Such re-making of history for a particular audience is actually quite common, here is a nice example from a non-military genre:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1675434/

Speaking of history that tends to get buried, how many people know that the Canadians burned down the White House during the War of 1812?

I don't think that's correct. British Regulars redeployed from the Napoleonic Wars burned down the White House. But if you're referring to the fact that it it was largely in retaliation for the sack of York (now Tornoto) by the Americans, then you'd be correct.

That's not to diminish Canadian achievements in the war; they seriously mauled American attempts at invasion and held Detroit at once point. Canada was very much a British colony at this time, and was just beginning to form a sense of national identity (of which the was would play a large part.)

Glad all that mess is behind us. =)

> and held Detroit at once point

Too late to give it back? :)

Canadians? Or the British?

Yes.

There is a story that the white house was actually burnt by some of the many former slaves who fought with the brits/canadians. It sounds too fanciful to be true, but freed slaves were there and would have participated in the burning/looting of DC.

Anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes in the company of Canadians.

There's a song about that...

In America, pernicious, thin-skinned, militant P.C. is widespread. Seinfeld no longer plays American colleges because of it and Bill Mahar opines often as well.

In too many "retail" universities, there needs to be more fracturing of groupthink and expanding of thought and expression, not bikeshedding on edge-case, perceived "offense" to shout down a well-meaning and -intentioned joke.