Hi, newfag to Veeky Forums so I'm not too familiar with the board culture. Being American I'm not too familiar with the history of Western Europe in regards to the post ww2 era except as to how they directly relate to American interests.
One thing that has me curious is the topic of the history of American relations with Europe in the period following ww2. In modern times much of Europe appears to have a rather dim view of America and Americans and when I discuss such matters with them they tend to speak vaguely of our actions directly after the second world war.
Now I understand that relations between Europe and america was not perfect and there was a threat of the break up of the alliance many times during the cold war. I'm aware that there were times when we sided with third parties against the European powers and acted against a return to their former Imperial power. On the other hand we sent many volunteers and equipment to hep them hold their empire together, sent troops to ensure that any conflict between these states and the USSR would ensure American involvement, and we assisted in the rebuilding of Europe.
When I discuss this with Europeans, I'm given the impression we essentially just profiteered off them. Especially when I talk with French nationals. My understanding is that France had always been antagonistic with America after both world wars but I don't know the causes beyond our disagreements with how to deal with the USSR.
How much of mutual antagonism between Europe and the US is due to this history, and how much of it is due to revisionism due to the actions of modern America?
the world wars and then the following monopoly on manufacturing was pretty much where America got all its money from
Anthony Cruz
A little, but not being fucked with for a solid 70 years can do wonders for a country.
Dominic Stewart
But why did this result in the modern European's hatred of the country?
Ask a Frenchmen you'd think the Americans raped their way through their country.
I was talking with one a week back and they claimed that we pretty much exploited Europe completely during and after the war.
I understand the argument for the first war since while we were neutral we traded with both sides, but the latter war? My understanding is we gave a lot of support during and after at great cost to ourselves.
American education focuses only broadly on modern history unless you're taking a specific course for it so I'm not sure what events I am missing that cause such a kneejerk reaction with many Europeans.
Tyler Hill
From a European Biased perspective you could say:
America both profited greatly and gained power in relative and absolute terms from both world wars.
It can be argued the the US financially subjugated Europe after both world wars. Consider the Suez Crisis and US actions.
The current system in Europe is designed to benefit america, the early European Union was funded and supported by US agents. Decolonization was heavily pushed after ww2. America has near complete control over NATO. Of course all members joined 'voluntarily' (you never know what goes on behind the scenes.) but European nationalists often interpret NATO as a client system perhaps similar to Athens' Delian League.
Maybe some other things. Generally the negative view of Americans is a mixed Inferiority/Superiority complex. I.e. European power in all fields continues to decline in relative terms, while US power remains mostly stable. While in other terms Europeans claim a higher quality of life, which may not necessarily be true.
Also there is a high exposure to popular american culture especially accelerated via the internet. Americans can be thought of as stupid or outlandish because of various things like gun culture, obesity rates, corporatocracy etc.
I'm sure this topic is more complex than i've written it out as but these are some factors to consider.
Nolan Rogers
>Ask a Frenchmen you'd think the Americans raped their way through their country. Because they did.
Europeans are soibois, so you're going to see them chimp out always.
Ian Phillips
Here it is mostly about how you sold us (central and eastern Europe) to Nazis (Czechoslovakia, Munchen agreement) and then to Stalin.
Adrian Rodriguez
Through sorry, just remembered Munchen agreement was done by Bongs not you. We have more of a general dislike of the Wests attitude to us (first selling us to two totalitarian regimes then going all "why are these people poorer than us, is it because they're subhuman")?
Eli Kelly
Weirdly enough, Eastern Europe in many ways has a more positive view of Americans than Western Europe. Although that may be partly due to the Russians on one side and the EU on the other both acting as looming threats to their sovereignty.
Elijah Thomas
t. butthurt eurosocialist
Ayden Baker
This. Polls show that view towards Americans was a lot more neutral in the 90s.
Ian Jones
This.
The harm Bush and the Iraq War did to America, not just economically but also in terms of international reputation, is greatly underrated.
Most of the world, not just Europe, had an extremely positive image of America before the Iraq War.
I'm very much against our involvement in Iraq but desu, I blame the Democrats and their media lapdogs for this. You'll notice how nobody ever associates JFK with Vietnam or Obama with Libya and Syria's destruction. Every foreign entanglement undertaken by a Republican administration is remembered as horrific warmongering, and every one undertaken by a Democrat is somebody else's fault, (foreign adversary or a Republican who inherits the war). The extent to which the DNC has been in bed with corporate media since the 60's is honestly terrifying.
Connor Allen
Gaddafi gives up his chemical weapons and seems to be looking to better relations with us.
Obama fucking kills him and creates the Libyan shitshow, we gave him a Nobel Peace Prize. Seriously?
Chase Sanchez
Good post
Adrian Mitchell
The sooner you learn yuros are just perpetually butthurt about America, the better. They don’t actually have any genuine sentiments, they’re just desperately trying to search for any reason to feel superior to their masters.
