What a German soldier of WWII thought of US soldiers.

[bigguy]

This was a question posted on Quora Digest.
What did the German soldiers of WWII think of British, US, Canadian, and Soviet soldiers?

The person who answered, claims to have interviewed a survivor of the 276th Volksgrenadier Division

Americans: "Enthusiastic amateurs with a disposition to aggression I'd never seen in any other nation's sons." If there was something he noticed different between Americans and the other European Allies, it was how they reacted to an attack. The other allies would immediately return fire and edge their way to a more favorable position. Americans would immediately return fire, bring a punishing rain of artillery or air power on top of whatever they were fighting, and move to counterattack as soon as the rain of death ended. While he did not believe that an American infantryman or tanker was particularly skilled compared to British or German counterparts, they more than compensated for it with sheer, unadulterated, unapologetic combat aggression.

I don't have any comments or observations I care to share, but I thought it was interesting, and thought some of you might also.

[czuch]

Overwhelming firepower.
Its just how we do things.

[Patrick]

I tried to respond but it would have irritated too many.

[Robert]

I love it what a great description, we did in 2 moves what it took others 3 or 4 well done men  Less loss of life, and bringing a can of woopass.

[Hoser]

I don't care what German soldiers thought of American soldiers,  the Germans  lost. Hoser 

[Master Blaster]

Sadly the leadership of WW2 is sorely lacking in todays military.  Not the militaries fault, but the Commander in Chief has emasculated our armed forces.

[hubcapsc]

Sadly the leadership of WW2 is sorely lacking in todays military.  Not the militaries fault, but the Commander in Chief has emasculated our armed forces.

We had almost no standing army before ww1. I believe that before
ww2 our tiny army trained with wooden rifles. When the **** hits
the fan, so far at least, we de-emasculate...

-Mike

[bigguy]

Sadly the leadership of WW2 is sorely lacking in todays military.  Not the militaries fault, but the Commander in Chief has emasculated our armed forces.

We had almost no standing army before ww1. I believe that before
ww2 our tiny army trained with wooden rifles. When the **** hits
the fan, so far at least, we de-emasculate...

-Mike

This is true, but I think the big difference with the American of then and now is the mindset of the citizens. Those "ill-trained" troops were working boys that came from farms and factories in an America that wasn't a well-fare state. They were tough and independent. They were accustom to taking care of themselves. When something needed done, they got up and did it.
That applied to the leadership as well.

European troops came from a centuries long tradition of simply following the leadership of the nobility class. The officer corps of WWII European countries came from that same noble class. They didn't identify with their troops in the way American officers did. They didn't come up though the ranks, they were born to it.

An American officer could and would ask things of his troops that European officers wouldn't and couldn't, because the American troops knew that the officer was in it with them.

One good example of this was America's willingness to send bombers into occupied Europe during the day. England wouldn't do it because the casualty rate was too high. A noble couldn't order his subjects to take such losses.

Americans knew that it simply had to be done, rolled up their sleeves and go to it. The American crews were willing to take the punishment because each and every one of them grew up with a sense of personal responsibility. They weren't doing it for "King and country." They were doing it for ma, pa, and their little sisters and brothers.

Too many Americans today don't understand the crucial difference between a citizen and a subject. The potential for risk and great sacrifice comes with the former, but the rewards of charting your own destiny are worth it. The later derives all rights and the privilege of his very existence from his liege. Neither his safety, nor his prosperity is in his own hands.

We don't call our President king just yet. (Though many think the current one feels that he is one.) But it seems to me that a growing percentage of our population makes kingly demands of the government. They demand a minimum level of prosperity and safety as though those are things that can only be granted, rather than earned.

[longrider]

You're spot on Bigguy

[MP]

You're spot on Bigguy

Well said, Bigguy.  We are rushing towards that model at break neck speed. 

MP

[hubcapsc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II#The_British_later_in_the_war

[MP]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II#The_British_later_in_the_war

What a difference a few decades make!  Civilians were SPECIFICALLY targeted, and success was measured by how many tens of thousands of civilians were killed in each city!  Today, if even ONE civilian is killed by our forces, there better be a good explanation of why it happened, or the soldier is subject to prison!

