Why do Americans claim they have never lost a war, when they lost invading Canada and lost invading Cuba?
400712
I've never actually heard, or read about, any Americans claiming they've never lost a war. However, if 'Vietnam, Korea, etc. were "police actions"' as someone here claims, what the heck DO they call a 'war'?? At least they can't pretend Iraq wasn't a 'war' - it was called one repeatedly, although I'm still not prepared to accept that "America" (or her allies) won, it looked to me more like a successful invasion which has caused civil unrest!! Not quite the same thing as a 'war'!\n\nAnd why does America (or her government) think it's acceptable to compensate all those 'nice' soldiers for the damage caused to them by Agent Orange - but that it's okay NOT to compensate the Vietnamese, who are still suffering to this day, and who were mass-murdered by a bunch of Americans?!???? America DELIBERATELY poisoned Vietnam! Those were civilians!! Even if America DID have the right to poison the land (which it DIDN'T!!!) they should STILL give HUGE amounts of compensation to the Vietnamese who are SUFFERING!!
770077
The United States actually lost Red Cloud's War in which was fought between 1866 and 1868.  I belileve that was the first war the United States officially lost.\n\nPeople overlook this a lot because they fail to recognize the Native Nations, such as the Lakota people, as a nation.  However, the United States officially recognized the Lakota as a sovereign nation with the signing of the first treaty with them.\n\nA young Crazy Horse also fought in this war.\n\nThe United States was whooped and had to remove themselves from Lakota territory.
849243
Agree or disagree with the American contributions in the first and second world wars, one thing is certain. The Us is not capable of engaging in a conflict to support its own interest and sustaining the resolve required to win. We have surrendered to liberal heresy and are doomed to suffer the fate of a weak and conviction-less nation.
249417
Parts of Canada have considered joining the US occasionally. For example, the reason that the rail line going to British Columbia was built was because BC was considering joining the US if it was not built. \n\nThe US had hoped to annex parts of Canada in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and the "Patriot War" of 1837. The phrase "Manifest Destiny" was sometimes used as a shorthand expression for the notion that the United States should occupy all of North America. During the Polk administration, the slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight" was used to describe where the Americans wanted the border with British North America to be drawn. In the Oregon treaty of 1846, the border was placed at the 49th parallel instead for most of western North America (except for some confusion around Angle Inlet, on the Minnesota-Manitoba border).   \n\nCanada and the US have very different cultures. Being a dual citizen, and having lived half my life in one of the two and half my life in the other, I can say this with a lot more authority than Canadians or Americans who occasionally visit for vacations or for business or for shopping, or know the other country from watching TV and movies. The two countries are quite different in many ways that are not immediately apparent unless you live for an extended period in both. The citizens of both countries have huge misconceptions about the other country, both positive and negative. I suspect that the cultures of the two have never been the same, and are not really getting any closer with time, even in the era of easy travel and communications. I think a merger would be very difficult for this reason.\n\n- - - - - - - - \nmoreacidthanalkaline, you are incorrect. The US has gained territory by invasion, or attempted to, repeatedly:\n1. it seized land from the indigenous peoples\n2. all of the American Southwest acquired from Mexico after an invastion in the Mexican-American war. \n3. the invasion leading to the Aroostook War (on the New Brunswick-Maine border)\n4. repeated invasions during the War of 1812, the Revolutionary War and the Patriot War of 1837\n5. Hawaiian acquisition might be viewed as the result of an invasion of sorts \n6. Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philipines were annexed as the result of the Spanish-American War; not exactly an invasion, but still aggressive action\n7. American Samoa\n8. Florida was acquired after an American invasion\n\nAnd many other more minor examples. There are plenty of examples of aggressive American action in the past, some that resulted in the acquisition of territory, some that resulted in the acquisition of influence, power, markets etc. \n\nI do not think the US wants to acquire Iraq. I would say that would be one of those most unlikely events ever.
630678
Why does everything ....have to benefit AMERICA? Shouldn't we be looking at "what's good or better for the Cuban people" FIRST. Aren't THEY the ones - first on the list? Isn't the main reason America lost Cuba,- because they were looking after their own interests, and lineing their own pockets with profits from tourism, casinos, gambling and huge sugar production profits.......WHILE THE PEOPLE SLOWLY STARVED IN POVERTY. Haven't we learned anything from the past? It's time to STOP this  greedy - "WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME ATTITUDE." Isn't this the same reason America broke away from Britain? Britain was taking all the resources and huge profits back to Britain and leaving  Americans with taxes and very little to pay for them with?
434427
interesting distortions and outright lies about history here...\nPearl harbour attack came first. The japanese began to loose from about 1 year into the war. The americans won, (no, the americans are not looosing when we reduce the size of an attacking force from occuping many nations back to its original size) despite american victories, the japanese refused to surrender prefering death to surrender, so the usa used nukes on two cities, and saving many american and japanese lives in the process\nLikewise 9/11 and thousands of other terrorist incidents occured before afghanistan or iraq. There are thousands of muslim terrorist bombings etc in lands that have nothing to do with the usa or even the west thus nothing to do with actions in iraq or afghanistan.. (india, thialand, sudan just for example)\nJapan was a facist, fanatical society (sounds like some muslim countries) and was given democracy... iraq and afghanistan were given democracy as well, and they will be better off for it..
