How the Rest of the World Views the United States

[Max_DC]

I'm from Germany.
Well I could write a lot, but I don't have the time atm. So I'll keep my opinion very, very short.... since this subject is quite complex that might lead into problems, but I'll try to avoid that :

The USA has a huge influence on the world in many aspects : culture, economy, military, politics etc etc. More than any other single nation.
This makes them stand in the spotlight more than other countries.
Many things are wrong IMO (arrogance, financel abuse of third world countries, questionable use of their military, massive ecological abuse of our planet just to name the most important points) but there also many great things ( great research, the way you handle democracy, your movies etc ).

That is how I see America. But as it has been said before many times, talking about a single American person is sth different. Maybe I like him/her, maybe not. Just as in every other country including Germany.

America's main problem concerning its reputation is that it is in the focus and that their actions have influence on the whole world. If the USA would be a small country somewhere in central Asia or so, at least nobody would care.

 

[Casio]

our millitary is better equipped, better trained, and we have an arsenal of weapons at our disposal that could completely wipe out the entire nation of China 100-times over if we wished.

Now, this is what annoys me. Iran is not to have nuclear power, but America is allowed to weapons that destroy the entire world? Why the double standard?

Before you say 'The middle east is a dangerous region, yadda yadda, terrorists, blah blah', I will remind you of the fact that America is the only country to use Nuclear weapons on another country. And have no doubt killed more people then any other country in modern history.

Also, is it not terrifying for the people of Iraq to see Tanks and Bombers , men walking around with assualt rifles everyday outside their home? Is this not a form of terrorism?

 

[GT4_Rule]

Im from Canada, but has both Japanese and Chinese views to it

My view of US:

- I dont like the way US thinks they're everything, and is the most important nation in the world. Recall the softwood lumber issue? They made us Canadians lose billioins, and even though WTO ruled in favor of Canada they still denied it like a stubborn baby and kept refusing to pay us. Also, they intimidate by power. They showed Saddam that US had better weapons, but what was gained from all that money poured into a Third-world country which is no good? Last time I heard it was something like $19 trillion US. I may be too far off but still, trillion or billion or million, thats a huge amount of money. They wasted it, and they still think they're the best nation in the world, the most advanced and forward-thinking. Around 2000 lives were wasted, and even though facing stiff opposition, Bush vows to stay in Iraq. Now, I know thats going to be an image problem, but Iraq will NEVER be democratic, and who gives if they have a dictator. Just buy the oil from them and they're happy.
- I dont like the way they dont contribute to the world, like agreeing to the Kyoto Accord or voluntarily reducing emissions. US refused Kyoto for a long time.
- US overwhelms everything. In Olympics, US probably had the largest team, with two or more competitor in many events. They should put a cap on so that the starting grid is not half-American, and actually gives athletes from other countries a chance.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Now, this is what annoys me. Iran is not to have nuclear power, but America is allowed to weapons that destroy the entire world? Why the double standard?

Before you say 'The middle east is a dangerous region, yadda yadda, terrorists, blah blah', I will remind you of the fact that America is the only country to use Nuclear weapons on another country. And have no doubt killed more people then any other country in modern history.

Also, is it not terrifying for the people of Iraq to see Tanks and Bombers , men walking around with assualt rifles everyday outside their home? Is this not a form of terrorism?

Bingo.

What comes to mind when i think of americains?

Arrogance, wastefullness and thinks the world revolves around america. Plus they have no idea of the world outside of america.

Why have i got this idea? just a browse through the gas mileage of most Americians cars, and things i see and hear on TV/news and opinion from others.

obviously not all americians are like this, but it seems that way.

Plus i think americains are not tolerable of other race's and find it hard to get on with each other. They think they are "superier" and all the power they have has gone to their head.

That is my opinion.

Wether or not its fact is irrelevant. I find it quite sad that thats the message so many foreigners get. Just like i find it sad Americian people seem so shelterd from the outside world.

