OTTAWA – Veterans Affairs has announced it will be screening all of its material for any historical errors after the department mistook Spartans fighting their Persian enemies at the Battle of Thermopylae as Canadian soldiers fighting in the Normandy Campaign.
“We are truly sorry for the historical inaccuracy and for portraying Canadian General Harry Crerar as Persian King Xerxes,” said a representative from the minister’s office in a written statement. “We will ensure that our commemoration to vets features the right side, place, and millenia.”
The minute-long series of still images and video clips showing the 1944 Liberation of France were accidentally replaced with hoplites and scenes from the 2006 American historical action film 300.
Sharp-eyed military historians immediately flagged the video claiming the D-Day amphibious landing craft was, in fact, Greek triremes.
“These historical eras can be confusing as the Canadian military still uses some equipment from 480 BC,” added the statement.
