The greatest nation on earth

[georgwilhelm**]

America is the best because if any other country says they are "the greatest nation on earth", they don't get people from other countries making baby cry threads about it.

The point is, that I am not aware of any other country, where this believe and its verbalization is nearly as omnipresent. I would believe that in most countries the head of state would even be extremely hesitant to say something like that. Or have you heard of a Canadian politician saying anything comparable?

It seems WWII and the (undisputable) military strength are the main reason for this believe. Interesting, I would have never thought that this would be considered a reason for greatness (esp. the military might). Or would the strongest person on earth be considered the "greatest human being"?

 

[Katsumi Yamada]

Now if you were talking about most powerful country in the world, that's a different discussion. You'd be hard pressed to make an argument against the USA in that regard

easy

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2234726/Britain-tops-global-soft-power-list.html

"The term soft power was coined by Harvard scholar Joseph Nye to describe the spread of a country’s influence through non-military means and has become a foreign policy objective worldwide."

 

[hoonosewot88]

On the topic of WW2, let's clear this up.

The war wouldn't have been won without the US, not so much for opening the Western Front with the UK and it's empire, but for their supplying help to the UK.

Without the UK standing in the West, the full brunt of the Nazis would have hit the USSR, and the attack would have probably been better thought out. As it was the Nazis got incredibly close to Moscow, and i think they'd have taken it if they weren't having to worry about committing resources to dealing with the UK and it's presence in North Africa as well.

That said, WW2 wouldn't have been won without the USSR or the UK either, take their contributions out of the equation and you get the same result, Nazi domination of Europe, and much of Asia and Africa.

Even outside of those big 3, Canada played a huge role in keeping the UK alive with supplies, particularly when political pressure in the US hindered how much they were willing to help. Troops in Belgium may have been defeated fairly quickly at the start of the war, but they held on longer than expected, without them you don't get Dunkirk, and without Dunkirk the UK takes a huge hit not only militarily, but politically and on morale.

There are countless other examples of smaller countries making crucial contributions in WW2, to say any single country was responsible for victory is an absolute nonsense.

 

[Nonsense]

I think people proclaim it because they have heard it said so many times that they believe it.

Full stop.

The debt, the unemployment, the gun violence, the teen pregnancy and abortion, the historic lack of a medical safety net...I could never call it the greatest nation on earth.

 

[Creeping Giant***]

You know what's gonna hurt them in the end? Their child restriction laws. Its decreasing the amount of able bodied workers in the future. When their current population starts to retire, their economy may get hurt because of it.

I had no idea retirement was an option in China.

You said that WW2 was not a team effort. It was. Multiple countries contributed something to defeating Germany. Therefore, it was a team effort.

That statement was simply wrong.

You didn't quote me, you just want to generalize what I wrote and take the context out of it. Of course America didn't fight alone, that's absolute historical fact, but they did more than any other country.

The fact that we can beat the shit out of your country whenever we want to.

Bingo

Not true.

China only owns a smaller fraction of the US debt. It's the other way around. If America starts pulling some strings it is China that will suffer.

I don't mean just the debt. I mean by the fact that I can go into any store in America and see "Made in China", but I bet the stores in China that sell "Made in USA" are few and far between.

They "own" America as in "they have our number". And if we keep buying from them and not selling to anyone but ourselves, it won't be long until China literally owns America.

 

[Pupi]

Because America saved the world in WWII.

Without us we'd all be speaking German and at least half the planet would just be blue-eyed, blonde-haired assholes.

As payment, the rest of the world has to kiss our asses for at least another century.

Lmao. I see that you're just spouting bullshit that your middle school teachers taught you. Your beliefs are false.

Because the US has the largest scope of influence , and lately to me it seems most people from outside the US either love or hate us

This. The u.s. is the all-seeing eye and it has bases in every country in the world, so if something pops up in one corner, they'll be the first ones there.

 

[Creeping Giant***]

Lmao. I see that you're just spouting bullshit that your middle school teachers taught you. Your beliefs are false.


This. The u.s. is the all-seeing eye and it has bases in every country in the world, so if something pops up in one corner, they'll be the first ones there.

So he's right, but not for the reason he gave?


Brilliant...

