UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

gladius said:
staurofilakes said:
Spanish democracy is not due to US help. Actually Franco wanted his regimen to become into a democracy, and that is the only reason in spanish democracy, US has nothing to do with it

Spanish democracy has everything to do with the US.

If there were no USA the the USSR (or the Nazi's) would have dominated continental Europe, if not the world, therefore no Spanish democracy.

No USA, No Spanish democracy. Period.
_______

OK, this is my last post on this !

Look, what are you talking about ??

We are like the mother in-law who thinks knows better, and we dont.

A short list of things that developed in Spain, even during the war, and thanks not to the US, but to Spaniards and Franco

1- They wanted nothing to do with the Marshall Plan, they knew the price was to high.
2- They turned a nation of mostly farmers and the poor, and created a middle class, industry and social benefits
3- Created in the mid-civil war , the ONCE, National Org. for the Blind, today a pillar in Spain for social services.
4-Established a Social Security Program, with guaranties, even today 30 day vacations, yes guaranteed
5-Created the Social Institute for Marines, to assit the fishing industry.

The list is too long.

These are just a few things, not to mention what Franco had told Nixon that became a reality,
No to Communism, Creation of a Mid-Class, Re-institution of the Crown.

And about th Central and South America,

Well Argentina had a great economic plan, until we saw it and decided to kill it, (remember Citi Corp scandal, maybe not it only made a few samll papers) and dont forget the Iran-Contra Affair, and several deposing of "Democratic" elected presidents we did not like and decided to change the view.

We dont know better, and we are sometimes just as bad as the ones we judge !here is another good example ! We denied this for 60 years.
Once we are eady to admit our wrongs, we will come to BE !


U.S. to pay $25.5 million, acknowledge role in plundering of Nazi gold train

By CATHERINE WILSON
Associated Press
Posted March 11 2005, 10:46 AM EST

MIAMI -- The United States agreed Friday to acknowledge its role as part of a $25.5 million settlement of claims by Hungarian Holocaust survivors that U.S. soldiers plundered a trainload of family treasures seized by Nazis during World War II.

The wording of the acknowledgment is up to the government and is not expected before a hearing on final approval proposed for October. A hearing on preliminary approval is set Thursday before U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz.

Word of the financial settlement, to be distributed among needy Hungarian survivors rather than individual claimants, leaked in December after the two sides announced an agreement in principle, but the question of whether any acknowledgment was forthcoming had not been resolved.

``The case never really was about money. It was about having a reckoning with history,'' said Sam Dubbin, one of the families' lawyers. He called the agreement ``a great outcome.''

The Justice Department, which negotiated on behalf of the government, issued a statement saying it was ``very pleased to announce'' the settlement but said it would be inappropriate to add comment on a pending legal matter.

About $21 million in funding for humanitarian services will be distributed to social service agencies worldwide based on the percentage of survivors, including 40 percent in Israel, 22 percent in Hungary, 21 percent in the United States and 7 percent in Canada.

Up to $3.85 million is proposed for legal fees and costs. A total of $500,000 would fund an archive on the train for scholarly and educational uses.

The families claimed high-ranking U.S. Army officers and troops pilfered from the so-called Nazi Gold Train's 29 boxcars after it was intercepted in May 1945, during the closing days of the European war. The train carried gold, jewels, 1,200 paintings, silver, china, porcelain, 3,000 Oriental carpets and other heirlooms seized by the Nazis from Jewish families.

``I can't say that I'm happy with the settlement, but I am happy that we have a closure,'' said David Mermelstein of Miami, one of the plaintiffs. In the pending U.S. statement, he said. ``I expect them to acknowledge that it was a mistake not to return the property to the rightful owners.''

The agreement concluded it ``would be impractical'' to divide money among an estimated 60,000 Hungarian survivors because of the difficulty determining who had what on the train and the administrative costs of determining eligibility for compensation.

``This case has little precedent,'' the two sides wrote the judge. ``Many of the participants are dead. There are evidentiary gaps. The actions of the United States that the plaintiffs challenge followed in the wake of the worst crime in modern history.''

Events were complicated by migrating populations, border shifts and foreign policy realignments as the Soviet Union solidified its hold on Eastern Europe.

The United States had insisted it would be impossible to prove whose property made it into U.S. hands after Hungarians and Austrians stole from the train along the way.