 

[BMWteamPTG]

As an American, this might sound arrogant, but I don't care at all what the rest of the world thinks of us. Why? Two reasons:

1. They don't pay my taxes
2. Almost every other country in the world takes our money(trade or aid) with no problem what so ever.

So, I'm not worried about the worlds opinion.

haha...well i wouldtn quite say that, but i know we're hated by most of the world. and it doesnt help to have a president who doesnt listen to us or the rest of the world either...

people of all of the rest of the countries of the world, you dont have to like americans in general, but you can like us, the ones who actually treat you with a little respect and equality

 

[Master_Yoda]

I know I'm the OP, but I just cant resist...

*snip*

Quote shortened by Swift.

I'm not gonna read your whole post now cause i go to go ot school now, and, all Republicans talk the same way.

Now who told you that all these country told him that? OOO Did your friend Bush tell you? or was it the Media? Wee all know the Media loooves Bush :rollseyes: To ask Bush to tell the truth and be a good president, is like telling a baby to get me a Ferrari Enzo.

Bush is just as clueless as an infint. He goes on telling us that Iraq is under control, but BAM! 13 for US Soldiers died by a road side bomb. It's like everytime i turn the TV on, 13 more guys die. Now that kinda looks like we slowly getting bombed are way back to the free land. We might be making slow progression, but were definatly not in control like he says.

Iraq is just trying to scare us, and Bush is falling for it every step of the way.
Don't deny it, we should be in Afganistan/Pakastan and all those more middle eastern countrys, looking or Osama Bin Laden. Hes are real threat hes the one that has ACTUALLY done somthing to us, until Iraq poses a REAL threat to us, we have no reason to being in Iraq. He is just finishing up his daddys job.

END of discussion leave this to the foreigners.

 

[Swift]

I'm not gonna read your whole post now cause i go to go ot school now, and, all Republicans talk the same way.

Bush is just as clueless as an infint. He goes on telling us that Iraq is under control, but BAM! 13 for US Soldiers died by a road side bomb. It's like everytime i turn the TV on, 13 more guys die. Now that kinda looks like we slowly getting bombed are way back to the free land. We might be making slow progression, but were definatly not in control like he says.

END of discussion leave this to the foreigners.

I'm not going to get deep into it, but your lack of ability to see the entire scope of the situation is beyond comical.

 

[///M-Spec]

Okay, since even YSSMAN feels compelled to respond with a counter argument in his own thread, I'll ask this of everyone:

If you feel a burning need to respond to something in this thread that will take it OT, please post your response in the appropriate thread, then link your reply to this one.

As an example, I myself am going to post a response to this post by Casio.

Now, this is what annoys me. Iran is not to have nuclear power, but America is allowed to weapons that destroy the entire world? Why the double standard?

Before you say 'The middle east is a dangerous region, yadda yadda, terrorists, blah blah', I will remind you of the fact that America is the only country to use Nuclear weapons on another country. And have no doubt killed more people then any other country in modern history.

Also, is it not terrifying for the people of Iraq to see Tanks and Bombers , men walking around with assualt rifles everyday outside their home? Is this not a form of terrorism?

But I'm going to do it in the IRAN thread.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.


M

 

[Danoff]

On topic, I think this thread has exposed a lot of bigotry against Americans.

 

[Famine]

Now, this is what annoys me. Iran is not to have nuclear power, but America is allowed to weapons that destroy the entire world? Why the double standard?

Before you say 'The middle east is a dangerous region, yadda yadda, terrorists, blah blah', I will remind you of the fact that America is the only country to use Nuclear weapons on another country. And have no doubt killed more people then any other country in modern history.

The laws of America, in common with most other democracies throughout the world, prevent any one person from accessing a nuclear weapon and activating it or using it against any other person or country without several layers of cross-checks and regulations.

The President of the United States of America cannot, despite the impression that he is the most powerful man on Earth, just open up the football and blow something he fancies away with a cruise missile. If he did in fact try to, he'd be "removed" before he was able. In other, less "democratised" countries, the leader really IS the most powerful man in the country, in that he can do anything he wants without warning and may not even face problems after the event.

