I am in Bastogne, Belgium with my father shooting a World War 2 Documentary on the 70th anniversary of the war. We are concentrating this trip on the Battle of the Bulge. My father has been an avid reader of World War 2 history for more than 60 years and his passion has been passed on to me.
I know one of the things we have heard recently in the United States is the challenging of our “exceptionalism”.
If you ever wanted to feel appreciated as an American, just come to Bastogne, Belgium. The people here are so appreciative of the sacrifice that our troops made on their behalf. They have come from all over Europe heaping praise on the United States. You will also hear people back in the United States refer to us as an “occupier”. The phrase the people here use is “liberator”!!! They were occupied by the Germans and we gave them freedom.
Who would have thought that you would have to fly half way around the country to hear the real perception of the United States… from people who aren’t even Americans. So the next time you hear our politicians criticizing and belittling our country, come over to Belgium, carry an American flag, and get treated like a king!!!
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