Sexism, Snobbery and Following Orders
Britain fell sadly short of completely laying down its stupidities with regard to sexism and snobbery during WWII, it just dialled them down a little and very few, even among the great, emerge from that time with spotless reputations. That we weren't invaded and subjugated was a very close run thing.
Gordon Welchman was initially treated shabbily on arrival at Bletchley, but still produced work of vital importance. Yet he indulged in terrible snobbery towards Tommy Flowers, an inspired electronic engineer who similarly made vital contributions, simply because Flowers was from a lower class background and was educated through years of night school rather than Oxbridge.
Stanley Spencer, War Artist, "followed orders" very well indeed when the large numbers of women welders in the photographs he took and had taken of shipyard work vanished almost entirely, reappearing in his subsequent paintings as men.
Dowding, whose masterful strategy enabled the RAF to win the Battle of Britain by the skin of its teeth was treated with the utmost shabbiness, never properly recognised for his achievement and replaced with self serving careerists.
All the while, millions died to avert a great evil.
Great evil abounds today, yet few are even willing to recognise it, or speak truthfully about it. Many who comment seem happier to score a point against their opponent by telling a lie than a truth.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
