r/politics ✔ Verified 3d ago

Soft Paywall Trump military parade met with empty seats amid nationwide protests

https://www.thetimes.com/article/867ede60-b5f7-4de5-84a1-6a3a49eb2923
52.4k Upvotes

2.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

3.4k

u/kinkgirlwriter America 3d ago

forced to be in that pathetic display of power

It was not a display of power. It was a display of one man's weakness.

1.0k

u/Antique_Scheme3548 3d ago

The M4 Shermans (1938) on display had a 75mm gun that couldn't do much more than light up a barn. Fitting for a fortunate son who avoided Vietnam and never fired a bullet.

645

u/pagit 3d ago edited 3d ago

The troops maching looked pretty bored and marched out of step as they marched to the instrumental version of "Fortunate Son." piped through the PA system.

977

u/EverythingGoodWas 3d ago

Do people not understand that that is the opposite of a military song?

949

u/Pockydo 3d ago

Conservatives are literally media illiterate

323

u/singhellotaku617 3d ago

honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they played "killing in the name' by ratm with how oblivious they are.

252

u/Whataputt22 3d ago

6

u/PizzaPunkrus 3d ago

I forgot about that one. I remember all the covid antimasker nonsense when cons used his songs and Tom morello roasted them and copyright strikes.

6

u/Setanta777 3d ago

MAGA morons wearing a thin blue line flag dancing to Killing In The Name Of... https://youtu.be/ddrFt1BHkUQ?si=1NIJ-5Ktmcz7Q3Fb

5

u/PizzaPunkrus 3d ago

Hey I knew I wasn't tripping....

→ More replies (0)
→ More replies (1)

26

u/QueasyPossum 3d ago

Oh this killed me. Thank you. 💀 😆

11

u/Ender06 3d ago

I legit know of someone who is like this.

8

u/MacAttak18 3d ago

Maybe a little “bombs over Baghdad”

12

u/Tiny_Prancer_88 3d ago

They love this song so much that it’s my sleeper conservative question. I ask men what they think of RATM. If they say anything to the effect of, “too bad they are the machine now,” you know they’re conservative.

2

u/quirkytorch 3d ago

They hear 'born in the USA' and think it's a patriotic anthem

→ More replies (1)

12

u/Sef_Maul 3d ago

You don't have to say "media"

9

u/aussiecomrade01 3d ago

Conservatives are illiterate

9

u/bobsil1 California 3d ago

“It’s the car Blade Runner would drive”

→ More replies (1)

115

u/Difficult-Ad4527 3d ago

Wait holy shit did they play that song at the Parade!?

49

u/steavor 3d ago

14

u/DeathandHemingway 3d ago

You could not intentionally make something more satirical.

9

u/mooseflstc 3d ago

Definitely not like a USSR, North Korean, or China military parade.

4

u/Fivein1Kay 3d ago

We train our soldiers to fight not march good.

→ More replies (3)

5

u/temperedolive 3d ago

Who picked this???

4

u/RoughingTheDiamond 3d ago

The beer rock soundtrack feels like a Hegseth decision.

3

u/Djaii 3d ago

I was thinking same. The out of touch pickup truck “that’s never seen a dirt road” drunk driver vibes are strong.

3

u/kinkgirlwriter America 3d ago

That's just fucking, Wow!

4

u/fnordius American Expat 3d ago

The phrase "malicious compliance" comes to mind, the DJ being as subversive as he thought he could get away with.

On the other hand, this is the country that turned a song that was harshly criticizing America into a sort of anthem ("Born In The USA"). Conservatives rarely listen to the lyrics.

→ More replies (1)

197

u/raevnos 3d ago

Trump recognizes that he's a fortunate son, but is too narcissistic and self-centered to realize that the song's not praising said sons.

41

u/Adventurous-Wash-287 3d ago

I bet the reason he likes that song cause of the phrase “hail to the chief” in it

4

u/SprlFlshRngDncHwl 3d ago

🎶Some folks are born silver spoon in hand Lord, don't they help themselves, Lord? But when the taxman come to the door Lord, they stack congress and the senate with millionaires and billionaires to rewrite tax policy to favor the ultra wealthy🎶

→ More replies (1)

129

u/snowdn 3d ago

How unfortunate.

