What made Americans "tougher" in the past?

Question

After the Revolution America lost 34,243 men in various wars, another 625,000 in the Civil War, 116,000 in WWI, 405,399 in WWII, and another 95,488 in wars from 1945-2001. This is a country that lost an average of 25,000 men on each island in WWII's Pacific theater yet now the American people don't have the resolve to loose around 5,000 men in two wars when we used to take ten times more instride. Why is the average American such a pussy?

This question has nothing to do with if the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are right. I just wonder why the average American of 1940 is superior to those of today?

Answer 1

First, we didn't make excuses...Second, we now have a week generation...that never got outside played and scraped their knees...They only stay inside and do the myspace...and world of warcraft....And lastly, no competion...You play soccer...everybody gets a trophy...because we don;t want to hurt anybodies feelings...

Answer 2

There has never been a war where serious injury and Killed in Action have been an acceptable statistic.

But realization has now dawned on us all we actually find it unacceptable.,



During the Second World War the Americans would go into battle with the expectation of an 80% casualty rate. Britain has never found casualty statistics acceptable, We are a tiny little country and everyone who serves in our armed forces is precious to each and every one of us.

So the American public were not tougher in the past, they just accepted casualty figures as a fact of warfare.

Even though I tend to have a go at the American Forces, I am still glad that they are fighting with us.

Answer 3

You must mean some other Americans...I don't think those who are fighting in hostile environments, year after year, with no end in sight would think of themselves as pus-c's. I know I didn't. And the "slacker" kids I had to bury played just as many video games as I did back in the 80s till now. We heard the same crap by our parents who heard the same crap for theirs. Remember the "hippies" or before them, the "beatniks" and so on. Imagine all the draft dodgers and rich kids back in the Civil War who didn't fight? Loyalist or Tories back in the Revoluntionary War?



comparing humans of 60 or 250 years ago isn't fair nor right. People didn't live as long naturally and had polio, TB, smallpox and bad diets along with hostile conditions to deal with. When was the last time you fought Native Americans on a wagon train in the 1850s or fought off invading British troops in 1812? We have made the world so that we don't have to do a Normandy invasion or Iwo Jima every 2 or 3 years. Plus most large wars end after a few years, used different weapons of destruction and we fought in massed ranks with disease culling our forces as much as bullets.



Also do you feel that your inferior to your grandparents or great-grand parents? Are they stronger , more open-mindedand smarter than you if you were back then? I know my didn't grow up in crime infested streets like I did, but I give them credit for living through al the Jim Crow era, but I know their grandparents or great grand parents could tell them about slavery and THEN who do you think had it the worst.



It never stops with each generation being though of as punks...

Answer 4

Basically because we are finding that there are better ways of doing things than 'just dieing'. Tactics have evolved, and reducing casualties has been part of that evolution.

We stopped lining up on opposite ends of a field shooting at each other quite some time ago.

Answer 5

Because they actually had to go out and work their hands to the bone to support the future for our youths, (meaning us), They were out there without all this technology we have today. Going to work seven days a week, putting food on the table, going to church, raising a family, and still finding time to spend with their wife and kids. Fighting in wars so that their children, their children's children, and "their" children's children and so on would be able to live in a better world.

Men were actual men back then, they still believed in chivalry, and they all had good manners and respect for others, (unlike much of todays youth). They paved the way for us, and all we said was "who cares". They deserve better than that.

Answer 6

The media and people kept out of war. No politics were invovled and people weren't whining and complaining. We did what we had to do and people didn't know about it until well after it was done.



Men didn't have their hands tied while people called them names and the commander in chief sat refused to give them what they needed.



They weren't superior...they were just allowed to do their job!

Answer 7

So are you signed up to lose your life for no good reason? How dare you ! Who are you to question why other people would like to live in peace ? Do you think Americans died in those wars just so you could be as stupid as you are now . Get a life . You're a sick person. You seem all to quick to give up the lives of others for your ignorance.

Answer 8

Mommy's and Daddies raised to many pussy's who then in turn did it also. That's why we have a bunch of pussy's running round this country.

Answer 9

This has bothered me too. I think it's because the baby boomers/me generation have encouraged people to think about their personal freedoms over their personal responsibility. People have forgotten that Freedom comes with a great deal of Responsibility, and cannot be maintained with out it.

Answer 10

Why is the average american such a pussy? I almost choked on a pretzel when I read that. LOL.

Answer 11

So when are YOU enlisting?



You can meet girls there...



"Where can I meet girls"?



https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20091013130042AAOAp4U



ADDED: So you were in 1/3 Marines? I call bull$hit.

Answer 12

Are you volunteering for the job of war casualty? To prove you aren't a pussy.

Its actually not much fun being dead. That's why.

Answer 13

We didn't have so many that wanted the government to give us everything.

Answer 14

probably because of all the gays and sissies that run our country nowadays...