Why don't the Brits hate the Italians and Japanesse in the same way they hate the Germans?

Question

They were after all helping Germany in World War II. People seem to forget that little fact...

Answer 1

Most 'Brits' as you put it will profess a hatred for the French above the Germans, Italians and Japanese - Some folks can't forget the past I suppose, and I guess you fall into that category.

As for war grudges, then you simply have to look at history, Japan is possibly the most serious of the veterans grudges, because they did not apologise for the huge war crimes inflicted on the Burmese and Singapore prisoners of war, until a couple of years ago, and they still have not paid any compensation to the survivors. However Japan was the victim of the first two and only nuclear bombs in history, and the war was a result of American colonial invasion - They created the militaristic Japan in 1868. However, it was not turned into a military state until Russia tried to invade it in 1900. England armed them, and Germany trained them! We should not be so quick to condemn the problems we ourselves create.

Italy were our allies in WWI and surrendered and fought with us against the Germans in WWII. They were bullied into the conflict, and suffered enough destruction to make amends for their poor judgement under the German troops, without our added hatred.

Germany attacked us twice, however, the rise of Hitler was made possible by French hatred at the Versailles treaty. If France had not crippled Germany in 1918, then Hitler would never had happened.

France has been our great enemy for 500 years, we were at constant war with them. Indeed the deep hatred in some fools is down to this period of history. However, for 500 years they most of France was part of England.

You find opposites attract, and most people despise the folks they find similar to themselves, but hate to admit it. The war ended in 1945, that's a long time ago, and we should learn from it, but to still be hating somebody for something their grandparents thought or did - well not even their grandparents, it was the politicians who were in power over their grandparents - then is a little narrow minded.

WWII was started by a idea, it was global, they had fascists in England too, and in the US. It was started by the greed of politicians in WWI which itself was started by the greed of Catherine the Great, unable to invade Turkey (1850) or Japan (1905), thus giving weapons to the Serbs - the 1913 Balkan War. The reaction to the Balkan war was a revulsion of the old ruling class, Communism and Fascism. It was not down to individuals, but Governments.

WWII ended with the seperation of Yugoslavia, in 1995 - three generations after the coflict had started with the invasion of the Serbs into Greece, Hungro Austria and Romania.

Answer 2

The British have a long association with Italy and the Italians, going right the way back to when Julius Caesar stumbled up the beach at deal and kneeling down declared "I came, I saw, I conquered." Oh Yeah?

From the late middle ages onwards, as soon as the English could afford it, they employed Italian craftmen to work on our major buildings and interiors.

I have worked in the Bank of England here in London and the fabulous mosaic floor laid by Italian craftsmen in the 1920s is one of the most magnificent works of art this country now owns.

Why hate the Italians? They are the same people who make my sandwich every morning, right before my very eyes; tuna something or other.

As for the Japanese - well the Brits and the Japanese have a shared Island mentality. Not sure exactly what it means, but there you have it. We're surrounded by fish which we don't eat, they're surrounded by fish which they do eat. Something like that.

It's really a matter of culture you see, the Japanese have it and we want it, whatever it is.

As for the Germans, they are the same people who set out to destroy the Anglo-Saxon world and very nearly succeeded.

The Germans are simply not liked by the British and never have been. Merlin wrote a book in which he described two dragons, the Red Dragon of the Island of Britain and the white dragon of Germany. In his history, he foretold that these two dragons would be in a permanant state of war one with the other. The outcome of this war is as yet unknown.

It has not ended.

Answer 3

I'm a Brit. No, we don't hold grudges against people, I think what your getting at here is the fact that Germany busily bombed the absolute crap out of us in the two wars, made us lose our entire empire and forced not only use but the entire planet into an endless debt with America. I think the grudge you think of is only troll people. They for some reason, believe we should be back up on top of everyone, but, as we all know, empires come and go. But I would have loved to have seen it myself... Anyway. I think, since we are the tourist country of the world, the only hatred comes from Germans nicking the sun loungers by the pool. :P Stuart has it right. Britain gets its humour from witty comments. Unlike American jokes, ours take a bit longer to get. Unless your a born Brit, in which case you're likely to understand instantly. Our humour is sarcastic, ironic and a bit hurtful at times. That's why so many Brits get done for so called racism, after foreigners can't take a joke. Shame. Anyway, we say we hate them, just to get a few jokes and laughs out of it, But also because of the sun lounger thing, that is annoying,,,