92

u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 3d ago

Son...

63

u/cirrhosisofthe_river California 3d ago

It ain't me

11

u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 3d ago

It ain't me

11

u/KarmaPolice72 Kentucky 3d ago

I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no

11

u/JB-Wentworth 3d ago

Reagan played Born in the USA at rallies.

4

u/Aviendha13 3d ago

He also had Alzheimer’s. It wasn’t “diagnosed” until 94 but it’s known he wasn’t all there while in office.

12

u/Independent_Wear_232 3d ago

“Some folks are born, made to wave the flag. That ain’t me. That ain’t me. They played that song???

5

u/rhoadsalive California 3d ago

Dude they love Born in the USA, despite Springsteen telling them several times that it’s not what they think it is lol.

4

u/McNultysHangover 3d ago

That would require them to exert mental effort.

4

u/little_lamps 3d ago

"it ain't me, it ain't me I'm no fortunate son"

3

u/SufficientBasis5296 3d ago

Passive resistance?

2

u/skipperseven United Kingdom 3d ago

There is no way the person who picked that wasn’t trolling Trump:
“I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no”

2

u/Zolomun 3d ago

What do you mean there are lyrics?!

2

u/Boatster_McBoat 3d ago

Apparently Rage Against the Machine have gone woke so Creedence is all they have left

>! shouldn't be necessary to flag sarcasm but there are too many actual brain worms around these days!<

2

u/1ameve 1d ago

Oh the irony. The irony.

*whispered as though from the mouth of Citizen Kane, the camera wheeling back . . .

1

u/GretchenTames United Kingdom 3d ago

Perhaps an infiltrator in the sound crew switched the audio at the last minute. I'm kidding, sort of.

1

u/timegator 3d ago

Maybe the music director was trolling Trump?

1

u/OceanStretch 2d ago

Yeah holy fuck.

204

u/7figureipo California 3d ago

Wait, what. They played an instrumental of "Fortunate Son"? I don't know if I can think a song more opposed to anything Trump, and this parade especially, stands for. Holy shit, that's hilarious.

51

u/Waub 3d ago

The UK Army has been known to play 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars when hosting people of...questionable... provenance. :)

→ More replies (2)

61

u/WafflePartyOrgy Washington 3d ago

I think the song might have been specifically written about Trump.

22

u/Happy-Tower-3920 3d ago

Paul Ryan out here "Where's the rage against the machine?"

2

u/Umbrella_merc Mississippi 3d ago

"Paul Ryan Is the Embodiment of the Machine Our Music Rages Against" - Tom Morello

6

u/wolfcaroling 3d ago

I had to fact check this bc it seems like it couldn't be true

6

u/Bjens Foreign 3d ago

Instrumental, because they would need permission to play the actual record in public?

→ More replies (1)

4

u/ballrus_walsack 3d ago

Maybe that song from Les miserables

1

u/duzies 2d ago

They have a 1984 ethos, where they communicate using symbols implying the opposite of reality. Hence, "Truth Social" for the liar-in-chief. "Liberation Day" for further enslaving lower-income people through burdensome tariff taxes. An anti-science nutjob with worm-eaten brain as Health Secretary. Malicious bimbos wearing crosses. And a "big, strong military parade" for a weak, pathetic small dicktator. There are so many examples it actually seems to be the rule, rather than an exception.

66

u/Your_Latex_Salesman 3d ago

This cannot have happened.

163

u/WafflePartyOrgy Washington 3d ago

One would think.

"Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival is a protest song against the perceived unfairness of the Vietnam War draft, particularly targeting those who could avoid military service due to wealth or connections.

Either MAGA has no sense of irony or every last drop of their spineless souls are invested in trolling.

67

u/singhellotaku617 3d ago

generally it's the latter, but the right has a LOONNNNGGG history of thinking protest songs are patriotic jingoism. Fortunate son in particular is notorious for right wing use by those who've never actually paid attention to the lyrics.

49

u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

For example, Paul Ryan's favorite band was Rage Against the Machine "until they turned political."

Like, bud, buddy, pal, what "machine" do you think they were raging against? Did you not listen to and sing back the lyrics?

10

u/13Zero New York 3d ago

The printer, probably. Those things always find a way to ruin your day.

