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A comment on The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012). Parent comment

Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by helsinkiandrew on Monday February 22, 2021 @06:05AM (#26223123)
There seems to be certain period after which horrible things become less horrible, even fun.

The London Dungeon tourist attraction has fun exhibits on medieval torture and Jack the Ripper (1888). I've often wondered when more modern serial killers, rapists and atrocities would be acceptable.

[edit] in 'polite' society

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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by marcus_holmes on Monday February 22, 2021 @08:59AM (#26224561)
I had that conversation a while back about wars. We were discussing Napoleonic history, and then the conversation shifted to WW2. For the Brits (and most of the Germans) in the discussion it was all fine. But the Dutch, Danes and French were all "too soon".

We were left wondering when it won't be "too soon"? 2045? When the last veteran dies? The last person alive at the time? It's interesting - when does this become acceptable?

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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by vidarh on Monday February 22, 2021 @10:49AM (#26225849)
I'd imagine in this respect to WW2 the distinction has something to do with being occupied. My grandparents all lived through the nazi occupation of Norway, and so I grew up with first-hand stories about that, and so it feels fairly personal.
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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by DanBC on Monday February 22, 2021 @10:55AM (#26225911)
Also, a lot of British discussion about the Second World War is pretty horrible. There's often a mix jingoism and ignorance of what happened, especially of some of the things Britain did.
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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by klelatti on Monday February 22, 2021 @11:36AM (#26226480)
Whilst agreeing that much of the discussion of WW2 in the UK is unhealthy - especially in the tabloid press etc - not sure that the "ignorance of some of the things that Britain did " is valid. There has been and continues to be wide awareness of tactics like 'area bombing' and their consequences.

The biggest criticism I think is that there is too much discussion of the war and that it overstates the UK's role.

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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by marcus_holmes on Monday February 22, 2021 @12:21PM (#26227156)
I'm living in Berlin at the moment, and the whole subject is fascinating and also fraught with difficulties. It's a totally different perspective than British jingoism. The mixture of pride and shame is such a contrast. Berlin tends to focus on the Wall rather than the War and I can understand why.

> tactics like 'area bombing' and their consequences

My grandfather was in the RAF (not bomber command, but still). I visited Dresden recently, and felt a need to apologise to the city.

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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by klelatti on Monday February 22, 2021 @12:53PM (#26227681)
I think that Britain's relationship with the war is complex and flawed in many ways. Germany has dealt with its role in the war in a much more healthy way.

I suppose that it was the word 'jingoism' which prompted me to reply to the earlier post. I'm not sure that this really captures the prevalent attitude, which is more of being a plucky underdog that fought alone against the Nazi regime. This is obviously rubbish but has then been used as an excuse to gloss over some of the poorer aspects of Britain's behaviour (and not just in the war).

I do think that the perception has changed (or been manipulated) over the years. The films and TV of the 60s and 70s played a big part in creating this myth and more recently the tabloids and certain politicians (who are jingoistic) have exploited it ruthlessly to further their own agendas.

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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by marcus_holmes on Monday February 22, 2021 @03:28PM (#26230108)
> Germany has dealt with its role in the war in a much more healthy way.

For most of the population, this is probably true. But I think the mixture of shame and pride is feeding the far right in Germany - who then feel the pride without the shame. This is growing as it becomes more politically and socially acceptable to express anything but shame and apologies about the war.

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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by Chris2048 on Monday February 22, 2021 @07:23AM (#26223673)
https://www.crimemuseum.org/about-us/

http://www.museumofdeath.net/info

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_Museum

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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by garmaine on Monday February 22, 2021 @07:14AM (#26223613)
You ever watched CSI or Criminal Minds?
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Re:The Viking Invasion of Leicestershire (2012) by helsinkiandrew on Monday February 22, 2021 @07:24AM (#26223681)
Good point, but they are fiction and those shows are based around catching the 'unsub'. I guess there are also 'real crime' shows that go over recent cases.

But my point is that you could dress up as a Ghengis Khan or a Viking to a fancy dress party but a German WW2 SS soldier would be less acceptable. People go on Jack the Ripper tours in London as part of a fun tourist experience. But a more recent serial rapist/murderer tour wouldn't have the same pull.

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