WWII Netherlands

I just finished reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It was an excellent book and a real tear jerker and I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you like WWII novels. It's a book, told from the perspective of Death, about a young girl and her life during WWII.

After I read the book, which took place in Germany,  it really got me thinking about the history that I am surrounded by here. As I was riding my bike around, I was thinking that 70 years ago, people may have been hiding in bomb shelters and fearing for their life. Our city was not physically affected much by WWII but the city of Rotterdam, which is just a little South of us, was pretty much demolished. The Germans bombed that city and the Netherlands surrendered to prevent further destruction of their country. Here is a picture of bombed Rotterdam

They went on to rebuild Rotterdam but now, instead of looking like a quaint, European city, it looks more like something you might see in an American city.

All of this to say that I am very thankful we have not had to experience war on our soil. I think it is easy for us to sit back and criticize the way they do politics or how they seem to lack national pride but their values are shaped from their history. They have experienced first hand what national pride in the wrong hands can do. They know that if they don't get along well enough with their neighbors, the fighting could literally be in their own backyard.

I think as Americans, we don't fully understand how war can shape every aspect of your country. I'm thankful for that in so many ways. But I am starting to not be so quick to think poorly of other countries who have differing views than ours based on their history and experiences.