As for why Iran isn't allowed nuclear power (though I was unaware that this was the case) - one of the byproducts of almost all nuclear reactors is weapons-grade plutonium. Anyone with an IQ point and the knowledge of what mass of weapons-grade plutonium makes a critical mass can build a nuke out of it. If it is not correctly monitored you'd be in for a major, major problem. Remember that the rest of the world started developing nuclear power when it had reached First World (low birthrate, low deathrate, population fluctuating but relatively unchanging) status. Much of the Middle-East is still Second World (high birthrate, low deathrate, population expanding), where religion governs state and apostasy is a crime punishable by death.


I mention this in this thread because it's relevant to how the world views America. Kinda. They're often seen as aggressors when the reality is that they have enough nukes to turn the rest of the planet into beaded glass - if they were really aggressive, we wouldn't be alive right now to slate them for it.


Hopefully this should put this issue to bed in this thread - but remember that there's a perfectly good, active Iran thread anyway...

 

[///M-Spec]

On topic, I think this thread has exposed a lot of bigotry against Americans.

On topic, I agree 100%. But this isn't the place to debate it.


M

 

[Danoff]

On topic, I agree 100%. But this isn't the place to debate it.

Not that I was particularly interested in debating it, but doesn't it fall under the following?

- Why do you think of Americans that way?

 

[YSSMAN]

I have a question that is somewhat related to the origional question:

- In your given country, how exactly do you go about learning about World War II? In the US, it is often tought that we were the reluctant saviors of the free world. Is that the same in your country?

I have often hyphothesised that only because of World War II has the US been given any power whatsoever.

 

[Danoff]

I have often hyphothesised that only because of World War II has the US been given any power whatsoever.

That hypothesis would be completely and totally incorrect. The US was never "given" power (if it were, you could tell me exactly who it was that gave us power). The US created its power, and had done so prior to WWII.

 

[///M-Spec]

Not that I was particularly interested in debating it, but doesn't it fall under the following?

Not as I see it. YSSMAN asked to hear opinions for a research paper. Turning it into a debate/flame thread will reduce the usefulness of the responses. Besides which, almost everything that has come up is neatly covered in other threads.

Imagine if Porsche sponsored a survey on What People Thought About Their Ideal Sportscar. And in it they asked respondents where the engine should be situated in their Ideal Sportscar. But instead of telling the survey takers to faithfully write down what people said, they directed them to argue with the surveyed if their answer was anything but "in the back, behind the rear axle."

That's not a survey. It's an ambush.


M

 

[Danoff]

Not as I see it. YSSMAN asked to hear opinions for a research paper. Turning it into a debate/flame thread will reduce the usefulness of the responses. Besides which, almost everything that has come up is neatly covered in other threads.

I think we're missing each other.

I see a lot of bigotry on this thread, not well-reasoned opinions. Yssman asked people to explain why they think the way they do, and many of them haven't felt the need. I think it's worthy of a little poking at so that Yssman can get the results he needs for his study.

 

[///M-Spec]

I think we're missing each other.

I see a lot of bigotry on this thread, not well-reasoned opinions. Yssman asked people to explain why they think the way they do, and many of them haven't felt the need. I think it's worthy of a little poking at so that Yssman can get the results he needs for his study.

YSSMAN never asked that their opinions be well founded or even logical.

Like I said... you are welcome to take it to another thread if you need to. I've seen you do that quite often, so I know you can. PM me if you really have a problem with this.


M

 

[Danoff]

PM'ed.

 

[Wolfe]

That hypothesis would be completely and totally incorrect. The US was never "given" power (if it were, you could tell me exactly who it was that gave us power). The US created its power, and had done so prior to WWII.

Indeed -- the US began creating its power when it became an imperialist nation in the late 19th century.

The two World Wars exhausted the power of the major European countries, while the US kept its power. The European countries were devastated by wartime damage and had to spend money and time rebuilding everything, while the US never saw war on its own land (except for Hawaii, of course). The European countries experienced the entire war both times, while the US was reluctant to help and joined mid-war both times (although there were Americans who crossed the border into Canada and flew over with Canadian reinforcements, if I recall correctly).

