Post by ironman on Mar 15, 2005 15:14:24 GMT 1
Zecristo said:
Human conflict, be it on a personal level, or a war between countries, is always regretable, always leaves destruction behind, and generates no profit at all for those directly involved.In what concerns wars, no matter how insane or mindless political leaders who seem to take the decisions may be, the fact remains that the only ones profiting are the big industrialists involved in providing guns, ammunition, equipment, raw materials, food supplies, for the "war effort". Hitler would have never assumed political power if some german very big industrialists and Army and Navy high ranking officers hadn't help him with money and influence.
And rest assured there will be no peace on this planet until all good will people unite to rid it of that kind of people; permanently.
Portugal remained neutral during WW II by decision of our own dictator, Oliveira Salazar, which ruled along almost the same lines as Hitler, Mussolini, and others throughout Europe, and ,actually, by secret request from England based on the existence of an old Treaty between the two countries. In fact, it´s the oldest Treaty between two countries still in existence, at least in Europe if not the whole World.
The english thought that the portuguese wouldn't stand a chance against the Axis Powers (with the possible help of our neighbours the spanish whose dictator Franco was in debt with for their help during Spain's civil war back in the 1930's), and that they, english, were in no position (especially after France's surrender) to lend a hand themselves.
In short, there was a great risk around 1940 that Hitler would get the portuguese Azores Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Europe and America, and thus an invaluable naval base to pursue the submarine blockade on England and possible further action against the USA.
Nazi Germany had a plan for the invasion of Portugal codenamed "Felix", established by the Führer's nº 18 Directive.
Also the Allies prepared plans for the invasion of Portugal´s Atlantic Islands.
As it turned out, Oliveira Salazar not only succeeded in keeping Portugal neutral but, through diplomatic talks with Spain's Franco, seems to have contributed to keep Spain neutral too. This may have help to close Nazi Germany's and Fascist Italy's way into the Atlantic Ocean and further on to America.
In the end, the only warlike action in "portuguese" territory took place in another ocean, at the then half portuguese, half dutch, island of Timor.
It ocurred when japanese troops invaded the island in response to a movement of dutch and australian troops entering the portuguese side of the island to "protect" it. They ruled with some brutality and only left after Japan's surrender.
Life in Portugal was affected by the war.
There were shortages of some kinds of food and other supplies, because they were taken by the warrying nations.
On the other hand Portugal happily sold volframium (a somewhat rare metal which was used to make airplanes at the time) and canned fish to nations on both sides of the conflict.
Of course, (on european Portugal) no one was killed or lost property and there was no persecution of the jews (during WW II, although there was some of that a few centuries ago).
Portugal got in a war later in the 1960's over possession of colonies in Africa against various local liberation movements sponsored by both the USA and the USSR.
The final list of portuguese fatal casualties was about 5000 (I think) when the war ended after a military revolution in 1974 which brought a democratic regime and negotiations with the liberation movements for independence.
There are probably no accurate lists of casualties on the side of the liberation movements.
Land-mines were extensively used and even today there are many accidents involving mines from that conflict and from following ones in Angola and Mozambique between the factions supported by USA and USSR. Those last conflicts were only brought to an end by the turning of the century or shortly after.
The last vestiges of Colonial Portugal disappeared in or around the turning into the XXI century with the restitution of Macau to China after peaceful talks and the independence of Timor (now Loro Sae) from Portugal. However Portugal had no presence in Timor since 1974 because Indonesia, a country created from former dutch colonies including the western half of the island, decided to invade by order of the USA to prevent instalation of a "communist" regime. Timorese lived almost 30 years under a brutal occupation regime which ended with a bloodbath after an election about independence received 80% yes votes.
So don't go on wars.
Otherwise, someone like me will show up and write the story of your wars and if you start reading it you will never be able to finish.
Not on time for diner anyway.
As to the initial topic by Gen. Ironman.
I have what I think to be a very great number of documentaries (and a few movies) on the subject of war, some bought in shops, and some taped from TV.
One of these days I may publish a list.
Very few images in colour though.
Actually, many footage we see in documentaries in B&W were originally shot in colour but shown in B&W at the time (and even afterwards) in order precisely not to impress the public.
OMG!.....what a HUGH text, im getting dizzy looking at it..
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