Was It Over When the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor?

[fightingfish]

Oh, President John F. Kennedy is really really popular in Germany, many schools and public places are named after him. It were exactley this words in his speech in Berlin in 1963 : "Ich bin ein Berliner" who made him so popular in Germany. With this words he expressed the solidarity of the american people with the citizens of West-Berlin and the free western part of Germany and so he conquered our hearts
We knew in those days, if the Russians would be so stupid and attack the german border, the United States would stop them! We will never forget this!
And I think you have many, many friends in Europe and especially in Germany.

In Germany the United States and the american way of life are very popular
For example a friend of mine has visited his relatives in Florida a few month ago and he was excited and would love to live in the States
And I feel the same, so I always listen to US Radiostations via internet, like WKFR 103.3 in Kalamazoo in Michigan and sometimes I dream I would drive im my car on the roads of this nice town
The Unites States and Germany: friends for ever!

[Duncan Edwards]

And now we see how much of what gets in the headlines in any country represents the extreme, the nuts, the outrageous, because it garners headlines and readers. It all represents Europe about as well as New York and Los Angeles represent the entire United States.

[fightingfish]

you are absolutley right, Duncan!

[DangerGirl]

And I feel the same, so I always listen to US Radiostations via internet, like WKFR 103.3 in Kalamazoo in Michigan and sometimes I dream I would drive im my car on the roads of this nice town

Fightingfish,

You are the first person from outside the United States I've ever heard make reference to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ka'zoo was one of the stops on my first cross country flight when I was learning to fly. I don't know what you know about it, but it is a nice town, and I hope you get to drive around it someday. I hope it's as much fun as driving along the Rhein past the Lorelei Rock was for me after dreaming about it for so long. I've enjoyed all my trips to Germany, but there's nothing like the first time.

France has a bad reputation for disliking America (or at least not respecting it). My experience has been that, the further you get from Paris, the less that reputation is deserved. In fact, it seemed there were more American flags than French flags flying in the Normandy region when I was there. And it wasn't even bad in Paris.

[fightingfish]

Hi Dangergirl,
thanks for your kind words about the Rhein and the Lorelei Rock
You have visited Germany several times? That´s cool! Happy that you enjoyed the trips
Wow! You have learned to fly? That´s awesome!

Actually I know about Kalamazoo only things from the internet and the radio stations
And I know something about the neigbourtowns Battle Creek (home of Kellog´s Conrflakes) and Grand Rapids, cause they have also their own stations and so I listen to them
And I was on the streets of Ka´zoo with the help from google earth
I like the town and the nature around very much and some day my dream comes true and I will do a trip to Ka´zoo

Oh, I have found a video, which could stand for the american-german friendship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDJAZ72Xls0

is´nt it sweet?

[Duncan Edwards]

This is kind of interesting. If we are representing the USA on the radio then I can't let Music City USA go unmentioned. Here are four stations from my home town, Nashville, Tennessee. It's the capital city of the greatest place on earth, Tennessee and home to everything from bagpipes to Elvis. I don't know what kind of music you like but here's a sample of stations that are available online and haven't gone completely corporate yet -

Modern Country
http://www.103wkdf.com/

A mix of more traditional Country Music
http://www.wsix.com/main.html

Old School Country and home of the Grand 'Ol Opry
http://www.wsmonline.com/

Nashville's Singer Songwriter and Alternative station
http://lightning100.com/

Dangergirl's comments about France were interesting. France is fun to pick on as our "most awkward ally" but she's right. Once you get out of Paris, like any big city, it's not that bad. I wouldn't want anyone to judge America entirely by New York either.

[fightingfish]

thanks for the interesting links, Duncan
Especially lightning100 is extremley cool!

Nashville, Tennessee is an awesome city, the heart of the south and a place I would really love to be there, too.
The United States are full of places you have to see, I think a single life time isn´t enough for this.

One of my alltime favourite bands Lynyrd Skynyrd did a legendary concert in Nashville in 2003:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzbdY_rPtjw

[DangerGirl]

Oh, I have found a video, which could stand for the american-german friendship:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDJAZ72Xls0

is´nt it sweet?

You know, it's funny that you mention this. I've been all over Europe, and the one constant in EVERY SINGLE country I've been to is street musicians singing Take Me Home, Country Roads. France, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Greece, Poland, Romania, Italy...all of them. It got to the point where, if I came upon a street musician who wasn't playing Country Roads, all I'd have to do is wait a song or two and I'd be rewarded with the song. That song truly has made the world a little smaller.

Kalamazoo is probably most famous for its name, popularized by a Glenn Miller song during WWII. Funny thing is, a lot of Americans think it's just a made-up place name, along with Kokomo, Walla Walla, and Rancho Cucamonga (pronounced "KOOK............amonga!").

[Duncan Edwards]

One of my alltime favourite bands Lynyrd Skynyrd did a legendary concert in Nashville in 2003:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzbdY_rPtjw

While I didn't get to see the original lineup of Lynyrd Skynyrd live (with Ronnie Van Zandt, Steve and Cassie Gaines) I did attend the next Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam at which the velvet paintings of the departed Ronnie Van Zandt and Elvis were unveiled to tearful thousands. We knew every word of every Skynyrd hit and sang them repeatedly on the bus while returning from ball games. I said "hey " to Johnny Van Zandt in the airport a few years ago. Ironically I've run into Charlie Daniels and Elvis in the same place.

If you are a Skynyrd fan then you will be alright.

[fightingfish]

@dangergirl
it´s a great song and I think it´s expresses for many people their desire for freedom and their love to the great country United States
Thanks for the Glenn Miller song, I didn´t know it, it´s nice. I like Glenn Miller´s music and the interesting historical background (it´s the sound of freedom which the US forces brought to Germany in the 40´s

@Duncan
you are so lucky, that you live in a city where all the great rock musicians are around
That´s really cool!
Oh, yes, I really love Skynyrd! They are awesome!