Posted on 04/01/2008 3:16:51 PM PDT by wolf78
After decades of war-related silence and shame, Germany proudly celebrated a military hero last night, rolling out the red carpet for "Red" Baron von Richthofen.
The new attitude was on display as stars and celebrities, including British actor Joseph Fiennes, were due to gather for the Berlin premiere of a new film about the Baron.
It is set to mark a new departure for German war films, which usually reflect on the extremism, suffering and even lunacy of the Nazi era if they get made at all.
The Red Baron in contrast, portrays a brilliant and honourable military figure whose life and early death in combat Germans can celebrate without blush.
The film, which at £14 million is one of Germany's most expensive productions, stars Matthias Schweighoefer as the renowned pilot thought to have shot down about 80 Allied airmen in World War One.
It is based on a biography of the pilot published last year, which opens with him engaged in a dogfight only to pull out when he sees his adversary's gun jammed.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
“Pardon me, but Japan was at war with Germany by 1915.”
Yes, I remember seeing a picture of Japanese destroyers operating in the Mediterranean with British units during WW1 and thinking “how odd.”
Looking at all the facts, I think the Aussie infantry firing at the plane got him.
The original question was who had "official" credit for the kill, which Allied Command gave to Roy Brown. It has long been disputed, and I have stated directly that it's really anybody's guess as to who really fired the fatal round.
While I, myself, recognize the validity of the claims of ground fire, Allied Command, for some unknown reason, did not, officially awarding the credit to Capt. Brown. There, the matter rests, as far as I know, without a final real resolution, and likely to never be fully resolved to anybody's satisfaction, sans ballistics tests, which are likely to be impossible...
the infowarrior
I don’t think they can prove that.
It is my contention that a nation is justified in sinking ships of a country 1)that is sending munitions to a foe; 2)has broken diplomatic relations with it; and 3) is violating a blockade.
Actually, one can prove for certain that Brown did not get the kill. That doesn't diminish his valor at all, but it wasn't his kill. The wound that killed Richtofen would have killed him long before he landed if it had been inflicted by Brown's machine guns, and the angle is problematic. If Brown had fired the fatal shot Richtofen would have fallen out of the sky instead of landing his bird. Plus, the entry angle matches where he was when the Ausies opened up on him.
No, the Camel was conventional. Vickers and Farman had pushers early in the war. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/gbritain/raf_fe2.php The French had some as well.
I haven’t seen anything about Richtofen that indicates he would have filled Goering’s role in the Nazi government if he had lived.
It's undisputed that the ship was, at least, carrying over 4 million rounds of ammunition (.303, suitable for use in British machine guns, and purchased from Remington), over 1271 cases of 3 inch shells (4 shells per case) and other items of war. More here: http://www.lusitania.net/index.html
Wilson broke off diplomatic relations with Germany February 3, 1917.
And this meant it was OK to sink our merchant ships on the high seas?
Was it OK for the US Navy to fire on British blockade runners during the War of Northern Aggression?
Yep. My bad. I got it confused with the de havilland.
Do you side with America in any war?
“The PBS documantary said it was a .303 round, and the Vickers machine
gun used by the Aussie anti-aircraft troops near where he died were .303. “
Even though I cringe every time I recommend a product produced by
The Socialist Network Funded By Tax Dollars (compelled from me and
millions of others)...
here’s the link to the website for the NOVA episode in question:
“Who Killed The Red Baron?”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/redbaron/
Yes. Unlike you, I’m a fan of George Washington and his ideas.
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/washing.htm
So the first war America fought was A-O.K. with you.
Any others?
You sure seem eager to cede U.S. sovereignty to any an all who would claim it.
Why do you hate the Germans?
Thanks! It’s worth noting that Brown’s bullets were also from a .303 Vickers, but the angle and timing confirm ground fire.
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