JOHN WAYNE won World War II. Everyone knows that — except for the millions of people across the globe who know or are related to one of the working-class men and women who perished in the conflict.
 
But Hollywood has painted a picture of what fighters in the war looked like, including what colour and nationality they were. The fact is not all of the fighting against the Nazis and their Italian and Japanese allies was carried out by white people or fighters from capitalist countries — although, you would be hard-pressed to know that from the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings held in France last week.
 
Last month the organisers of the commemoration decided that President Vladimir Putin — or anyone else from Russia — would not be invited.
 
President Putin took part in the commemoration of the 60th D-Day anniversary in 2004 and again, 10 years later, for the 70th anniversary — but he was not invited to this one.
 
The USSR, of which Russia was a key part, lost around 25 million people in the fight against Nazi Germany. But even this until recently undisputed fact is now under challenge.
 
In fact, the Red Army caused 80 per cent of all WWII German military losses and themselves lost 30 times more people than Britain, France and the US combined.
 
The Red Army’s defeat of the Nazis at Stalingrad is cited by many experts as being the decisive turning point in World War II. Between 150,000 and 250,000 Germans are estimated to have died at Stalingrad.

For Nazis, Stalingrad was not the battle that exacted the highest death toll, but the psychological impact of the battle was immense and was decisive in winning the war. It occupied and depleted massive Nazi resources which paved the way for the eventual Allied victory.

Over half a million Soviet soldiers and civilians died in the Battle of Stalingrad, among them numerous civilians. But that clearly was not enough to be invited.