A commission appointed by then-President Clinton concluded in 1999 that American officers helped themselves to china, silverware and artwork for their homes and offices.

The families claimed the U.S. government improperly changed its repatriation policy by auctioning what remained and donating the money to international Jewish aid agencies.

Well-established Jewish charities have received funds in past settlements when the U.S. government pressed European governments and corporations to resolve Holocaust claims.

A United Jewish Communities survey in 2003 estimated about 5,000 Hungarians were among about 122,000 Holocaust survivors living in the United States. With a median age of 71, they were poorer, sicker and more disabled than other older American Jews.
 
You make some good points concerning what Spain accomplished even with a Facisit Goverment. However the Gold train reference is out there considering the current discussion.

And while the US has intervened in many Latin American Countries since the early 1800's and in many cases at the behest of American Business interests to blame the US soley for all problems in Latin America is turning a blind eye to the root cause of many of these problems.......European involement in the region from the 15th Century Forward. England, France, Germany, Portagual and yes Spain all had a hand in making the region what it is today not just the US.

You can preach all you care to about how wrong the US has been in many of it's interventions in the region and I will agree with you on many of the issues. However you cannot absolve Espana based on the results of goverment change and intervening years.
 
staurofilakes said:
So, all the democracies in the world are due to US......ummmmmmm :roll: May be you should ask to some guy from Honduras,Salvador,Guatemala,Nicaragua what they think of that. And do not tell me they live in a democracy now, because that will be really funny.

Since when did I say all the democracies of the world are due to the US? When? You're puting words in my mouth.

Second of all your bringing South American countries that have nothing to do with this discusion, maybe because you have nothing to say and your trying to change the central issue of the subject.

Without the US led allied presence in mainland Europe during, and after WWII, the Soviets would have swept all the way into France.

The Soviets had a 7 million man army and they could have easily taken Spain if they wanted to. You have to remember Franco sent the Blue division to fight in Russia, so they would have had a good excuse to attack.

Even if they didn't invade Spain, do you really think the Communist would have allowed a fledgling democracy within a Communist dominated contitent. I don't think so.

So there no USA, no Spanish democracy.

The country you are bashing is a major factor what gave you the right to go in this forum and say what you want to in the first place.

If you want counter this stick to the subject please, try not to deflect it with weak arguments about stuff that has nothing to do with the central subject.

Guaripa said:
OK, this is my last post on this !

Look, what are you talking about ??

We are like the mother in-law who thinks knows better, and we dont.

A short list of things that developed in Spain, even during the war, and thanks not to the US, but to Spaniards and Franco

Again you haven't gotten the point here.

I couldn't care less about any coutry's internal politics on their way to demcoracy. That's not the point here.

So let me state my point again; Without the US led alliance (the British alone wouldn't be able to contain them), the Soviets (or the Nazi's) would have dominated ALL of continental Europe.

So whatever a coutry's internal politics whether they agree or disagree with the USA, is irrelevant!

The mere US presense in mainland Europe is what allowed the Spanish democracy to arise without being molested by total Soviet domination.

No USA, no Spanish democracy.
 
A lot of countries owe democracy either in direct action or indirect action of the US.
Japan
South Korea
Taiwan
Philippines
Those come off the top of my head immediately. I deliberately didn't add the ones that were liberated from Nazi Germany since making that point seems to upset a lot of people for some reason.
 
With out the US alliance Germany would have won the WWII.Franco was his allie, he was a Fascist to,so i do not know why Hitler should attack Franco.Franco left the power pacifically,he wanted a democracy for Spain. Read Guaripa´s post. Spanish democracy has nothing to do with US,it is due only to spaniards.
 
I actually agree about Spain but where did I mention Spain? I didn't. I said countries occupied by Nazi Germany, which Spain was not. The reference was to countries like Holland, Belgium, France, etc. those who did not become caught on the Soviet side of the Cold War.
Here are some things I believe about Franco.
- Probably was too much of a straight shooter to fall for the "Communism is the answer" bollocks.
- Wanted to protect the Monarchy which would surely fall if the Communists took power. He could have killed the monarchy off easily but instead he protected them while they were out of power.
Yes, full credit to Spain for their democracy.
But the USA has credit for democracies all around the world. You cannot deny that.
 
