How many of you guys are friends with any Japanese, German, French, British, American, & Yes, even Russian soldiers? Because it seems as though the photo's that Enrich and Stevin have placed up here are authentic. Pure WW2 heritage. And personally which country is more war like, I'm curious. I always thought it was Germany. But I guess I could be wrong.
Define war like. If you mean a fairly regimented authoritarian regime then yes pre 1945 the germans could be defined as such. Though if you are referring to having fought the most wars then Britian is certainly high up on the list because of all those wars fought in the name of empire both in the period of colonialisation and of de-colonialisation. In every year of the reigns of both Victoria and of Elizabeth II, soldiers have been on active service somewhere on the planet. A feat i believe not matched by any other nation on earth.
Col. I do certainly know some veterans, American, German and even Mexican WWII veterans, including my own grandfather. I also know some Spanish Civil War veterans and a 'Blue DIvision' veteran. And there is, of course, Sapper, our most respected forum member. As to the most 'war-like' nation, it should definately by Germany, closely followed by Japan. Germany, in 1871 was born as a warrior nation, built and designed for war. All its foreign policy from 1815 to 1871 was directed at achieving German unification through war. And from 1871 until 1914 all German policy was aimed at acheiving German hægemony in Europe and then, worldwide, politcially, territorially and economically, through war. From 1933 to 1939 Germany's main aim was the conquest and colonisation of eastern Europe through war and the physical erradication of the 'inferior' races. Japan followed almost the same belicist path: imposing its will and controll over other nations through war. That France, Great Britain, Russia or even the United States had been fighting wars all over the world for centuries is pretty normal, being the powers they were and because human nature is that way. But they did NOT put all their money and energies on war, nor was it their ultimate aim and the mean to achieve everything.
Would agree with Fried on this one in the case of WW 2. Yes I know some vets......... Looking at Japans old age with the Bushido and Germanys first survival and then revenge upon Rome/Romans, we can see the delicacy of their turbulent past. Even this flag given to me by my uncle when he was going through central Germany in 45 still gives me an uneasy feeling with the blood red background and the cog of death.
IMO i would have to say Japan and then Germany for such things as the Kamikaze,the brutal fight to the end with no thought of surrender. I remember seeing a doco about a Japanese veteran talking about his disrespect for his P.O.W.'s as he was taught from an early age (as they all where)that surrender was never an option. Also a little known fact about the mass break out off Japanese troops at Cowra Australia. http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/cowra-prison.htm "Of all the prisoners housed in Australia during the war the Japanese were undoubtedly the most bitter and resentful. Under the Japanese rules of war (known as the Bushido code) prisoners were disgraced persons. Every soldier had an obligation to die for the Emperor and if the enemy succeeded in capturing him he was expected to kill himself."
Mahross- What I mean in Warlike; Is that more or less the most violent country. The U.S. for example is supposed to be the Peacekeeper yes? I don't think so. Anyway. Majority of the guys here say it's Germany. I can only follow up on the answers I get. Fried-I sulute you and your generation since they know more than I do. And I enjoy learning about the history of what's going on. You guys really are the best here. Thanks... Enrich-That symbol there. The Swatstica (if that's how you spell it). Some movie I saw a while back. The symbol was claimed to have come from India or something along those lines. I can understand that that whole thing makes you feel uneasy. Hey. You and me both brother. You and me both. Camz-Speaking of Kamikazes, During the Pacific Campaign of the WW2. Many of the Japanese Imperial Pilots took their own lives by shoving their birds right into the U.S. Carrier Decks. That gives me a real uneasy feeling there. They remind me of the Spetsnaz. They go to any extreme to stop you. That's one reason I don't want to be an aircraft pilot. Anyway. Thank you all guys. Really great info. I know more than what I did before I registered in here.
Colonel I have mixed emotions about the war. It is hell as always, but I had relatives serve for both sides. From the German side there were at least 4 losses of loved ones that I know about. 2 in the Luftwaffe and 2 in the Heer. the flag was a captured piece from an uncle when his squad went into a burning village and found a barn that was smouldering/actually the roof was on fire and the flag was on top waving in the wind with a flap pole top. the squad removed the flag and top carrier as the ammo in the barn was going off. they were also lucky enough if you want to call it that, to remove to P.08 Lugers and three K-98 bayonets....... cheers E ♪
Is suppossed to, yes. And it is. The US is a belicist nation, indeed, but not militarist, which is very different. The civilians are the ones who tell the armed forces what to do, where and when. Not the other way around. War is an option and a mean used by the US government in its foreign policy, not surprisingly, because the US is a super-power and behaves as such. But war is not the dominant factor of the US international behaviour. The US has much deeper (and far more effective) economic and cultural influence world-wide, rather than military, and that is what Pax Americana means. My generation?! I was born in the lousy 80s… I think you mean to salute the veterans and the 1920s and 1930s generation, don't you? The Swastika is a symbol from Nordic-Germanic mithology which represents FORCE. It was used all through the late XIX Century by pan-Germanist, xenophobe and extreme-right groups in Germany, Austria and other countries. The Hindu Swastika, however, is a budhist religious symbol which dates from thousands of years ago, and it means 'thousand', or 'plenty', '[spiritual] abundance'. Both symbols, however, are different, because the 'arms' of the cross are inverted: The Hindu symbol, which is religious and has nothing to do with fascism or WWII: The Nordic-Germanic symbol, the Nazi one, is inverted:
Ofcourse Fried. I meant Salute. Besides. I too was born in the 80s. And I had fun in those days. Especially when I became an honorary member of a military group. You always have my respects. Hell. I reckon I owe all of you a drink or two (non alcoholic drinks for everybody)