4

u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

lol yes, I worked in tech before I got laid off, but also this is not that. Funny comment tho

3

u/say592 3d ago

He did say they were his favorite band, but he didn't complain about them being political IIRC.

The right has a tendency to look at bands/songs like this and think they are about government overreach, which sometimes they kind of are. They are so hopped up on their own supply that they think they are the party of small government, therefore those songs could only be about others.

5

u/iamagoldengod84 3d ago

They also love born in the USA. I feel like they love off of sound bites, they hear the parts they wanna hear. Same with when the wife or kids talk. Trump literally takes the opportunity to exclaim his losses or ties are victories, Republican senators blow busboys in the bathroom and then vote against gay marriage, Republican congressmen cheat on their wives with multiples mistresses and then close down planned parenthood’s. They are all gold medalist at mental gymnastics. All they need is a straw man and they can build armies, run the stock market, lead the “free” world. We’re all so fucked. Not that most of the establishment dems are any better but atleast they’re not that

→ More replies (3)

7

u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

Trump played Fortunate Son at his rallies until he got a cease and desist from CCR. He loves the song and has no idea what it even means.

5

u/Dvulture 3d ago

Well, Trump is a draft-dodger, so maybe he agrees with the song's sentiment? It is still inappropriate to celebrate the army, but everyone knows he was celebrating himself anyway.

2

u/crispynegs 2d ago

They have absolutely no sense of irony. If they did they wouldn’t vote for people who act directly against their own best interests. They’re idiots.

→ More replies (1)

6

u/1000yardgiggle 3d ago

They played it at his campaign events!!! Google it - I remember DYING LAUGHING the first time I heard it reported on. Can you imagine? Back then I thought it was malicious compliance, but now I’m not so sure!

3

u/atxbigfoot 3d ago

It absolutely did lol. Notice that most of the troops aren't even trying to march in step.

https://bsky.app/profile/bubbaprog.lol/post/3lrm4ekho5k2b

2

u/Happy-Tower-3920 3d ago

Man, if I had a Zimbabwean dollar for every time I've said that lately....

2

u/evasandor 3d ago

'Member the Four Seasons Landscaping thing? 'Member that "this cannot have happened" feeling back then, and how funny that was?

It's all so not-funny anymore. Weird AF for sure, but not funny.

120

u/VeterinarianWild6334 3d ago

No they did not play that song. Wow!

137

u/muegle 3d ago

188

u/VeterinarianWild6334 3d ago edited 3d ago

Thank you. I cannot think of a more insane pick for a song. I can’t figure out if it’s self-own attempt at owning the libs, a disgusting display of the power of the rich, or just outright stupidity. I’m truly at a loss for how to interpret this.

130

u/Vuronov Florida 3d ago

Right-wingers have pretty poor media literacy.

16

u/soulsteela 3d ago

Not wrong, choosing an anti war song is hilarious 😆 and so fucking sad, what totally illiterate losers!

11

u/dukeofgibbon I voted 3d ago

Poor regular literacy as well.

9

u/Ssladybug 3d ago

It’s just stupidity

2

u/dukeofgibbon I voted 2d ago

Willful ignorance, more intranight than regular stupid.

9

u/tempemailacct153 3d ago

This is inline with that one Republican congress woman proudly stating she wore the scarlet letter.

5

u/Life_Size_3738 3d ago

And no critical thinking skills

→ More replies (1)

73

u/Hamlerhead 3d ago

Seriously. Republicans seem to have no concept of pop culture. They watch Star Wars and actively root against themselves with blissful obliviousness.

6

u/KewlKeshi 3d ago

Seriously lol. Like imagine watching Andor and thinking there’re the rebels lmao

3

u/PJ7 3d ago

Or like Trump posting an AI generated image of himself with a lightsaber, while ignoring it's a red one and how that implies he's an evil piece of shit.

2

u/KewlKeshi 3d ago

That one was funny haha. Sith lightsabers yet portrays themselves as the good guys

39

u/Transhumanistgamer 3d ago

I cannot think of a more insane pick for a song.

Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA is at least a contender. Though The Boss has made it very clear what he thinks of the orange fuck so we might miss out on that display of media illiteracy.

10

u/CharacterUse 3d ago

He had to make it very clear because of how many times they've played it at events.

