Why do Americans always claim that if they didn't join in World War Two (albeit rather late)....?

Question

...then the British would "all be speaking German".
What tosh! The Germans never made it mandatory, or even regarded it as particularly important, for occupied territories to speak German. As far as I know the Poles and the French for example, still speak Polish and French?
So don't spout off about WW2 - the Americans joined in only because there was money to be made out of the venture - not to save us poor Brits from speaking German. And anyway, what would be so bad about being fluent in another language? It's a very desirable attribute to have on one's CV.

Answer 1

Um, quite frankly, I'm at a loss for words. Perhaps you should read a history book and look into a thing called "Hitler's Final Solution" cause I'm assuming your history teachers "glossed" over that section.

Answer 2

Because it is true. Before we joined the war effort we were also supplying you. Your nation could not remotely compare to the industrial output of the United States. Between Germany's V2 rockets and their war machine sweeping Europe, you Brits admittedly would have eventually lost without our help. (I am sure being a former world colonial power the truth hurts, the sun never setting on the British Empire and all.) At the time, our nation did not want to get involved in foreign affairs. We would not have gotten involved had the Japanese not attacked us. If our purpose was only to make money, we would have joined on the side of the Germans. It probably would have been more lucrative for us. In any case, it doesn't matter if our motives were altruistic or not. Thousands of our troops died on foreign soil fighting by your troops. Maybe you should just appreciate that fact and appreciate you don't have to answer to Berlin.

I do agree with you that people should learn another language. I know three.

Answer 3

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,....americans blah, blah americans, blah, blah, blah, americans, americans, blah.......

Is that what you smart Brits think? That America joined because there was money to be made? And exactly what sort of money did we make from the venture? A pay period of 50 years, at a interest rate of 2% (fyi, we actually lost money on the deal, but don't let that get in the way of a good old anti-american rant)? And this was only after the war was over. During the war, our only request was that for our supplies, you give us joint access to your military bases for 50 years.

Oh yeah, we also gave complete access for your navy to all of our ports for fueling and repairs, RAF pilots who trained in Florida, merchant marine ships that guarded your civilian ships for safe passage, and pilots from the Air Force who flew with the RAF. Mind you all of this was before Pearl Harbor.

I sure hope you're the exception in Britain, and not the rule. Because if you are, I really can't believe that a place I've so admired could be so incredibly misinformed and with such an enormous chip on its shoulder when it comes to Americans.

Of course if your country should ever be in trouble again, and you'd rather not want any of our help, intelligence, supplies, etc, please just say the word and we'll be happy to look the other way.

Answer 4

What you and those answerers supporting you are completely missing is any thought to the alternative. What would have happened to your country had the U.S. not become involved? Hm.
I'm an American and not once have I made the claim you say I have.
I will "claim" however with total certainty that WWII had less to do with your citizens having to speak German and much more to do with saving your lives and helping to keep your country as in tact as possible. I'm sure there were ulterior motives - however to be blunt I doubt anyone from my country gave two sh*ts about your language. If anything it would have been a residual effect had the Germans taken over.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, being made to speak German was not the real problem. There were many more problems the occupied countries, and even Germany itself faced under that regime. I was in Germany not long after the war. The German people were friendly, helpful and welcoming to British and Americans alike. I suggest you study the situation before you comment. I do not like the attitude of SOME Americans that THEY won the war. We also joined their fight against Japan. We could not have won without their help, however, and they gave many lives in Europe. They earned no money from this. The only money they earned was from supplies, which they would have made without entering the war. I have no objection to speaking German or Japanese. I do not want to be forced to do so. I would not like to be forced to only speak English. We have freedom of choice in Europe. This is what the fight was for. I, and many others are grateful for every assistance the Americans, and other countries, gave.

Answer 6

Some historians describe the situation as FDR cunningly allowing Britain and Germany to bleed each other (and the rest of Europe) to death before stepping in at the last minute to assume a place as the world's premier super-power. Not saying I agree, just saying that 10 different history books will give you 10 wildly different explanations for the same set of events.

Answer 7

Get history straight lady first America went to war in WWII because of pact signed by Germany, Japan, Italy before it all started. That pact said if one of the three nations attacked someone else a declaration of war would be declared on the opposing party. Next America was already up to their necks in WWII already because of Lend Lease, Support of England and The USSR to battle Germany, Italy, and Norway's traitor Quisling would supported the third Reich by letting Germany build bases there. Even though America didn't fire a shot until 1941 we were up to something early before December 7, 1941 that's why history should not be repeated again.

W rocks !

Answer 8

Here we go again, Europe was on the verge of being completely overrun by Germany when the US got into the war,
and would have been overrun if we hadn't, England could not have held out forever, and was only able to hold out as long as it did because of all the hardware and supplies we sent them under the "Lend Lease" program. "Would have been speaking German" was not meant to be taken literally but as a way of saying they would have been under German occupation.

Answer 9

The americans didn`t joined the WW2 just to stop a language from spreading...that`s silly...they joined to help fight a war so infamous and without reasons.
If they wouldn`t...then probably Germany and the nazi party would be ruling the world...no jews, no africans, no halfbreeds.
I don`t have anything against the german people...they are wonderful people and many of my friends are german.

Answer 10

Hi,
First, if You are Europe, the "americans", didn´t defeat the germans at all, The Soviet Union did, was matter of time, think the German army during WW2 as like a large elephant and the Russians like ants, but so many ants will overcome the ability of the elephant to brush them out with its tail, and finnally it get eaten, The german east front was lost since 1942. if the U.S. didn´t declared war to the full Axis, to whom they winned?, the Japanese, using nukes over civilian population and twice,
and finally american ppl. range from Canada to Tierra del Fuego (Argentina/Chile), including cubans, mexicans, brazilians, peruvians, etc. the U.S.A. its a country without name, think about that.

Answer 11

You're what tosh. The british used THOUSANDS of our airplanes and war material. Also I don't think the polish as slavs would last long after germany got its war sorted out. It is clear that you know little about world war two and are looking for a fight.