My answer was to Gladius, i think you are right about the countries you mentioned. I think that US has exported democracy to many countries.... but not to all of them ;) It is nice to hear opinions like yours and Guaripa´s.
 
For a nation that joined both world wars only after the winning side was obvious (and lets face it had Germany not declared war on the US you would still be trying to figure out whose side to join) you are taking a lot of liberties with the facts.

1) Had Britain not been available as a base the US could not have been able to attack Europe.

2) Believe it or not Britain, the Commonwealth and other European troops (The Free French, Dutch, Poles , Norwegians etc.) had already defeated the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, the Kreigsmarine in the battle of the atlantic and Africa Corps by the time the US decided to show up, there is no reason to assume they would not have carried the war into Italy as well.

3) By 1942 the Germans were over stretched on all fronts and the British/Commonwealth/Russians had developed counters to German tactics which were working quite effectively.

The only thing the US gave the western allies was the manpower and material to open a second european front and end the european war sooner which on your own you couldnt have done so how about refering the WW2 victory to an allied effort rather than trying to claim it as a solo US victory which it obviously wasnt.



A lot of countries owe democracy either in direct action or indirect action of the US.
Japan
South Korea
Taiwan
Philippines
Those come off the top of my head immediately. I deliberately didn't add the ones that were liberated from Nazi Germany since making that point seems to upset a lot of people for some reason.

The reason people like myself get "upset" is that you are marginalising the lives and efforts of hundreds of thousands of allied troops (and I would suspect many that use these boards had family that took part in WW2) to claim a solo win for the US that it has no right to claim.
 
staurofilakes said:
With out the US alliance Germany would have won the WWII.Franco was his allie, he was a Fascist to,so i do not know why Hitler should attack Franco.Franco left the power pacifically,he wanted a democracy for Spain. Read Guaripa´s post. Spanish democracy has nothing to do with US,it is due only to spaniards.

So your saying Hilter would let a flegdling democracy arise in a Nazi dominated Europe. I don't think so.

Hitler hated democracies, he thought they were weak, he would have invaded Spain if it ever decided to become a democracy.

Again, no USA, no Spanish democracy.
 
We joined WWI after the winning side was pretty much assured, yes, but it was _far_ from assured in WWII. Hitler made it easier for us, no doubt of that, but to say we'd "still be trying to figure out who's side to be on" is laughable. Most assuredly we'd have gone to Europe as well as the Pacific, it just wouldn't have had the primary thrust.
 
MontyB said:
1) Had Britain not been available as a base the US could not have been able to attack Europe.

2) Believe it or not Britain, the Commonwealth and other European troops (The Free French, Dutch, Poles , Norwegians etc.) had already defeated the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, the Kreigsmarine in the battle of the atlantic and Africa Corps by the time the US decided to show up, there is no reason to assume they would not have carried the war into Italy as well.

3) By 1942 the Germans were over stretched on all fronts and the British/Commonwealth/Russians had developed counters to German tactics which were working quite effectively.

The only thing the US gave the western allies was the manpower and material to open a second european front and end the european war sooner which on your own you couldnt have done so how about refering the WW2 victory to an allied effort rather than trying to claim it as a solo US victory which it obviously wasnt.

I agree with 1. America wouldn't have had the capability to send enough of anything over to the other side of the Atlantic to fight the Nazis.

I disagree with 2. The War in Africa wasn't won yet. American troops which first arrived in Africa were shot at by the Vichy French. Also, the credit you gave to the non UK forces are too high. They had roles, but they were actually very, very small. The Battle of Britain was to the UK's credit though and that ensured Britain's survival for a few more years allowing the US to get their stuff over to the other side. 2 suggests that World War II could have been won without the Americans. That is pure fantasy.

By 1942 eh? Then explain why by 1944, Practically all of Western Europe (save Switzerland, Spain and the UK) was still under Nazi control? And why was it that Stalin was just crying out for the Western front to be opened because his Army was getting slaughtered like crazy by the Nazis who had practically left the Western front to 3rd rate troops like Hitler Youth and the old?

World War II was an allied effort. The US ended up playing the biggest part in it along with the USSR in winning it. Plus the US also had to fight in the Pacific, something the Russians didn't do as extensively as the Americans did. Only a few battles (though key ones) against the Japanese for the USSR.

