History leasons for Americans

I can't find the link now, but it seems some sections of American society are complaing that the Iraq thing has lasted longer then WW2.

Now, I'm no Richard Holmes but I don't think we invaded Iraq in 1999 did we?

 

No, but it didn't last 7 years either...1999.....

WW2 1939-1945 = 6years!

 

Ignore the yanks and there apparent lack of knowlege. Their war only lasted a few years, not the six in our history (Expecting incoming)

Besides just remind them that at least it has'nt lasted as long as the dreaded VIETNAM The official conflict is from '65 to '73 but they had advisors over there as early as '62/'63.

 

-The Actual Complaint from Anti-War groups is the Iraq War has lasted longer than US involvement in WWII.

 

Well for the yanks WWII lasted 3 years and 4 months (Dec 1941 - May 1945) and the war in Iraq has been ongoing for 3 years and 8 months (Apr 2003 - Dec 2006) so in effect, for them, it has lasted longer than WWII.

 

[pedant] If things such as the occupation of Greenland don't count as US involvement, then the protesters are correct, but if -as might be expected - involvement in the conflict does include that occupation they're wrong. Not by much, but.... [/pedant]

 

-First American killed in Vietnam was Ltc. A. Peter Dewey on Sept. 26th, 1945


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Peter_Dewey

 

Slightly harsh, I was speaking to an American friend of mine on this very subject recently, and he knew exactly how long World War 2 lasted.

Then again, his grandfather started his war by invading Czechoslovakia

 

-Your forgetting a little tiff in the Pacific

 

-by the way whats a History Leason?

 

I stand corrected LineDoggie. However I was lead to believe that American involvement didnt really take affect until after the French got there arrses kicked. I will have to check up on my history again.

 

Ooops you are of course quite correct Aug 1945 so in fact 3 years 7 months. Iraq war still longer....

 

Oh that thing in the Pacific was merely a small bout of fisticuffs.

 

Nooooo!

May 8, 1950, Secretary of State:

"The United States Government, convinced that neither national independence nor democratic evolution exist in any area dominated by Soviet imperialism, considers the situation to be such as to warrant its according economic aid and military equipment to the Associated State of Indochina and to France in order to assist them in restoring stability and permitting these states to pursue their peaceful and democratic development."

That included advisers and training to prop up the French in their war. And then bombers, military advisors and technicians. From 1950 to 1954, authorized US aid amounted to $1.4 billion and constituted 78 percent of the French budget for the war until they got completely pasted at Dienbienphu. (The CIA had helped the French airlift 16,000 men in and delivered supplies throughout the seige)

French are formally defeated and cue loads of dark plots around the Geneva Settlement that ends up in the creation of North and South Vietnam. US starts to get physically involved again in May 1956 sending 350 advisers and technicians to the South. And it all starts to build up towards the 1962 deployments.

So really the US have been involved on and off for 56 years.

(And it is all the fault of the French who kicked it off in 1857 by invading.)

 

Are we still at war in Iraq? I was under the impression that hostilities were concluded some time ago and we are now supporting the elected government.

As the US still has forces on the ground in Germany, if we use the same definition, then WWII still hasn't finished.

PB