Strange

W

wihu61

New member
One should not romantise this whole thing, don't you think?
Do you Americans know anything about this era in Europe?
You saved the western world though.

thanks for that

but that is a different story. Germany would love to have its royalty back,
America is a greater country.

A European.

Het was een interessante, belangrijke en kleurrijke periode, maar nu wel passé. Hoewel men de indruk blijft behouden dat het toen vaker zomer was, bij bijze van spreken "kornblumenblau, wie die Augen der Frauen beim Weine", om een lied uit de jaren 30 te citeren, een lied dat mijn ouders nog... enz. enz. (de jaren 30?)

You see, it is much more complicated than that!

:salute:
Nietwaar?
 
Do you Americans know anything about this era in Europe?
Click to expand...

Yes and I learn new stuff everyday! It is not mainstream education -- in fact I think we do a poor job in our education system about this period. Way too often anecdotes and conventional wisdom seem to hold sway over many academics. More modern social historians I think do a great job. I also think the British people have advanced the history of this era further than many continental historians! I simply love it. Sort of the end of a time of quality that was replaced by a time of quantity. I continue to be amazed by the population of this era. Being in the lowest social class must have really stunk -- my understanding grows daily.
 
I don't know for other countries, but in Holland people are very aware of the fact that it were the canadians that liberated us...
gr HW

And, sad enough many people think a pickelhaube has something to do with nazi's. I understand the mistake but still. The whole 2nd empire is quite unknown.
 
Hi Tony:

I read it, and, though I can appreciate the justifiable national pride that poured between the lines, the timeline of whys and wherefores leading up to U.S. participation in the 14/18 and 39/45 conflicts is, to say the least, complex.

Regarding the Great War, thrones and dominations were something we revolted against more than a century before. We were not obligated to the entangling alliances of Europe or needs of Empire, and a strong isolationist mood existed.

U.S. neutrality was hotly debated at the congressional level prior to the Lusitania. To my knowledge, no one has ever violated Swiss, Spanish, or Swedish neutrality, yet ours was "nullified" for aiding the allied cause.

Prior to a national declaration of war, some of us crossed the border into Canada to receive the King's Shilling. We also fought for the French and Italians, to name but a few.

The outcome of the First and Second World Wars were Allied victories, not U.S., something even the most benighted here would acknowledge.

However, it would be interesting to contemplate the globe circa 1945, or beyond, had we dedicated our foreign policy to isolationism and "Fortress America" in 1917.

In 1925, England, France, Russia, Italy, Yugoslavia, Poland, Romania, Portugal, Greece, and Belgian Congo owed the U.S. an estimated war debt of $17,604,128,085 (billions).

In terms of men, the U.S. suffered 320,518 total casualties in World War I (compared to Canada's 241,000). Granted, that number represents 8% of the total mobilized, whereas Canada lost 39% of her forces. However, as you said, we were only it for a few months.

We've done our share.

Chas.
 
Guys,

Is there something missing at the beginning of this thread; ie, has a post been removed? It feels like entering half-way through a conversation without knowing how it started????
 
Hi Mike:

Nope. It all began with the well-intentioned rhetorical regarding American comprehension of early 20th century Europe.

Chas.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top