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Poland's aid to Ukraine if Russia invades - part 23 [506]
This is strange to me because it's pretty much the verbatim sentence I would use to describe Poles' attitudes to Russia.
The stereotype of Poles hating Russia probably originated in the post-WW2 Western Europe where thousands of Polish officers remained after the war. Those men were often land owners whose properties were confiscated by the communists and whose citizenship was revoked. Their personal hatred of Russia, evident in conversations with the natives, gave rise to this widespread stereotype.
As for ordinary Poles in modern Poland, the attitude before 2022 was either one of indifference or mild sympathy to a fellow Slavic nation, all mixed with a little bit of superiority towards them but it's incurable - Poles feel superior to pretty much any other nation in the world (with the possible exception of Americans). It changed after 2022, first significantly but then, with time, it all started going back to pre-SMO levels.
Poles still really seem to hate Russians on another level entirely, on the level of an eternal blood feud
Sorry but that's nonsense. Some time ago I posted a series of YT links to street interviews with Poles in which they answered questions about Russians. There was sympathy, cautious interest, warm personal stories and a bit of old prejudices but absolutely nothing that even remotely resembled hatred. I'd say there is a much deeper, even if temporarily hidden, resentment towards Germany or even Ukraine (especially among the older generation) than there is towards Russia.
Even if you look at this board: of all the Poles here there is only one that I could suspect of an unusually high level of Russophobia (cms neuf), and even in his case I suspect it's more about putinist imperialism than about Russia herself.
we need to pacify/de-fang them for the good of this continent
Good luck. Just make sure you don't drag Poland into it. We already fought in one war as British allies
i wystarczy.