MP

[pais]

   A big  to most all of theses posts!
  Their are certain "things" that concern me.
When we didn't attempt to overpower we  did not achieve, for what most American think we should achieve. When we go to war.
  The Civil War, WWI, WWII, we out PRODUCED our enemies! Some say that is exactly why the North won the war. Industrial Revolution started in the Northern States. The two World Wars we literally out produced our enemies. Very similar at that time, the rest of the world was behind us in "technology".  That is not the case now. As we all know almost nothing is made here. I often wonder if we could wage a war that we cannot afford to lose. I don't feel we are capable!
  Lunch hour is over, gotta get back to work

[MP]

   A big  to most all of theses posts!
  Their are certain "things" that concern me.
When we didn't attempt to overpower we  did not achieve, for what most American think we should achieve. When we go to war.
  The Civil War, WWI, WWII, we out PRODUCED our enemies! Some say that is exactly why the North won the war. Industrial Revolution started in the Northern States. The two World Wars we literally out produced our enemies. Very similar at that time, the rest of the world was behind us in "technology".  That is not the case now. As we all know almost nothing is made here. I often wonder if we could wage a war that we cannot afford to lose. I don't feel we are capable!
  Lunch hour is over, gotta get back to work

A good point.  Leading up to, and during, WWII, all kinds of factories switched from making consumer goods, to making war goods.  Thus, so many consumer items were both rationed, and in short supply here at home.

Today, how are you going to switch over a bunch of factories, as they DO NOT EXIST, in any great number?

MP

[hubcapsc]

Today, how are you going to switch over a bunch of factories, as they DO NOT EXIST, in any great number?

MP

I don't know what constitutes "great number", but we still make cars and John Deeres and airplanes
and rocket ships and ...

The BMW manufacturing plant is just down the road from me, and there's tons of industry around
here producing automotive parts.

The Chinese are pumping out tons of cheap steel... putting us out of business... I bet that'll be
hard to ramp back up...

-Mike

[Patrick]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II#The_British_later_in_the_war

What a difference a few decades make!  Civilians were SPECIFICALLY targeted, and success was measured by how many tens of thousands of civilians were killed in each city!  Today, if even ONE civilian is killed by our forces, there better be a good explanation of why it happened, or the soldier is subject to prison!

MP

Prior to 1945 we fought as conquerors. After that we consider ourselves as liberators.  Just my take on it. It also seems to me its about time to revert back to has worked in the past.

[Patrick]

   A big  to most all of theses posts!
  Their are certain "things" that concern me.
When we didn't attempt to overpower we  did not achieve, for what most American think we should achieve. When we go to war.
  The Civil War, WWI, WWII, we out PRODUCED our enemies! Some say that is exactly why the North won the war. Industrial Revolution started in the Northern States. The two World Wars we literally out produced our enemies. Very similar at that time, the rest of the world was behind us in "technology".  That is not the case now. As we all know almost nothing is made here. I often wonder if we could wage a war that we cannot afford to lose. I don't feel we are capable!
  Lunch hour is over, gotta get back to work

I'm not so sure about the rest of the world being behind us in technology. We were just able to overcome and adapt pretty quickly. Plus, as mentioned, we had the will to do so.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Today, how are you going to switch over a bunch of factories, as they DO NOT EXIST, in any great number?

MP

I don't know what constitutes "great number", but we still make cars and John Deeres and airplanes
and rocket ships and ...

The BMW manufacturing plant is just down the road from me, and there's tons of industry around
here producing automotive parts.

The Chinese are pumping out tons of cheap steel... putting us out of business... I bet that'll be
hard to ramp back up...

-Mike

Agreed. I think the Chinese steel is the big issue. That's partly why I feel we should have enough subsidies on important defense industries to counteract the Chinese and others.

[FLAVALK]

Overwhelming firepower.
Its just how we do did things.

There, fixed it for ya 

[MP]

Today, how are you going to switch over a bunch of factories, as they DO NOT EXIST, in any great number?

MP

I don't know what constitutes "great number", but we still make cars and John Deeres and airplanes
and rocket ships and ...

The BMW manufacturing plant is just down the road from me, and there's tons of industry around
here producing automotive parts.

The Chinese are pumping out tons of cheap steel... putting us out of business... I bet that'll be
hard to ramp back up...

-Mike

Well, I guess then the decades of unions, workers, political leaders, industry leaders, etc. telling us factories are shutting down and going overseas, are all lies?

Ask any of the steel people where it comes from.

Ask how many of the textile factories have left GA and surrounding areas?

Ask what % of our cars come from overseas vs at the time of WWII.

Look at what % of goods on the shelf at any store come from overseas.  Almost all of them.  I'll bet prior to 1941 that over 90% of those goods on the store shelf were US produced.

Do we still have a "lot" of factories?  You bet.

Do we have anywheres near the % we did prior to WWII?  I sure do not believe so.

MP