Why Do I Love The Dutch?

[Chas]

Because they are grateful. It's just the way they roll.

 

[cco23i]

If you get into "East Anglia" where all the bomber bases were they are pretty thankfull for all the Americans in WW2 that were there on the airdromes.

Scott

 

[Dudleydoright]

Gotta love the Dutch.

Always relaxed, always friendly.

If you're in a group of 10 Dutch and you're all pished, they'll still all talk in English to you and each other so you don't feel left out. The Danes, Swedes and Finns are the same too.

My late Grandfather (late for everything apart from D-day when he was a tad early) always had a fondness for the Dutch. They were so much more grateful and welcoming than the French in his experience. Despite most suffering much more than most French did. Maybe the fact that some French threw bricks at his unit as they passed through. Whereas the Dutch threw a party .........

Let's hear it for the Dutch !! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Tomasso]

Why Do I Love The Dutch?

Because of this joynt?

 

[Dudleydoright]

Oh dear. This thread seems to be in danger of upsetting some people's sensibilities

The thread was about why we love the Dutch. NOT about how we love the Dutch above all others or that all nations other than the Dutch are ungrateful for the Allied Forces' sacrifices.

I have visited small but well marked and kept and annually remembered graves all over Europe and much further afield. Many in france.

There is no need to have everyone post how well their particular nation remembers the Fallen. We all KNOW that. And appreciate it too.

However, that might make a great seperate thread in the WW2 room ....

No offence was meant or taken here.
Dave

 

[Spitfire]

It was most certainly not my intention to start a rumble here - just thought somebody was interested in how allied soldiers and airmen were remembered in other countries than Holland. So sorry. I will remove my post from this All Dutch Thread!

 

[Dudleydoright]

I don't think I nor anyone else is accusing anyone of getting all unnecessary here spitfire. I appreciate national pride etc. I was worried that others would feel that because the Dutch had been singled out in this particualar post that other nations felt that their obvious goodness being missed was a slight against them. (I also mentioned how much I also like the Danes, remember ? )

Like I also said, a thread showing such memorials throughout the world would be a very interesting one.

I apologise to those I might have offended and to the original poster if it has been felt I hijacked his thread.

Dave

 

[kampkatz]

The Dutch perfected cheese making years ago, reason enough to love them.

 

[Chas]

Well, I posted it and used the title as a way of showing appreciation. If somebody feels left out or felt that there was an implication that other Europeans were ungrateful, then I can't help that now. It certainly wasn't intended.

Speaking purely as a Canadian now, it is my understanding that of all the peoples that the Canadian forces liberated in the war, there is a special relationship that has been actively fostered many years by the Dutch. If there are other countries that follow the same example, then by all means share it. Members of my family were among the liberators of Holland, and I am aware of this special connection.

FYI, I love the French too, but for different reasons. Champagne, Cognac and the bikini are worthy of affection. I also have a deep respect for their societal values of secularism and egalitarianism.

Because of this joynt?

Thanks, Tomasso. That place looks like a bit of "all right" as well.

 

[BellyTank]

I'm glad you like the French-
I was anticipating an anti-French moment but remain disappointed.

The French are great- many are jealous of their greatness and seem to
focus on their military history.
Cheese eating surrender monkeys.
Cheese- good. Surrender- good. Monkeys- good. Eating.... very good.

And there's no reason why anybody shouldn't like the Dutch anyway-
they're fantastic.


B
T


B
T

 

[Chas]

Glad to disappoint you. I don't get to say that often....

 

[Smithy]

I don't think I nor anyone else is accusing anyone of getting all unnecessary here spitfire. I appreciate national pride etc. I was worried that others would feel that because the Dutch had been singled out in this particualar post that other nations felt that their obvious goodness being missed was a slight against them. (I also mentioned how much I also like the Danes, remember ? )

Like I also said, a thread showing such memorials throughout the world would be a very interesting one.

I apologise to those I might have offended and to the original poster if it has been felt I hijacked his thread.

Dave

I must admit I was the same as Spitfire. I never thought of it as upsetting people's sensibilities, I merely posted my thoughts as I believed that other readers here might not know (and also be interested in) how much the Allied sacrifice was valued by other occupied nations. I don't think by doing so this devalues that of the Dutch, it's just painting a broader picture of how other nations in Europe think as well. But I'm more than happy to delete my post, it wasn't intended to start a bun fight.

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Not really an response to the thread's question, but I saw Soldier of Orange the other week and really loved it. Thoroughly recommended if you love the Dutch, or even if you don't!

Okay, I'm really fond of early Verhoeven, before the Hollywood machine got its nasty mitts on him.

 

[Fletch]

I'm not going to claim that the Netherlander is the colossus of all civilization (altho they tend to be taller on average than most countries ). But I find much to admire in their way of life.

Notably, they manage to be cosmopolitan and culturally aware, yet they've avoided many of the pitfalls of cosmopolitanism. They don't seem to be great cynics, or materialists, or snobs. They don't seem like an angry or tense or self-important lot. Sometimes I wonder what New York would be like if they were still running it.

 

[Chas]

Laid back but wealthy, crowded but polite.

 

[Hankh]

Why do I love the Americans, British, Canadians and Polish.

Several reasons, their hardly imagineable efforts and losses in liberating this continent are on the top of my list.
My parents married in '41 had some tough times, despite managed to save 2 Jewish families and shared their food with others less self-supporting.
My mother survived the birth of here 2nd child in 1944 after the R.A.F. dropped some penincilline.
They went on with their lifes after the war, didn't tell me (I'm from '65) much about their experiences. May 5th (Liberation Day over here) and May 4th (Rememberance Day) as a child were always special and impressive and they still are.
I sometimes miss the feelings of togetherness and sharing in our modern society as they were during the war, then again my perspective of those days is probably too positive. There were lots of differences as well.
Many schools have adopted one or more military graves and it's a great way to teach younger people about our history.
The same goes for several other countries in Europe, Germany as well.

Over here we are doing well, some consider us too liberal. I don't agree with all our policies, all in all it's a great country to live in.

P.S. Fletch posted: "I'm not going to claim that the Netherlander is the colossus of all civilization (altho they tend to be taller on average than most countries )"
I'm 6'6". -)

 

[Antje]

Nice topic, I'm dutch

 

[Hondo]

Nice topic, I'm dutch

1/4 Dutch from my fathers side, Good people, The Dutch :eusa_clap

 

[MikeBravo]

Even as Allied forces bypassed The Netherlands the Germans refused to surrender but continued to blockade food and medicines.

One thousand people died from starvation every day.

They were the first western European country to be invaded and the last to be liberated

I would be grateful too

 

[Spitfire]

Ahem - fftopic:

That is if you do not count Denmark and Norway as "wester european" countries MB.
Denmark and Norway was invaded before The Netherlands (April 9, 1940)
Denmark and The Netherlands were both liberated May 5, 1945.
Norway even later - May 8th, 1945.

Sorry - I forgot myself completely - this is "The Dutch Thread". So sorry...