Where do I start?.
1—It IS a ridiculous film, great fun, but gets just four main bits right.
2—Gallipoli?. You mean the battle where more British and French died than Aussies and Kiwis?. Don’t forget the Kiwis, the Aussies have. They have tried to wipe everyone else out of the battle. As for the film, great film, but again historically biased. It has the Brits sitting drinking tea at Suvla Bay, when in fact the British were getting slaughtered.
3—The Patriot was equally dreadful historically (and not a patch filmically on Braveheart).
4—You DO realise how stretched the British were in WW2?. How we were fighting literally for our lives and country?.
BTW, the British warned Australia in 1937(!) that the couldn’t defend Australia solely, and told the Aussies to start doing more for themselves ie build planes and ships. The Aussies did nothing. They just ignored the UK warning, which makes the complaints of the last 70 yrs so hollow and hypocritical.
The ANZAC countries had a lot less people to lose; their losses hurt more (as Canada’s did on the Western Front).
“The Patriot” was loosely based on real historical events in the southern theater of our “War of Kicking Britain’s Ass”.
Britain was stretched defending an empire; they could have easily defended the island itself.
Australia probably thought at least they’d have their troops available for their defense; their complaint is that they weren’t even afforded that much.
I have always enjoyed reading your perspective on historical events, Mr. Scotsman, thank you for your posts.
Ed