Anyway...

- In your given country, how exactly do you go about learning about World War II? In the US, it is often tought that we were the reluctant saviors of the free world. Is that the same in your country?

I'm really looking forward to reading the responses to this one.

 

[Canadian Speed]

That hypothesis would be completely and totally incorrect. The US was never "given" power (if it were, you could tell me exactly who it was that gave us power). The US created its power, and had done so prior to WWII.

I guess they did that durring the depression that rocked the world? More on this in a little bit...

Also, the defeat of the Axis was pretty much sealed by the time the US joined the war effort. Of course, the aid of the Us saved many lives and ended it quicker then had they not leant a hand, they in no way saved the free world. In all reality, it was the Russians... But, the victors write the history books and teach their version of events to their kids... Had Hitler won the war, we'd be reading about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki much the same way we read about the holocaust... And don't even get me started on what would really be said about slavery... Kind of like the exploitation of the Pols durring WWII... It all comes down to opinion and point of view... The fact of the matter is that WWII was the last real war that more or less had to happen... Since then it's been a bunch of worthless wars and occupations of contries with little brown or little yellow people... Of which the US either funded, armed or trained in the first place... America's money came from, comes from, and will liekly continue to come from war... Now I know people will say "Hey, the US is billions in debt because of this "war"". It just hasn't recovered yet, and the Us presently finds itself in a war of attrition. Hitler did the same thing... Brought a poor dieing Germany to power... How, by boosting production for the war effort... He also later fell as a result, due to the length of the war and the costs of supplying his army, not to mention the ever increasing number of loss's that the German's suffered until their demise.

I in no way hate Americans... Though I do realize, as I think many other contries/people do, that they lead their lives beleiving what ever they are told and know very little of the world, aside from that piece of land they own...

 

[Zrow]

they lead their lives beleiving what ever they are told

I hate to butt in, but I just wanted to say that this right here is what I hate; this holier-than-thou attitude people have towards Americans. I might continue this in the America thread.

 

[McLaren]

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2189983&postcount=1068

Towards Master Yoda's comment.

 

[Master_Yoda]

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2189983&postcount=1068

Towards Master Yoda's comment.

Then why do millions of peopel around the country think and say the same as me :rollseyes: I don't rely on media, and there are pro-bush stations, and anti-bush stations. And then theres another, Radio, almost completly pro-bush. 1 Name Micheal Savage.

The End. (Wich i have tried to say before but you guys have brought it back up, so it seems that YOUR the one that want's to argue. I will be happy to argue with anyone, but they have to ome to me in person.)

 

[FoolKiller]

Master Yoda, I think that he was trying to get you to take this to the Amerca thread where it belongs.

 

[Keef]

Yes. I think all the American members who are fighting others' opinions and defending theirs should just stop. Zrow, Yoda, and I'm sure there are a few others. I know this opinions forum was set up to debate and decide and that stuff, but this great thread of YSSMAN's is really a place to share only opinions. I'm really interested in foreign views of my country, but I can't learn anything with everyone bickering about trivial matters. I hope you realize you're just adding to the "dumb, stubborn American" stereotype that the rest of the world has. At least you're adding to it in my mind, and I'm American myself. That has to say a lot.

 

[niky]

I knew this was coming from the first Yoda post... let's keep it clean, guys.

America-bashing to the Official America thread, please!

As for World War II, reluctant saviours? I don't know. There have been speculations that the Pearl Harbor attack and the Lusitania attack were both allowed so that public outrage would enable the administration to mobilize troops. Whether or not that is true, what is true is that Churchill saw the sinking of the Lusitania as a godsend, stating that the war was now over.

Reluctant? Heck no... but it took some prodding. And yes, America did save the world... at least, that time, it did.

