You are probably correct that young Europeans don’t appreciate what was done for them during the war...
while really true this is really a difficult topic to discuss for especially for young “europeans”. First it´s hard to be “gratefull” for things that happend long before you or even your parrents have been born. i´m shure there are people left who have lived in this time who are gratefull because of that (i mean they shure appreciate the doings of the people of this time who actually fought for them). but since this is “europe” this is even more complex. you have to rember that not all europeans fought on the same side back in 1945. so take my country for example my ancestors (btw. i have never talked to one who has fought in personal) have been the “enemy” means that on your pic they where busy sitting in those bunkers shooting at the allied troops... so am i gratefull that i never have lived in this horrible times? yes definitely. do i regret that “we” lost this war? well after watching the history channel defintely no because i don´t want to be born in something like nazi germany. should i be gratefull and thank the allied for firebombing “my” city and killing my ancestors? i hope you get my point... it´s a little bit difficult here in Europe. So a general view here in europe is. This have been horrible times. STOP. as we now can all see it was totaly useless. STOP (even more useless because of the fact that most of the borders the people of this time have fought for have been voluntary erased long time ago (they only exist on paper anymore) so more or less most people died for “nothing” from a 2009 point of view). NEVER AGAIN. STOP
greetings
So a general view here in europe is. This have been horrible times. STOP. as we now can all see it was totaly useless. STOP (even more useless because of the fact that most of the borders the people of this time have fought for have been voluntary erased long time ago (they only exist on paper anymore) so more or less most people died for “nothing” from a 2009 point of view). NEVER AGAIN. STOP greetingsThat is an interesting perspective. Thank you. I wonder if those who have that general view also think it made no difference which side won the war.
Last summer I visited some cousins who lived in Normandy and Paris during the war. They don't share that general view you report but were grateful for the sacrifices made by others for their freedom. They experienced the war and the occupation personally, so it is understandable they might not feel the same about it as people who did not.
should i be gratefull and thank the allied for firebombing “my” city and killing my ancestors? i hope you get my point... it´s a little bit difficult here in Europe.
I understand your point very well. Should I be grateful that General Sherman's Northern troops killed one of my great-great-grandfathers during the American Civil War? Probably not.