If it wasn't for the US, the Axis would have won in Asia without any doubt. Without the US, the allies stuck in England wouldn't have made it across to the continent and the Nazis would have been able to put all their efforts into fighting the Soviets who made their breakthrough after the Western Front was opened.
 
I disagree with 2. The War in Africa wasn't won yet. American troops which first arrived in Africa were shot at by the Vichy French. Also, the credit you gave to the non UK forces are too high. They had roles, but they were actually very, very small. The Battle of Britain was to the UK's credit though and that ensured Britain's survival for a few more years allowing the US to get their stuff over to the other side. 2 suggests that World War II could have been won without the Americans. That is pure fantasy.

I dont think I am giving non-UK troops anywhere near enough credit.
- The efforts of the Free French, Polish, Norwegian and Commonwealth airmen in the battle of Britian and the efforts of the Free French, Polish and Commonwealth, in both the North African and Italian campaigns are severly under acknowledged.
The actions of the Australian division at Tobruk handed the Germans their first major defeat of the war, Commonwealth troops in Crete effectively destroyed the German paratroop plans for the entire war are just a few examples and while this was going on the US was still flipping a coin as to who to support.

Lets be realistic had Japan not bombed Pearl Harbour and Hitler not declared war you would still be flipping the coin.


If it wasn't for the US, the Axis would have won in Asia without any doubt.

I would tend to agree with you here however US efforts in the Pacific "I believe" far out weighed there impact in Europe.
I also think that you are over looking two other factors.
1) The Japanese were at the limit of their supply lines.
2) It was the Australians that stopped the Japanese advance through New Guinea.
3) British and Commonwealth (mainly Indian) troops were halting the Japanese advance into Burma and towards India.

So in essence other than a few victories in the early days the Japanese advance was halted in the major areas (larger nations) rather rapidly.


Without the US, the allies stuck in England wouldn't have made it across to the continent and the Nazis would have been able to put all their efforts into fighting the Soviets who made their breakthrough after the Western Front was opened.

Say what?.

By late June 1944 the Russians were fighting in Poland I am pretty sure that it was in fact the Russian front consuming German units that allowed the Allies to get ashore in France, after all a large propotion of the altantic wall was manned by units being rebuilt and rested from duty on the eastern front.

However this is all getting away from the point I am trying to make and that is that the US made a significant contribution to the allied war effort in europe but and it was on the winning side but it was a joint effort and hardly a solo effort as you seem to be claiming.
 
You make some pretty big claims.
You're practically saying World War II could have been won without the US, just maybe it would have taken a bit longer.
Who did most of the work in the Battle of Britain? Yes there were free Polish units etc., and in fact this was the time the Belgian Paracommandos were founded as a unit in the British SAS. But the contributions of these people in the scope of the whole war was miniscule.
In which major operation did they play a large and I mean significantly large role? Commonwealth troops should be for all practical reasons be counted almost as if they were British troops because they were used like it.

And you're replying like I am American which I am not. Do you know of Korea's contribution during the 2nd World War? We killed generals, killed the Governer General of Korea (who was a strong opponent with a war against the US) but as much as the acts etc. were brave etc., I know that in the bigger scope of things, Korea's role in World War II was miniscule. Koreans fought against the Japanese in Manchuria as well.
 
The U.S. did not need England to invade Nazi Europe. In fact, America actually did invade Nazi Europe from staging areas not in Europe, they where in Africa.
 
[quote="MontyB]

Lets be realistic had Japan not bombed Pearl Harbour and Hitler not declared war you would still be flipping the coin.



[/quote]


So lets really be realistic Kiwi.

Had Japan not attacked the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor and drawn the US into the War. Then you my friend would be eating sushi speaking Japanese and your currency would be the Yen.
 
You make some pretty big claims.
You're practically saying World War II could have been won without the US, just maybe it would have taken a bit longer.

The European part of WW2 yes I am saying that.
At the very worst France would have been speaking Russian, but most definately the Germans would not have won.

The war in the Pacific well thats an entirely different argument as without the US navy defeating the Japanese navy it would have been a very different war. Although to be fair for the US to have not entered the war it would have meant that the Japanese hadnt attacked them in which case the pacific war would not have happened.

