Subject:
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Re: Ok, why such anti-American sentiment? (Was Re: the metric system)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 2 May 2001 17:35:47 GMT
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307 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, James Simpson writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Dave Low writes:
>
> > I'd rather not, since my knowledge of history is fairly weak. I would say
> > that American war-time intervention in Europe was more in the US national
> > interest than because of any moral sensibility.
>
> Ok, this is an honest question, although somewhat rhetorical, but I mean no
> affront: Why, then, did Australia fight in the World Wars and in Vietnam with
> America? I understand the historical relationship between the UK and Australia,
> and yes, I'm glad that Australia made a sacrifice with the Allies...but, was it
> a sacrifice made purely of self-defense, purely of moral sensibilities? Was
> there a fear that if Europe should fall, then Australia's economy would be dealt
> a terrible blow (as probably it would have)? In WWII, was there fear that Japan
> would invade Australia?
From distant memories of my School boy History.
There was. Japan actually bombed the North of Oz a few times (Darwin?). The
Oz Government had a plan only to defend an internal triangle which I think
was almost Melbourne - Brisbain - Cairns. I am sure Oz would have expected
support from the allies if it came to that - but, to be honest, I'm not sure
about how quick the British forces would have been!
You must also remember that many living in Oz during WW2 were either British
or had parents who were, so I am sure some would have seen at as a duty
thing. If you look here you will see that many from Oz joined UK forces
before Oz really entered the war:
http://www.battleofbritain.net/section-7/section-7aust/australia.html
Scott A
> It seems that your Pacific front was a matter of self-
> defense, but what of your European front? Again, what of Vietnam? Did an
> Australian Red Scare lead to fear of an expanding Asian communist empire? Did
> Australia's national interests play a part in conflicts even when your territory
> was not immediately endangered?
Australia? Why was America their!
>
> It often seems to me that America's sacrifices of blood are usually shrugged off
> as just another instance of self-serving American selfishness. And frankly,
> that angers me. Hey, I'm not here to defend the shame in my country's past. I
> don't wave the flag much, but I'm not ashamed to carry it. Blood was spilled.
> American G.I.'s went off to Europe, went off to the South Pacific, because their
> government told them to do it, and because they were *needed*. Mothers lost
> their sons, wives lost their husbands, children lost their fathers...as they did
> in Australia. Sure, their was national interests involved, but there was,
> ultimately, great national sacrifice on the part of common men and women...just
> as in Australia.
>
> > Most people in the world make enormous contributions to the profits of
> > American corporations.
>
> Indeed, but there is a difference between making voluntary contributions because
> one likes the product, and being forced into the purchase of a necessity, such
> as grain, due to monopoly control. The latter is happening to millions of
> American farmers - the rise of the rural ghetto - due to the monopoly control of
> both the inputs and outputs of farm products by agribusiness giants such as
> Pillsbury and ConAgra. My point in bringing this up is that robber-barron
> capitalism preys on the weak where ever they might be, and these practices
> aren't the American domain, per se; corporate piracy is war waged upon,
> primarily, the low-wage earners of society. Most of the really repugnant
> corporations -- the ones with the power to really exploit and monopolize are the
> ones that have become *transnational*. This is a question of greed versus
> honesty, not American vs. native. Plenty of non-Americans love the almighty
> currency as well.
>
>
> > > But most countries shake a fist at America, while keeping the other hand open
> > > in case they need something. Maybe that's wrong, but it feels that way.
> >
> > The angry gesture of the disempowered perhaps?
>
> Sure, when Bolivia shakes its fist, I'll agree. But do the Brittish, the
> Germans, the French, the Canadians, maybe even the Australians, consider
> themselves disempowered? There is a lot of fist-shaking toward America in
> countries that regard us with an air of cultural superiority
>
> james
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Message has 2 Replies:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Ok, why such anti-American sentiment? (Was Re: the metric system)
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| (...) Ok, this is an honest question, although somewhat rhetorical, but I mean no affront: Why, then, did Australia fight in the World Wars and in Vietnam with America? I understand the historical relationship between the UK and Australia, and yes, (...) (23 years ago, 2-May-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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