How much real antagonizism is there between the US & GB?

Question

I noticed a lot of anger towards each other and I find this to be quite curious. I know how current US policy has affected the perception of America abroad, but surely people must know that not all citizens agree with our policies, in fact Bush has a mid 30% approval rating. Almost 1/2 voted against him (and thats not even counting the underage citizens who werent able to vote at the time). Yes the British are very brave and very disciplined, and the Battle of Britain is one testment, of many, to that. But also without the US entering both world wars the allied powers would have been done with. It also seems that there are many more similiarities between the two nations than not. The first thing that is brought to mind about that is that both nations were/are global empires, both with positive and negative results. Just wondering what you all thought of this.

Answer 1

There's a whole caboodle of reasons for enmity between the two. Just consider what you'll be celebrating on July 4th :)

Actually it's all guff. There's no real enmity between the two nations - just the Atlantic. I'm sure there are traits and attitudes that we stereotypically dislike about one another - but I've had the fortune of meeting lots of Americans with who I got on famously -or are they just the ones to whom you grant passports :) ?

Answer 2

You almost answered the last part of your question yourself. Both world wars were fought for a long time before America got involved. In WWII Britain was almost on it's own as the leader in the fight. America refused to be drawn in. When they did it was as the other countries were becoming stronger and some would argue, that America saw the war as winnable.

Take lend lease. America provides ships and military equipment at a price to Britain. Britain got ships and equipment that was already so old that America was phasing it out. Using that money America then produced brand new equipment for themselves.

The real kicker in the tail however is the plethora of "How America won the war in 3 reels" films and the fact that Soooo many Americans keep trying to tell eveyone that America won the war for them. So all the British, French, Italian, Aussie, Kiwi, Canadian, Belgian troops that lost their lives were inconsequential were they?

As far as the military are concerned in modern times there is very little antagonism. Troops are exchange on a regular basis. Col Beckwith in his book about Delta acknowledges that the whole concept was based on the SAS and greatly assited by them. Britains SBS provided a lot of training to the SEALS. That is not rerally saying the Brit troops were better, it is simply that America did not have this expertise and the Brits were only to happy to pass it on.

You may glean from the press that although operations are clouded in secrecy, that American and British special forces work closely together in all the trouble spots. The Armies navys and airforces work and train together.

In intelligence terms cooperation could hardly be closer. the NSA and GCHQ work so closely together they are fused at the hip. Whilst America shares a lot of technical intelligence, Britain shares a lot of human intelligence where it is stronger.

Only twenty years ago or so most Americans knew very little about what was happening outside their shores. Even now most American papers have little international news whereas all european news papers, radio and Tv cover it widely. So it was only with the advent of CNN that America started to see things in a similar way that europeans were used to.

Both countries gain enormous advantage from working together and long may it continue.

Answer 3

Three million people took to the streets of Britain in 2002, in an effort to stop the war.

No, wait a mo, that's a lie, put about by the crypto-communist media! The demonstrators were all actually cleverly disguised members of the Anglo-American Friendship League and the George Bush Jnr Appreciation Society.

In truth, Americans are about as popular in polite British society as a negro-whipping plantation owner at a Republican Party fundraiser in Boston, circa 1864. How things have changed for the GOP!

We still call Americans "Yanks" but I don't know why. It's seems that, in recent years, the outcome of the Civil War has been reversed by Southern "Republicans" [i.e. Dixiecrats under a new name.], oil barons and defence contractors. [Yeah, I know Britain supported the Confederacy. It was pure self-interest: they wanted to keep the cotton trade going, supply the southerners with ships, and keep Canada safe.]

The difference between the Americans and the British is that, in general, the latter only invade their own territory, while the former invade someone else's.

Answer 4

Please do not take the juvenile rantings of this forum as any indicator of how people in the UK and US feel about each other.

As a Brit who has worked closely with Americans all over the world and who has spent years working in New York I have usually encountered a great deal of mutual respect.

We do get a little peed off some times when you airbrush everybody else out of history, and you guys probably get peed off with things that we do.

I do wish that people posting on this site would get their facts right however when they are trying to make a point.

3 Million people in Britain demonstrating against the war?? Who the hell counted those....Stevie Wonder?

ALL credible sources actually made the number between 200 and 300 thousand.

That means that 64 Million people did not protest.

If you want to talk about proper peace protests then you need to read history and look at the anti war protests in the late 1930's where around 3 million did actually take to the streets to stop us going to war with the Nazi's. That would have been right, to leave Hitler in charge of Europe wouldnt it?

So to cap off. No there is no real antagonism between us. We don't like the French very much and right now our oldest allies the Portuguese are not very popular due to their cheating in the World Cup, but you guys are fine.

Answer 5

There is certainly a lot of history between the two nations, both as allies and as adversaries. The relationship between the two countries is much like two brothers in that they fight amongst themselves, but anyone from the outside wishing to pick on one, look out, they'll both come down on you, like stink on poop.

The US was originally a British colony, therefore many of our ancestors are British, the same holds true with Australia. To gain independence required the colonialists to turn on the dictate of King George. This was just the beginning of a soured relationship. Over the years it has been off again, on again. Never in all the years since the revolution was it stronger than it was during WWII. Since then, it has remained strong and will continue to stay strong in spite if the noisy left, that will create problems when non exist.

Answer 6

I totally agree that there shouldn't be any between individual citizens - it's possible to disagree with a nations policies without slagging off its people.

But sadly there are some rude and ignorant people out there who don't check their facts and history - for example i get very upset with US citizens professing to support the IRA.

But our links are deeply embedded - after all the US emerged from British colonies and you have chosen to speak English.
We should always be allies and i hope we remain so - after all i am married to an American...!

Answer 7

I didn't know there was any antagonism. The British are right there with the US in Iraq and the war on terror. Now there may be people in Britain as in the US that do not like this war, but I think even they are in agreement with each other. You can't judge the populous by what you read on here.

Answer 8

There as always been a dislike for americans maybe its there arrogant attitude at thinking they are the best in the world.they only entered WW2 with Japan bombibg them & we ended up heavily in debt for the weopans we bought off them to fight the Germans.I have nothing to do with america im British & Proud of it

Answer 9

A lot below the Rank of Tony Blair--I wouldnt want the Yanks to try and get the English or Australians in to another mad caper like this !!!!!!!!!!--in Iraq and Afganistan--

Answer 10

It sounds like you are trying to cause trouble. Isn't there enough of it in the world without you starting this kind of inane crap?