Who did most of the work in the Battle of Britain? Yes there were free Polish units etc., and in fact this was the time the Belgian Paracommandos were founded as a unit in the British SAS. But the contributions of these people in the scope of the whole war was miniscule.

I would not consider the efforts of the "free" units in any theatre miniscule that really does show a lack of understanding of their operations.
I would also suggest studying up a bit on the formation of the SAS especially from its roots as the Long Range Desert Group as you will probably find that outside of its command it wasnt a particually British group.

Do you know of Korea's contribution during the 2nd World War? We killed generals, killed the Governer General of Korea (who was a strong opponent with a war against the US) but as much as the acts etc. were brave etc., I know that in the bigger scope of things, Korea's role in World War II was miniscule. Koreans fought against the Japanese in Manchuria as well.

No I dont know Korea's contribution to WW2, what I do know is that to belittle whatever efforts were made by giving or allowing someone else the credit is wrong.

Dont misunderstand my position here, I am not saying that the American role in WW2 wasnt significant I am simply saying that the USA did not win the war solo nor could it have won the war on its own and that the outcome of WW2 was because of a joint effort by many nations.



So lets really be realistic Kiwi.

Had Japan not attacked the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor and drawn the US into the War. Then you my friend would be eating sushi speaking Japanese and your currency would be the Yen.

Umm not wishing to point out the obvious here but:
1) Had the Japanese not attacked Pearl Harbour then there wouldnt have been a pacific war.

2) I love sushi.

3) I do speak limited Japanese (very limited) and I am in Japan roughly twice a year for work so I have all the yen I need.
 
MontyB said:
So lets really be realistic Kiwi.

Had Japan not attacked the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor and drawn the US into the War. Then you my friend would be eating sushi speaking Japanese and your currency would be the Yen.

Umm not wishing to point out the obvious here but:
1) Had tha Japanese not attacked Pearl Harbour then there wouldnt have been a pacific war.

2) I love sushi.

3) I do speak limited Japanese (very limited) and I am in Japan roughly twice a year for work so I have all the yen I need.


So really believe the IJA would have stopped their march across Asia. And their implementation of the "Greater Sphere of Asian Co Prospierty" with their Gains in China? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: .

Japan then as now is a Nation that is poor in Natural Resources. Oil, tin, wood, minerals. The March would have continued the Bushido Boys were bent on Colonization of the Pacific rim. Malayasia, Philippines, Austraila, New Zealand , India, Burma, Siam. Were all Targeted whether or not the US was at war or not. Read back over the Rhetoric of the time from Tojo and others. Europeans were "badly using Asians" and Japan was "protecting them". Protecting them at places like Nanking.

Your assertation that without Pearl Harbor there would have been no Pacific war is naive. Japan had plans to expand it's empire and would have done it on the Asian Mainland and on the Pacific Rim. Albiet without Pearl Harbor they'd have rolled it up much quicker with out those Pesky Yank Marines, Soliders, Sailors and Airman there to help the vaunted UK/Commonwealth forces.
 
Ok since reading an entire post seems to be too difficult for some, here are a couple of parts to read.

The war in the Pacific well thats an entirely different argument as without the US navy defeating the Japanese navy it would have been a very different war.

and

Dont misunderstand my position here, I am not saying that the American role in WW2 wasnt significant I am simply saying that the USA did not win the war solo nor could it have won the war on its own and that the outcome of WW2 was because of a joint effort by many nations.

So please tell me how these statements are wrong?

Albiet without Pearl Harbor they'd have rolled it up much quicker with out those Pesky Yank Marines, Soliders, Sailors and Airman there to help the vaunted UK/Commonwealth forces.


To be honest I really would love to discuss this topic with an American that was actually there rather than ones who think they know it all, it would interest me to see if they felt like they won the war single handed.
 
America defeated the Axis single-handed? I don't think anybody here has been foolish enough to suggest that. I have, however, seen the idiocy of statements alluding to the idea that the rest of the Allies could've done it without us.

Oh yeah,

"Although to be fair for the US to have not entered the war it would have meant that the Japanese hadnt attacked them in which case the pacific war would not have happened."

Are you perhaps forgetting a little place called Singapore? The Japanese attacked it within days of Pearl Harbor. The Pacific war would've happened even without Pearl Harbor.
 
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