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American wars and change of history: Foes turned friends over time

Posted on 7/5/25 at 8:01 am
Posted by Artificial Ignorance
Member since Feb 2025
1424 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 8:01 am
What does it feel like to those who fought / families with veterans of war who fought a country, to have history change America’s relationship with that country to a friendly one.

Japan
Germany
Vietnam

You/your family made ultimate sacrifice, were wounded, gave your honorable military service to, friends and family alike…

Decades later to find American relationship with these same countries turn into a trade/friendly/ally relationship.

Historical change cannot be simply compared as if an apples to apples comparison.

However, curious what veterans and those whose families have experienced this think about the sacrifices they/their family made at that historical point in time to now find America in a positive relationship with the same country.

What do you think?
(Can only imagine what that WW2 vet would think of the “Japs” and America’s relationship w/Japan today).
Posted by SpotCheckBilly
Member since May 2020
8161 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 8:23 am to
Some WWII vets no doubt did have a problem with the Japanese, Many, if not most, realized that the war was over.

It's always that way, even with our own Civil War.
Posted by SoFla Tideroller
South Florida
Member since Apr 2010
38544 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 8:43 am to
When I was a kid in the 70s and Japanese and German cars were really starting to make a dent in the market there were several relatives and friends of the family who refused to buy them because of WWII experiences.
This post was edited on 7/5/25 at 12:46 pm
Posted by saturday
Pronoun (Baw)
Member since Feb 2007
7743 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 9:19 am to
Im still pissed at England. Those tea drinking bastards.
Posted by bigpapamac
Mobile, AL
Member since Oct 2007
22531 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 9:35 am to
Grandfather is a WWII vet and still with us. I know he’s happy that America has a good relationship with the Japs now, much better than the alternative of still being hostile and watching his grandkids go off to war.
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
69140 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 9:36 am to
quote:

Some WWII vets no doubt did have a problem with the Japanese


My grandfather was one of them.
Posted by Bestbank Tiger
Premium Member
Member since Jan 2005
78661 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 9:38 am to
quote:

Im still pissed at England. Those tea drinking bastards.


As an Irish Catholic, I agree.
Posted by soccerfüt
Location: A Series of Tubes
Member since May 2013
72545 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 10:15 am to
My dad was a WWII combat veteran. He went in as part of the occupation forces right after the Japanese surrender. Stayed there until 1947. Gained a real appreciation for Japanese culture and work ethic.

Came back to the US, GI Billed himself into a Fortune 500 company position. Living the American Dream.

1970 shows up and he gets weary of fighting shitty domestic automobiles.

We were the first folks in our ZIP Code with a Toyota.
Posted by N2cars
Close by
Member since Feb 2008
37866 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 10:19 am to
I think 1984 was a true story.
Posted by TigerReich
Member since Dec 2024
465 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 10:41 am to
Or how about my combat veteran WW2 grandfather who was a German-American fighting against Germans…We never knew he received Purple Heart and bronze star in combat until he passed and we found his stash of paperwork and memorabilia. Understandably, he never spoke about it.
This post was edited on 7/5/25 at 10:43 am
Posted by Rabby
Member since Mar 2021
1419 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 11:14 am to
We knew a lot of Germans who had served and relocated to the USA after WW2. Some even served in our military since that was what they knew how to do. They were all smart and hard working. They also got along with US vets very well. These guys were amazed at how well they had been treated by this country as they knew how Germany had treated defeated countries. The gratefulness was a huge factor in their mindset. I had only a few opportunities to meet people from other former enemy nations. I also knew Filipinos and South Koreans who loved this country for saving them in their time of need.
Posted by rltiger
Metairie
Member since Oct 2004
1783 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 11:39 am to
In the mid to late 80’s during the summer, we would go skiing after work in the spillway. My buddies grandfather let us use his boat. One afternoon I pulled up in my new Toyota 4 runner and started to hook up the boat. His grandfather came out and said “Unhook that Jap car from my boat.”
He had survived the Bataan death march and would have nothing to with anything Japanese.

Posted by Privateer 2007
Member since Jan 2020
7630 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 11:39 am to
This makes Blacks bitching about slavery etc that much more ridiculous.
Posted by TigerintheNO
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2004
43949 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 11:41 am to
Generations before them, we did the same with England, Mexico, and Spain.
Posted by SportsGuyNOLA
New Orleans, LA
Member since May 2014
20733 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 11:43 am to
The Japanese are evil, racist people

Yet it seems like they have gotten a pass from all the evil things that they did in the 20th century

The Germans are some of the most friendly open minded people in the world yet they still get blasted for what a small group of evil people did in that country for like 10 years 80 years ago
Posted by Ponchy Tiger
Ponchatoula
Member since Aug 2004
48648 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 12:01 pm to
My Dad was 7 when World War II ended. Until the day he died he hated Japanese. You grow up hearing the stories from the War about things like the Bataan death march and it stays with you. Hell I wasn’t born until 1968 and I don’t trust them either.
Posted by GetCocky11
Calgary, AB
Member since Oct 2012
53509 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 12:04 pm to
quote:

My Dad was 7 when World War II ended. Until the day he died he hated Japanese. You grow up hearing the stories from the War about things like the Bataan death march and it stays with you. Hell I wasn’t born until 1968 and I don’t trust them either.


I think it’s time to give them a chance
Posted by FLObserver
Jacksonville
Member since Nov 2005
15701 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 12:06 pm to
quote:

The Japanese are evil, racist people

That's not possible the liberals have stated the only racist are white American male men.
Posted by Ponchy Tiger
Ponchatoula
Member since Aug 2004
48648 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 12:09 pm to
quote:

I think it’s time to give them a chance


Are you familiar with how they treated American POW’s?
This post was edited on 7/5/25 at 12:14 pm
Posted by VADawg
Wherever
Member since Nov 2011
47551 posts
Posted on 7/5/25 at 12:15 pm to
quote:

You grow up hearing the stories from the War about things like the Bataan death march and it stays with you


Probably doesn't even crack the top 20 of awful shite the Japs did to POWs in the war. They were a barbaric, evil society.
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