Why were the Germans called Huns during World War One? Were they only called this in the Anglo world?

Question

The Kaiser's name was Bill, not Atilla--what's going on here?

Answer 1

Hun—a throwback to the times of the barbaric German tribes known as the "Huns."
The use of “Hun” in reference to German soldiers is a case of propaganda. In order to fully dehumanize the enemy he must first be thought of as patently different from you and yours. It was initially quite difficult to get “decent white people” of Blighty riled up over the “otherwise decent white people” of central Europe. The solution, then, was to transform them philosophically into rampaging Mongol hordes from the East. One look at the simian features applied to German soldiers portrayed on the Allied propaganda posters drives the point home. Who would you fear and hate more—a nice blond-haired, blue-eyed boy from Hamburg or an apelike, rapacious brute from some distant and dark land?”
“Huns” resulted from a remark made by Kaiser Wilhelm when he dispatched a German expeditionary corps to China during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. He basically told his troops to show no mercy, saying that 1,000 years ago the Huns (an Asiatic nomad people, not Germanic in the least) led by Attila, had made such a name for themselves with their depredations that they were still considered synonymous with wanton destruction, and urging the German troops of 1900 in China to similarly make a name for themselves that would last 1,000 years. When the Germans were fighting the French and the British a mere 14 years later, this piece of ready-made propaganda was too good to pass up for the Allied side, particularly in view of the reports coming in from Belgium from the earliest days of the war.
Hun is defined in the dictionary as being a barbarous or destructive person and also as being offensive slang—used as a disparaging term for a German, especially a German soldier in World War I. 2
Paul Dickson’s book War Slang…gives the definition of “Hun” as: “A German. According to Arthur Guy Empey in Over the Top (1918), the term was mostly used by war correspondents.”
Dickson says that the Kaiser said to his troops, “No mercy will be shown! No prisoners will be taken! As the Huns under Attila made a name for themselves which is still mighty in traditions and legends today, may the name of Germany be so fixed in China by your deeds that no Chinaman shall ever again dare to look at a German in askance.”
Germany was known as “Hunland.”

Answer 2

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RE:
Why were the Germans called Huns during World War One? Were they only called this in the Anglo world?
The Kaiser's name was Bill, not Atilla--what's going on here?

Answer 3

Well, as to the singular appropriateness of this epithet, 'German' is always a good alternative to call a German, especially in his presence.

The interesting thing is, at that time in history, the Huns were believed to descended from the Hsiong-nu people, who originally lived in what is now northwest China; they migrated to Europe, causing havoc, because... Chinese people expelled them. This theory is now significantly less generally accepted than it was then, but it does show some light on calling an expeditionary force the 'Huns' despite their initial defeat in China.

Answer 4

Huns Definition

Answer 5

Who Were The Huns

Answer 6

the Brish propagada` used what the Kaiser Wilheim II had said to German troops departing to quell the Boxer insugrency in China in 1900 that the Germans must bring terror to the hearts of their opportents just as the Huns did.That comment was used to caracterised (or more presicely to demonise) the Germans so suceesfuly that it was used from some comentators in Greece to caracterise the Germans in the sercond word war

Answer 7

Bob Geller I beleive that you may want to to a bit of research on WWI.

Germany indeed fought in The Great War.

In Fact Adolph Hitler was a soldier (leiutenant) in WWI,he was also the recipient of two Iron Crosses one was first class the only medal he wore during his reign as Furer of the Nazi war machine.

It was also the Germans who were referred to as "Huns" not the Austro-HUNgarians.

Answer 8

The most common german name was always "HANS" (spelled : [h ah ns] (equivalent to John)) since "HUNS" is also spelled the same way and morover is the name for aggresive and destructive tribes the answer is clear
(calling them "vandals" would be more appropriate geograficly and historically if there was not that spelling similarity)
..nice day

Answer 9

The Huns were a eastern European people from the Russian steppes, their advance from the east forced the native Vandals, goths and franks from their homelands, leading to the fall of the roman Empire. They were led by Attilla, nicknamed the "scourge of god", I think the "Hun" title is a reflection of this supposed ungodlyness (a bit like the baby nailed to the church door myth)

Answer 10

This is a reference to one of the more aggresive and destructive tribes of Europe who were active after the end of the Roman Empire.
The French called them Bosch

Answer 11

The Kaiser's name was Wilhelm, but I guess you could call him Bill. They were called Huns (barbarians) by the British propaganda because of alleged crimes against the civilians in Belgium.