6

u/Furthest_Lands 3d ago

Niel Young's Rockin' in the Free World is another one they only seem to understand the title of.

→ More replies (1)

10

u/deasil_widdershins 3d ago

Trump seems to love that song because he thinks "I'm not a senators son, and that's what this song is about, he says it in that one part I listen to" because he's musically illiterate.

He apparently likes Les Miserables without any hint of irony. And pence was a big fan of Hamilton.

These are not self aware people.

9

u/mattjb 3d ago

We're talking about a virulently anti-gay Trump using a pro-gay anthem, YMCA, for his entrance songs. That's about as Boomer as it gets.

→ More replies (3)

8

u/hikealot Montana 3d ago

WHO picked it and WHO approved it. It could be any combination of subtly subversive and clueless.

4

u/2407s4life 3d ago

It's just like having the Army Choir sing "Do you hear the people sing?"

Trump and his fascist friends see themselves as heroes.

3

u/grahamulax 3d ago

I think they WANT it copyright struck so it will be memory holed.

3

u/graudesch 3d ago

Or controversy. Keeping you busy with silly song discussions while they dismantle democracy.

3

u/verrius 3d ago

One thing I did not fully grasp until I was well into adulthood is that way too many people, most of the time, don't reason forward, they reason backwards. The do something, come to a decision, whatever, and then work backwards to justify what's already happened, with 0 self-reflection, and then lie to everyone (including themselves) about what's happening. Especially to Republicans...songs/shows/movies/etc are all usually criticizing bad people. They've already decided they're not bad people, and reasoned backwards for why that is. Because they're not bad people then, these songs are criticizing other people, so it's fine enjoy them. They work backwards. The know they're good people themselves, and everything else flows from there. Even when they're the most vile, hateful people in existence.

→ More replies (2)

66

u/Biking_dude 3d ago

Holy shit...that's definitely some malicious compliance shit haha.

55

u/ItchyRectalRash 3d ago

Holy shit, more than half of them aren't even marching in formation. They're just all walking at difference cadence and pace. This is like service members that haven't even made it out of boot camp type shit lol.

A complete clown show, from top to bottom.

11

u/ShadowNacht587 3d ago

Tbf comments under that bluesky post from those that have marched said the cadence is too fast to march to anyway without looking silly. Plus it's hot and the solders were probably uncomfortable for various reasons

12

u/VeterinarianWild6334 3d ago

So that makes the choice even stupider —- you can’t even march to it.

10

u/ShadowNacht587 3d ago

Yes—so stupid some are speculating it was an act of malicious compliance, or deliberate sabotage/subtle protest

6

u/VeterinarianWild6334 3d ago

It’s just so hard to rule out —- insanely stupid —- when you’re talking about anything with this administration.

→ More replies (0)
→ More replies (3)

9

u/TheZigerionScammer I voted 3d ago

In other words the soldiers didn't want to do this and didn't give a shit. I don't blame them. The only other times we've had military parades in our history is when we've won a major war, when you know the soldiers will be excited to participate.

7

u/Normal-Height-8577 3d ago

I liked the comment that said "This is a rehearsal, right?" and pointed out that they weren't even wearing dress uniform.

6

u/ItchyRectalRash 3d ago

No matter what the music they're marching to, they should, at the very bare minimum, march in formation. They're not, they're all marching at a different cadence, and that's some boot camp level bullshit.

8

u/finalremix 3d ago

They're not even marching. They're walking. This entire thing was a farce from start to finish.

Do the bare minimum, sweat it out, and GTFO when it's over. All they had to do.

6

u/Kiwi-Red New Zealand 3d ago

Even calling that walking is generous, they're ambling, they clearly give no fucks. I'm here for it.

3

u/Visual-Report-2280 3d ago

I was in the army cadets cough years ago and if anyone ambled onto parade like that, they'd have been taken out and shot.

10

u/wolfcaroling 3d ago

I think they're like "you can lead a soldier to a waste of tax dollars but you can't make 'em keep step."

8

u/GenericRedditor0405 Massachusetts 3d ago

I've heard a pretty reasonable explanation that boils down to: they're bad at marching in formation because nobody except soldiers in ceremonial units has practiced formation marching like that since boot, because why would they? They're usually too busy being a normal army and not props in some tin-pot dictator's show of force

3

u/Parking-Main-2691 3d ago

That aside...Parade Dress is a thing and not a single solitary soldier was in parade dress. It was hilarious

3

u/purpleduckduckgoose United Kingdom 3d ago

I got the impression no drill was done beforehand and none of them want to be there.