789665
no, cos the two wars they fought with the oppostion haveing air and sea power proved america can not fight a country with those capabilities, the second world war the soviets won as even the german admitted after, the pacific war ,america resorted to use two atom bombs to make the japs surrender, there is a saying, "never fight an enemy who could hit you back twice as hard"
611787
Events in Iraq and Afghanistan are out of control and history tells us military efforts in both places are doomed to failure. Now for some reason we Canadians have sent troops to Afghanistan.I understand that sometime in the next year it is expected the Canadian troops will take on the full responsibility for the chaos in Afghanistan in order to free up the American troops for Iraq. What does this mean? More dead Americans, more dead Canadians, more dead Iraqis and Afghan civilians. Billions of American/Canadian dollars spent on a war effort which like Vietnam and even Korea was entered into with no viable exit strategy. Millions more dollars in structural and infrastructural damage to countries that can least afford it. And for what? 50 years later Korea is still divided and North Korea is a ticking nuclear time bomb.40 years later Vietnam has fallen under Communist rule. 5 years later there is no end in site for the war in Iraq and the people there are worse off than when Saddam was the leader. And George W. hasn't even started on North Korea or Iran yet. Yikes,where does this madness end?
603301
Cuba stopped invading other countries when the USSR ran out of money.  Since they are no longer a threat to anybody but themselves, there's no point invading them.
905140
Canada is a beautiful place, been there several times. I have several friends that I communicate in this forum from Canada. I'm a compassionate Liberal myself, but America is best lead by Democrats. I'm not against fighting for our Country when it comes down to it, but invading Iraq without WMD's wasn't a valid reason. I don't agree with George Bush nor his father before hims actions and direction they have lead America too.
730486
I think Canada is a great country.....They have never been in any wars or conflicts, now who is the civilized one?
913996
Canada has always been a safe haven for Americans running from wars. half of my high school teachers in were draft dodgers running from the Vietnam war, there is even a book about an American hiding in Nova Scotia evading fighting during ww2. bookhttp://www.pottersfieldpress.com/books/hermitgully.html \n\nyes there is a lot of Americans up here(if it is not on the ABC news Americans won't believe it), it nice that they feel safe here and yes we should let them stay.\n\nhey buddy  at the bottom, Canada has never, or never will need American solders, we don't start shi$ we can't finish.
2589
During WWII, Canadians and Americans joined the British Air Force to fight against the Nazis before their own countries were at war.  That is a good example of fighting for another country against a tyrant dictator.
119195
The US had not entered the war with the intention of gaining a colonial empire. However, at the end of the war the colonial ruler Spain was militarily crushed and the three remaining colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico and Philippines) were in rebellion. The US felt if they did not take posession that they would be seized by European powers (a German flotilla did show up off of Manila Bay).
498272
Over all I think you have it wrong.  I am Canadian, however, I have a son-in-law and granddaughter living in Texas and relatives scattered throughout both countries.  However, who do you class as Americans.  As I see it the North American continent consist of Canada, USA, and Mexico.  With this in mind, who is American?  If there is a dislike from nation to another, it is a personal agenda of the thinker.  But, if you really want to know the deep thoughts of why people of USA have any conflict with Canadians? You will have to take some history lessons; In the past like around early 1700 - 1800 there has been conflicts between Canada and USA and Canada is the only country in the world that has burnt the Whitehouse and not only once but, twice.  Plus the name Enterprise used by USA on ships was first a Canadian ship built in the late 1700 in Nova Scotia.  In conflict between Canada and USA the HMS Enterprise is responsible for seizing and sinking of 156 USA ships before it was finally cornered in a bay by seven USA ships, all hands lost.  The name Enterprise is a USA trophy.  But, I prefer to love thy neighbor, it makes for good rumors.
958007
War is never won.  The misunderstandings between cultures, escalating to the point of violence, is comparable to a natural disaster.  They are not a source of glory or victory, just pain, suffering and ill will.  The survivors of a war are bettered because of the experience, but only if they come to the realization of how futile the endeavor was.  There is always a peaceful solution to end cultural disputes.  These kind of conflicts are brought on by the failure to communicate, or the refusal to.  When war is engaged in out of a last resort, it is tragic, because those that enter into such a struggle do not understand the circumstances they are in.  They have failed to realize what the peaceful solution is to the conflict, and must then resort to violance.  The terms win and lose have no validity in a conflict where both sides have admitted their wrongmindedness and ignorance by relying on violance.  We must have a respect for anyone who comes out of war, alive or dead, because they have made a sacrifice.  They put aside their moral doubts in order to invoke a pointless and futile struggle.  Those who go to war change nothing they set out to, but come back changed themselves.
457199
Canada has refused to send troops to Iraq (for many reasons). Canada also has many immigrants from the middle east. Canadians are ususally not as endangered in foreign countries because they have not been involved in a war since WW2, so Americans passing as Canadians think they are safer.