 

[Grob]

Apparently, all US politicians, left or right, are unable to conclude a speech or political discussion of major relevance without referring to the US as "the greatest nation on earth". The omnipresence of this notion is stunning. Leaving out the superlative (and only speaking of a great nation or a nation to be proud of or a particularly great nation etc) seems to be suspect, its outright denial would probably not only end a political career but trigger a myriad of hate mail.

As I am not American I am genuinely interested: What is this claim based upon.

It's simple manipulation. Appeal to patriotism. All the listeners want to believe that they live in the greatest nation, so by default they must also agree with everything else the speaker said.

You don't agree with xxxxx? Why? Don't you love this country?

 

[milenss]

Because America saved the world in WWII.

Without us we'd all be speaking German and at least half the planet would just be blue-eyed, blonde-haired assholes.

As payment, the rest of the world has to kiss our asses for at least another century.

This guy can easily take the prize for the most stupid reply in all of Sherdog. It even lacks a doze of humor in it. You sound straight like a doucheb*g. A troll or what?
I suggest you to learn some history before posting.
The combined armies of the Allied forces (UK, US, Canada, France, Poland, AUS, NZ, NED, BEL) struggled a lot in Germany during the final phase of the War. In other words,the USA fought only a shadow of what the german power once have been and it was still on the verge of a failure. Imagine what would have happened to the USA if you have faced the initial assault? Can you?
Moreso USA joined the war two years after it officially started. How could you even imagine, that the main hero in this war is the USA?
Just for a figurative example; It's a lot easier for you to come with a fresh power,to punch a guy who has already been knocked down, and to claim the victory for yourself.
Because that's what Americans have done during the WW2.
It's not even close when it comes to who stopped the germans. The soviet troops fought most bravely, gave the most casualities, won the biggest battles and even the german generals and the regular german soldiers have admitted that in their memories.

 

[georgwilhelm**]

I think people proclaim it because they have heard it said so many times that they believe it.

That's the first answer, that sounds remotely plausible to me. But do people never ask themselves why all the politicians are saying that, why exactly the US is the greatest nation on earth?

 

[JinKazama]

not for long

theres a reason america is nowehere to be found in a prominent role in end times prophecy

 

[therealdope]

The fact that the Germans were begging the western allies to get to Berlin ASAP as the Soviets were burning, killing and destroying everything in their path on their way to berlin should tell you something about the role they had in defeating Germany.

 

[equus]

Jeff Daniels lines are wonderful in this........

 

[Cyke_out]

I don't know what's worse, the politician who say anything to get elected, or the people in this thread who think they actually believe those lies.

 

[therealdope]

easy

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2234726/Britain-tops-global-soft-power-list.html

"The term soft power was coined by Harvard scholar Joseph Nye to describe the spread of a country

 

[QTdd**]

Why are you guys aregueing about WWII?
Who in this thread fought in WWII? Nobody.

It's almost like saying ''We won the gold medal with Burroughs at the Olympics''.

No, you didn't win anything. Burroughs won that medal and you didn't do shit, so please don't claim like you helped out.

 

[QTdd**]

There probably is no greatest country on earth.
A lot of European countries are much more free than America in a lot of aspects, but they're socialist countries and socialism is retarded, imo.

America is great when it comes like thing like athletics and technology, but they have a terrible government that limits their freedom, economy and it still believes that Jesus will appear in Missouri again.

 

[equus]

where in Missouri exactly? thats where i live and i have a spare room......

 

[ManiacTroll]

Because America saved the world in WWII.

Without us we'd all be speaking German and at least half the planet would just be blue-eyed, blonde-haired assholes.

As payment, the rest of the world has to kiss our asses for at least another century.

Yea, 'Murrica single handedly beat Germany brah.

'Murrica fuck yeah

 

[paratiddies]

Because America saved the world in WWII.

Without us we'd all be speaking German and at least half the planet would just be blue-eyed, blonde-haired assholes.

As payment, the rest of the world has to kiss our asses for at least another century.

For those of you that aren't American, you can't imagine how many people actually believe this here. I'm talking about educated people, it's borderline brainwashing in the education system here

90% of Americans would tell you that the capital of Canada is Toronto because the focus of most history/geography classes is so heavily centered on the US, the scary part is that they don't even teach that properly

I think there's no doubt that we were the most powerful, influential, successful country in the 20th century. We probably still are but most realize those days are numbered