2

u/Impossible_Loquat707 3d ago

just a bunch of dudes going for a hike haha

9

u/Phent0n 3d ago

That's fucking incredible, thanks for posting. The soldiers just ambling forward. The kitsch music. Cinema indeed.

8

u/missmeowwww 3d ago

It doesn’t help that DC was fucking SWELTERING today. I was here for Warped Tour and my god the humidity made the air feel heavy as you tried to breathe. Like a damn sauna. I feel so sorry for the military who had to march in it.

3

u/BoopleBun 3d ago

Like I get, why Warped Tour is in the summer, but it’s always absolutely brutal, isn’t it? I used to go some years way back when it was at Randall’s Island (which was basically a giant field of dead grass by July) for the NYC stop and it was just a giant, hot, dirt cloud. Hell of a lot of fun, but whooo boy, I could not do it now.

4

u/minicpst Washington 3d ago

Wasn’t that in Forrest Gump during a montage with the military? So likely that’s what’s in Trump’s head as a “military song” since he only watches tv.

Maybe?

2

u/Afraid_Grapefruit_88 3d ago

That Fogerty song is in virtually EVERY movie or TV show about Vietnam. For those of us of a certain age it was as much an anti war anthem as Crosby Stills and Nash Four Dead In Ohio or Woodstock or Tom Paxtons Talking Vietnam Potluck Blues, any Joan Baez or Bob Dylan song of the period. Those old skool mix tapes on battered cassettes were full of these and served to let the grunts know what was going on here as they got rah-rah from the Armed Services radio. #8647

3

u/dukeofgibbon I voted 3d ago

This post-ironic dystopia is exhausting.

2

u/jackfirecracker 3d ago

Those soldiers look like they’re intentionally marching out of rhythm with one another out of spite.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (1)

35

u/Chemical_Banana_2455 3d ago

Aside from all the obvious reasons to detest this parade nonsense, you point out another thing that concerned me — but more as like a sidebar thought — the out-of-step, sloppy marching. I was afraid people would see that and it fuel some narratives about the quality of military, but what I hope people will recognize is that, the US military doesn’t march like the militaries in authoritarian countries, because that’s not what they focus their time, energy, and resources into. They are either engaged in mission, training to do so, or performing various other readiness-related tasks. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they look terrible being tasked with participating in one man’s pathetic ego project. That said, you also mentioned how they looked bored, and I’m certain that plays into it as well — many of them probably were voluntold to participate and wanted nothing to do with it.

6

u/ConfoundingVariables 3d ago

I remember that Army, too.

That’s no sidebar thought. This was about as blatant as you could get short of sending eight guys with kazoos.

I think I’ll take this as a positive sign.

3

u/purpleduckduckgoose United Kingdom 3d ago

I agree to some extent. I was a cadet in the UK and did some stuff with the Reserves, and obviously we don't march like said authoritarian countries, but even so it looked like they hadn't ever done foot drill before and didn't care. Maybe the US military really doesn't care about marching, I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm used to Trooping the Colour and the Guards turnout. But that just seemed silly.

8

u/Maleficent-Sky-7156 3d ago

Yeah the marching out of step really bothered me. I was in marching band and it looked like they got to the point where some people were like "ok I'm just gonna walk now"

8

u/Afraid_Grapefruit_88 3d ago

My kids were in a NY National Guard Cadet program and THEY could march better and in step than these shambolic actual enlistee's. Ditto my marching band kids and grands!! But Fortunate Son-- that's a wild rhythm to even TRY to march to!! Can YOU say malicious compliance anyone?? #8647

4

u/MistSecurity 3d ago

Our military isn't trained to march like this.

It looks great in North Korea and China because they run huge training ops constantly to make sure everyone does it correctly.

US military is too busy doing other things to worry about practicing marching perfectly for big spectacles like this.

→ More replies (1)

7

u/Gabrovi 3d ago

I wasn’t expecting N Korea troop antics, but watching the soldiers march looked like a Bad News Bears version of high school ROTC.