 

[YSSMAN]

Lusitania was for WWI, but it did increase interest in American forces joining the Great War. As it turns out, Germans did have a reason to destroy the vessel, as it was carrying munitions (hence the rather large explosion reported by those who were on the ship), so destroying the boat was within the context of the German definition for attack. Later, unrestricted warfare by German U-Boats pushed the US into the conflict, but the Lusitania was one piece of a fairly large puzzel.

Ive also herd the theory about the US Millitary allowing the attacks to happen on Pearl Harbor, but I really do not belive them. We knew that there indeed was a threat comming from Japan, but with diplomatic talks going so well, I doubt anyone in Washington at the time could have seen it happening...

BTW: Saviors may not have been the best choise of word, but it was the best I could come up with. But we didnt want to get involved in the war, atleast the citizens, so we attempted to stay out as long as possible. Interestingly enough, Roosevelt had agreed with Churchill at the Atlantic Charter Summit in Newfoundland in March, 1941 that the US would enter the war, but at no point was it mentioned that we would. It was a matter of how we would have gotten in, and if it were not from the Japanese, I would presume that a land invasion of the UK by Hitler would have caused it.

 

[a6m5]

I have a question that is somewhat related to the origional question:

- In your given country, how exactly do you go about learning about World War II? In the US, it is often tought that we were the reluctant saviors of the free world. Is that the same in your country?

I have often hyphothesised that only because of World War II has the US been given any power whatsoever.

I only finished 6th grade in Japan, but I did read little bit on history, especially on World War II. I can't comment on what is taught in public schools, but those (children's)history books I've read were often found in public and school libraries, so I think they are in line with what is being taught in schools.

As far as I can remember, most of the WWII history are similar to what is being taught here. Hitler won Germany, Nazi killed many Jews. Japanese were very impressed with ze Germans, tired of being pushed around by the West, ABCD Line formed(embargo), Japanese joins Germany, brutally kills many Chinese and Koreans, etc.

My only surprise was that here, most Americans believe that conflict with Japan started due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In Japan, I even read about the Washington Naval Treaty(from 1920's!) in the WWII history, as one of the events that lead to the eventual war with the U.S.

Edit: I strongly believe in the Pearl Harbor conspiracy theory. Pretty much the entire Imperial Japanese Navy headed towards Hawaii with no radio silence, Japanese mini-sub gets sunk near Pearl Harbor, squadrons of Japanese planes caught on radar(coming at them), and all this happened while the U.S. was expecting Japanese attack! U.S. government would like you to believe that they were that stupid, I don't. But I don't blame the U.S. at all. I actually applaud them for it. They did what they needed to do. Sorry for going off-topic. I had to let it out of my system.

 

[GT4_Rule]

Yeah.

Pearl Harbour wasnt the really the reason why Japanese went to war with US. I read many books in Japan saying that flames of discontent with US, UK and other western nations in the '20s and the '30s paved the way to Japanese participation in the WWII. Thats why they went to China - and killed millions. They were weary of being bossed by the western nations, so they took out their anger on China, and capturing valuable resources on the way that Japan desperately needed. Then US and other nations come and say that Japan must withdraw from Manchuria by this this that date and that snapped the Japanese nerves, and they quit UN. Then they started the full-scale war between China. I learned that myself, they didn't teach that in school - cover-up job at work.

 

[kennythebomb]

I'd say America played hardly any role in WW1 and a huge role in WW2.

In WW2 fresh American troops were able to relieve the exhausted European ones. We took care of Mussolini and then completely overran Italy, taking out an entire Axis country and cornering plenty of German troops. I'm pretty sure British and other troops were fighting in Italy, too; however the American presence there is the deciding factor, as I understand it.

We nuked Japan and won the Pacific side of the war basically by ourselves, as I understand it. I don't remember any large scale of any other country successfully fighting the Japanese.

In mainland Europe we helped close in on the Germans, our added troops speeded up the effort. The British and Russians would have won anyway, but we speeded up the process.

Besides this, we were supplying the Allies before we even officially entered with money and materials, right?

Feel free to correct me on any of my points.

oh, and lol @ Yoda's inability to form an argument.