Answer 4

Overall I don't believe that there is much animosity between the two nations. Sure my step-mother was a little hesitant to go to visit Germany since she was born during a V-2 rocket attack, but now she thinks that Germany is a very nice country.
I believe that you're assuming this because of "The Blitz," but Italy's Regia Aeronautica also took part in the Battle of Britain, however their fighter fleet were not a match for the Royal Air Force, and their bomber wings were also inadequately defended against the Hurricanes and Spitfires they were up against.
You've also forgotten how large the Axis Alliance became. Hungary, Romania, Finland, Siam, Menchukuo (sp?), Menchukukuo (sp?), Croatia, and Bulgaria were also at war with the United Kingdom during the war. Although the majority had nothing against the British (including Hungary whom had recently signed a treaty of friendship with Britain weeks before joining the assault on Yugoslavia*).
But today there is very little animosity between the two nations, although both nations football (soccer) hooligans can really get into it with each other!

Answer 5

Who says 'the brits' hate the germans?
'Historical Hate' is an amazingly stupid phenomenon, blaming sons and daughters for choices made by their fathers and mothers doesn't help anyone, especially when it is based on some artificial construct called 'nationality'.
And although technically we fought the Germans in the Second world War, it was actually the Nazi's we hated and battled to destroy.
Maybe you should read some history books and find out just how many Germans died at the hands of their own countrymen. Discover for instance how many resisted the Nazi's and perhaps get some inkilng of how brave you have to be to stand up to your fellow countrymen and to challenge 'patriotism' and 'nationalism', especially in a time of war.
I've included a couple of references to books about the 'White Rose' student group, who campaigned against the Nazi rulers of Germany in Munich from 1943 to 1944. They were arrested, severely tortured, tried in a mock trial worthy of Stalin's best, and then beheaded.
It is a story which i hope will illustrate that their is a lot more to 'Germans' than Nazism and the Second World War.

Answer 6

I don't forget it. The Japanese were as bad as the Nazis in terms of treatment of prisoners and civilian populations in the lands they conquered and at least the Germans apologized for the actions of the Nazis and eventually paid reparations, even memorials to their victims can be found in Germany. The Japanese have never admitted their crimes, nor have they paid restitution, nor do they teach their children the truth about their actions in the war.

Having said all that, I must say I am unaware that the British, as a people, hate the Germans. If there are any who do I would assume it would be because they were closer to Germany and the conquered territories and especially closer to the bombs dropped by the Nazis. They have no use for the French and historically have not had for hundreds of years. British people in England perhaps do not revile the Japanese as much because the damage done to the British Empire by Japan was a world away and affected mostly its possessions in the Pacific.

As far as the Italians go, they were really the light relief of WWII, along for the ride, but not really initiating much, unless one considers their actions in Africa, and even there the Nazis had to bail them out.

Answer 7

The Italians basically CHANGED sides during the war.

Japan was the other side of the world, affected the Americans more AND we were concentrating on issues in Europe.

But you are right it is funny the way we skip other Axis powers and focus upon Germany.

Remember the Russians actually were on the Axis side at the start of the war and it was only due to Hitlers invasion plans of USSR that caused them to change sides.

Also consider AUSTRIA - Everyone seems to skip over the fact that Hitler was AUSTRIAN, the country more or less invited Germany to take them over and there were many Austrians who took high ranks in the German War machine.

Also there were LESSER countries

Answer 8

I think the answer is in Geography. It's easy for Germans and British to fight-they are close by. Especially after WW1(Germany used to be several-in fact hundreds of-principalities before Bismarck, and these Prussian principalities were friendly with the British, Hessian Germans fought alongside the British in US Independence War), propoganda has fed an enormous antagonism against what they called 'The Barbarian Hun'. The same goes for WW2, where British were under direct threat of invasion, and under attack by German V1 and V2 rokets pounding civilian cities. You cannot say the same for either Italy or Japan, which is much less likely ever to invade Japan.

Answer 9

The British and the Germans were linked by their royal families until the first World War. It is probably down to a feeling of being betrayed by our "cousins" on our doorstep back then, followed by the inhumanity of the Holocaust during the second World War that has lingered in the public consciousness. The Italians are not perceived as badly because they changed sides, an example of "My enemy's enemy is my friend". The Japanese have never been truly understood by the British and are therefore not hated as much because they can be 'left' on the other side of the world.

Answer 10

Some war veterans and their families hate the Japanense with a passion.

The Italians did not have the same record of brutality as the Germans and were more noted for their incompetence.