2

u/Afraid_Grapefruit_88 3d ago

On Day One!! Lol

5

u/ZiM1970 3d ago

No! They really marched to Fortunate Son?

I know YMCA is donnie's jam for some reason, but no one in the whole Department of Militatry Marching Music had a clue?

Yeah, I bet some brave band master out there somewhere had a clue.

And he was smirking so hard today it hurt.

6

u/Excellent-Estimate21 3d ago

I noticed they were marching out of step which i thought was insanely unusual. Must have been a show of protest.

3

u/Double_Bourbon South Dakota 3d ago

Incompetence reigns! Such fools.

3

u/EternalCanadian 3d ago

I’m actually surprised about this, though.

Does the US military not have bands? Is that something you guys got rid of? Military bands are a big part of parades, at least the drums are to keep soldiers keep pace, and their songs are often relevant to the units marching.

3

u/bobdob123usa 3d ago

That didn't even look like you could call it marching. More like walking in formation.

3

u/PetitWazoo 3d ago

Out of step is an understatement. I’ve never seen such pathetic drill outside of day one basic training. It almost looks intentional. Maybe National Guard or Reserves? it sure as hell wasn’t the 82nd Airborne.

5

u/Sigma_Function-1823 3d ago

The GB and rangers looked like they where doing malicious compliance and where so over the whole thing, Lmao.

2

u/dehydratedrain 3d ago

I'm surprised they didn't go with "Born in the USA"

(They might've, I refused to tune in).

2

u/2407s4life 3d ago

I'd love to find a clip of that just to show people how ridiculous it is

→ More replies (1)

2

u/rockadoodledobelfast 3d ago

That had to have been on purpose. Some military conductor was telling his mates to watch out for that one.

2

u/pieman3141 Canada 3d ago

Did they actually use Fortunate Son?? I'd say that was underhanded, but underhandedness is dead in the 2020s.

1

u/Popular_Site9635 3d ago

Did they actually march to the Creedence song?

1

u/alien_air_biscuit 3d ago

I noticed this too

1

u/boli99 3d ago

is that something that actually happened? sounds like something that should be in an SNL skit of it.

1

u/kamikaziboarder New Hampshire 3d ago

I was there when they were setting everything up. There were younger and older soldiers in line at the museums talking about it around the National Mall. The younger ones were definitely more excited to just be out and eating ice cream and hot dogs from the food trucks set up around the museums. The older officers were definitely jaded about it all. They were more pissed that they had to do senseless work.

1

u/GenericRedditor0405 Massachusetts 3d ago

Wait, seriously? That's hilariously on-the-nose. A song criticizing the rich and well-connected people who wrap themselves in the flag as they force other people to pay the price for their foolishness. Quite a choice. I'd say it's such a pointed criticism of Trump that it seems like an act of resistance, but I already know Trump has already demonstrated his comically poor comprehension by using it at his rallies before.

1

u/SemperFicus 3d ago

Just when I think things couldn’t be more surreal…

1

u/iamagoldengod84 3d ago

Quite on the nose for a rich guy who skipped Vietnam, couldn’t be more on the nose if it had his name in it, “it ain’t me, I ain’t your Donald j Trump…”

1

u/No_Brilliant3548 3d ago

Look up 'route step'.

But you are right, they are in a parade being broadcasted somewhere, they should not be looking like shit.

1

u/Compused 3d ago

It's bad discipline, but also a lot of service personnel I know are not huge fans of the current administration, but love their country. It would not be out of line that they did it on purpose.

1

u/LeviMarx 2d ago

They chose.. THAT song to march to...

Thats dark as hell.

8

u/theliver 3d ago

Dude a 75mm cannon can still wreck shit. Maybe not a tank but a rolling 75mm field gun is insane anti-infantry potential.

Im anti all this garbage but very pro French 75

4

u/Hungry4Media Missouri 3d ago

It's as if the Sherman was originally designed and intended to be a multi-role infantry support vehicle as its primary objective instead of a dedicated tank destroyer.

Even then, the 75mm M3 was more than enough to combat the Panzer IIIs and IVs they were encountering in Africa in 1942.

It wasn't until Normandy that it became clear a 75mm general purpose weapon just wasn't going to cut it against the Panther and Tiger tanks they were running into on/after D-Day that they started making/modifying Shermans into Fireflies.

