I spent 10 of my 20 years in the Army stationed in Germany. I know a little about how Germans feel about us. My vote would say 90% of them hated us. They were glad we were keeping the Soviets out, but would rather we had done it from the eastern side of the wall, not the western side. They wanted us out. WE were a reminder of their stupidity of Hitler, and losing the war to what they felt were inferior peoples.
Sure.
And they’re entitled to their feelings, and opinions. They were polite about it. There were some shopkeepers in town that would not speak English, regardless of how everyone here would say you don’t need to know German, everyone speaks English. Near base, these locals would not.
And I wish people here in Texas would do the same in regard to our native language-English, that is.
I learned German, and I mean I studied it and spoke it. They were very nice and polite to me, but I didn’t change anyone’s mind about Americans. I was simply a good ambassador, whatever that was worth.
Americans want everyone to like them or to treat them that way. But how would we like it if the Germans moved in on us, under those circumstances?
I wish we’d be a lot more that way toward the foreigners who are invading under illegal circumstances.
The French? Why should they be required to like us?
I guess people don’t like the French because they don’t feel the need to approve of us or like us. When I visit there, I have that attitude and I speak French, Not very well, but...so they’re polite to me. and I like France, but I’m told that I’m not supposed to do so.
Interesting, the Germans do have feelings, as you say , of some kind of embarrassment. Some old people, when I was there reminisced fondly about Hitler. Weird.
The young people Hated Bush, as if they have the right to an opinion about our leader. Did they wish to catch us being stupid about a leader and believe all the anti Bush Propaganda? If that’s the case, they are missing the mark, leftists that they tend to be. Hitler’s tactics were not right wing, they were leftist. Obama is the comparison.