Americans have it right. Europeans are not in an evangelical - or a bellicose - mood. Indeed, sometimes I have to pinch myself to be sure I am not dreaming: that what many people in my own country now hold against Germany, which wreaked such horrors on the world for nearly a century - the new 'German problem,' as it were - is that Germans are repelled by war; that much of German public opinion is now virtually ... pacifist!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Sontag expresses surprise that modern German public opinion is largely pacifist despite historical horrors, contrasting with American expectations.
- In plain terms
- Germany is surprisingly pacifist today despite its violent history.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize that national attitudes can change dramatically over time.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do societies learn from past wars?
- What defines a nation's mood?
Another view
Pacifism can be interpreted differently across different contexts.
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