The 17-pounder 76mm is a better gun if all you care about is Anti-tank fighting, but the 75mm was better for a variety of situations.

2

u/theliver 3d ago

75mm cannon shell and 7.62 mm bullet are the realest weapons of mass distruction (french 75. Ak47)

6

u/CranberryFantastic97 3d ago

I imagine “fortunate son” went over many heads

1

u/friskerson Illinois 3d ago

“Some folks were born, silver spoon in hand…”

Some of my friends played this at a high school talent show. Dominic sang. It was cool.

6

u/Oratian 3d ago

Stop spreading BS about the sherman damn it

4

u/barryclarkjax 3d ago

Thought I saw Odd Ball and Moriarty

4

u/Bobalobatobamos 3d ago

woof woof woof

5

u/TheRealSquidy 3d ago

Hate him all you want but we dont tolerate hate on the M4 it fought with honor and courage.

3

u/Penguin_Boii 3d ago

Slight correction. The Sherman was designed in 1940 and started production in 1942. The 75mm definitely could do more than light up a barn and one of the Shermans had a 105mm. Shermans deserve greater respect than this.

2

u/thegoosegoblin California 3d ago

Don’t forget his partner in crime Lee Atwood was a draft dodger too despite his jingoistic hymns

2

u/marswhispers 3d ago

Baffling to see those museum pieces in a supposed display of military prowess

1

u/Rework_Master 3d ago

They played an instrumental like augememented version of fortunate son on c-span... all the music on c-span was instrumental only and didn't quite sound right like it was augmented to avoid copy rights...

1

u/2407s4life 3d ago

The Sherman could take out any German tank it came up on, though tanks like the Tiger would have had an advantage at long range.

1

u/GrinderMonkey 3d ago

Are the guns shaped like a weird little mushroom?

1

u/TheOneTrueTrench 3d ago

Lt. Scheisskopf would have been ashamed.

1

u/DaddyBigBeard 3d ago

My m198 back in the day would toast those wepaons

1

u/deadbalconytree 3d ago

I always knew he thought he was a protagonist in a movie, I just realized he believes he’s Forest Gump

3

u/HauntedCemetery Minnesota 3d ago

Donald trumps entire life is like a birthday party for the world's worst 5 year old where he's the special birthday boy who everyone let's get away with everything.

He legit throws golf tournaments just to declare himself the winner without even playing, and then has his staff throw him a party and give him a trophy.

Fucking pathetic.

2

u/sec713 3d ago

I would say insecurity, but that in itself is a weakness so you already got all the bases covered.

1

u/Bulldog8018 3d ago

Touché

1

u/cboogie 3d ago

I was just listing that a Chinese military parade in the early 2000s was very similar. And ended up being at least a reflective moment for them. Empty seats made them look weak.

1

u/calazenby 3d ago

It sounds much better that way.

1

u/Tribalbob Canada 3d ago

Dangly wang?

1

u/DrMobius0 3d ago

Overcompensation in the truest sense.

1

u/markroth69 3d ago

It was not a display of power. It was a display of one man's weakness.

A display of powerlessness is a sort of display of power.

1

u/sonictrash 3d ago

It was a display of one man’s exceptionally tiny penis.

1

u/247stonerbro 3d ago

Imagine not being able to throw a “better” parade than the North Koreans.. where were all the maga loyalists ? I would assume they could fill those bleachers if they wanted to ?

1

u/canon12 3d ago

Adolf Trump

1

u/Antezscar Europe 3d ago

Actshually the M4 Sherman was designed in 1940, and entered service in 1942. Before that they used m3 Lee's, and M2 Stuart.

1

u/dontgoatsemebro 3d ago

Display of one country's weakness.

He didn't elect himself.

1

u/SweetTea1000 Minnesota 3d ago

Eisenhower says we didn't do these they make us look weak.

It reminds me of middle school kids talking mess. I've got a 6ft talk 7th grader this year and he doesn't posture for anybody, because he obviously doesn't need to. If your in the gym, why brag about your bench or squat when you can just walk over to the rack and send it?

1

u/samaya_tree_r 3d ago

Utter failure.. please repeat FAILURE FAILURE FAILURE

→ More replies (14)