plane! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/97 "2006-09-05T22:08:41Z")
Let’s see- IMDB sez: [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388940/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388940/) “Plot Outline: Tom Cruise stars in the true-life story of American pilot Billy Fiske, who ignored his country’s neutrality rules in the early days of WWII and flew Hurricanes against the Germans”. Seems to mirro history correctly so far. Wiki sez: > **[Billy Fiske](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Fiske)** > > William Meade Lindsley Fiske III (4 June 1911 – 17 August 1940) was an American combat fighter pilot and Olympic bobsledder. At the 1928 and 1932 Winter Olympics, Fiske won gold as driver for the US bobsledding team, also acting as the American Olympic flagbearer in 1932. > When World War II broke out in 1939, Fiske traveled to the UK and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, claiming to be Canadian in order to be permitted to enlist. He would participate in the Battle of Britain, befo... At the age of 16, Billy Fiske became the youngest American to win an Olympic gold medal while participating in the 1928 Winter Olympic Games. He was the driver of the U.S. Bobsled team, which was the first team to win a gold medal for the U.S. in that event. He repeated this success in the 1932 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. In 1939 he decided to attempt to join Britain’s Royal Air Force to help combat the Nazi advance across Europe. As the U.S. had not yet entered the war, Americans wishing to fight had to join the militaries of engaged countries. The RAF would only accept applications from British citizens, but Fiske was able to gain entry by filing false information claiming Canadian citizenship, and by working personal connections within the organization. He became Acting Pilot Officer Fiske on April 12, 1940, and 3 months later on July 12 he was assigned to No 601 Auxiliary Air Force Squadron at Tangmere. On August 11 he claimed the first probable kill, of a Bf 110 and on August 13 he claimed the probable kill of a Junkers Ju 88. On August 16, 1940 his squadron was scrambled to repel a German dive bomber attack against the Tangmere aerodrome. The mission succeeded and the German bombers were forced to retreat. However Fiske was severely burnt when his Hurricane P3358 crashed and caught fire while landing. Billy Fiske died a day later from shock at the Royal West Sussex Hospital in Chichester. Fiske was laid to rest in the Boxgrove cemetery in Sussex, England. In 1941, a tablet in his honour was unveiled in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London." So lets see- the youngest American to win an Olympic gold medal, which was the first team to win a gold medal for the U.S. in that event- and did it twice. Volunteered for the RAF when he didn’t have to. Perhaps shot down two nazi planes. Died in action. Honoured by the Brits themselves. OK, so where’s the part where they are 're-writing history"? :dubious: 😕 They already made the “Battle of Britain” giving the Brits full due, right? > **[The Battle of Britain (1969) ⭐ 6.9 | Action, Drama, History](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064072/)** > > 2h 12m | G ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111/98 "2006-09-06T00:46:53Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] OK, so where’s the part where they are 're-writing history"? [/QUOTE] Well, based on the reports in the linked article in the OP, rather than in the one-line synopsis from IMDb, the “re-writing history” would include having Churchill draft a plot to entice neutral pilots to join the RAF, claims that the U.S. volunteers were ever in anything resembling serious danger of being prosecuted for their actions, ands the omission of the point that the honors accorded Fiske were very much a part of British propaganda. (Yanks did eventually show up in sufficient numbers to form majority Yank squadrons, the Eagle Squadrons, later absorbed by the USAAF as the 4th Fighter Group, but that was long after the Battle of Britain.) Beyond that, if [del]Fiske[/del] Cruise is shown shooting down any single engine fighters, (particularly if more than one), it will be a serious re-write. Even showing a Bf-110 or Ju-88 actually crashing (as opposed to flying away smoking as Fiske breaks off the attack for whatever reason), will be a demonstration of “poetic license.” And the general theme that the Yanks played any significant part in the battle will definitely be a re-write. Several Yanks did participate and their individual efforts should be recognized and appreciated at the appropriate levels, but any more glory hogging that “we” won the war should be seriously resisted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oi-hollywood-americans-did-not-win-the-battle-of-britain/371111.md?page=4)