# What was the derogatory name for americans in each war? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839 "2014-01-27T13:31:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/1 "2014-01-27T13:31:12Z")
No offense meant in this thread. This is a serious question If you know them of course. I assume esch war has had a name for the enemy. This makes it easier to dispatch of a human life when you think of them in a derogatory manner. When i look at WWII, each major enemy combatant had a number of “nicknames”. For Germans, Americans (and i assume Brits and Canadians) called them 1. Krauts 2. Jerrys Etc. The Japanese were called 1. japs 2. Nips Etc. What were Americans called? I know “Yank” and “Joe” were used, but they aren’t exactly insulting. And actually, the WWII names were pretty tame considering their origins. If we can capture the names for Americans from the enemy in the following, that would be great (no, this isn’t an assignment. i’m old and curious, that’s all). 1). WWI 2). WWII 3). korea 4). Vietnam 5). Desert Shield/Storm 6) Iraq 7) Afghanistan Any others you can think of, including If they are available, 1. American Revolution 2. War of 1812 3. US civil War 4. Spanish American war Whatever else ypu have/I missed I’d also like to capture all the names Americans called their empnemies, but this seems to be an easier list since many of the terms have entered the vocabulary to describe ethnic groups, and popular culture has delivered a numer of movies and TV shows that have used these terms liberally, so I’m not sure if there are any out there I haven’t heard of. But for the sake of completeness, maybe we can list those too. If this isn’t a GQ, mods feel free to relocate it as you seem fit. I really wasn’t sure where this should go. As I said, I am not interest in offending anyone, and since I am asking for the names Americans were called primarily, and I am american, I figured that was obvious. But I know some people get offended at things like this, so my discalimer stands. Also, if you know of tphow the word csme about, that would be great if you could share that too. For example, “Nip” was short for Nippon, which literally translates to “Japan”. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/2 "2014-01-27T13:41:22Z")
Sorry for the awful typos. I missed the edit time. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/3 "2014-01-27T13:56:15Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I know “Yank” and “Joe” were used, but they aren’t exactly insulting. Based on working with people in the UK, I can tell you “Yank” is often used derisively or dismissively (and they are our ally). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/4 "2014-01-27T14:15:45Z")
The only references I have for the War of Cuba refer to Americans as Americans. Well, Americanos. Spanish news sources would call you guys traitorous swine but do so with extremely convoluted grammar and using words found in the dictionary (back when the dictionary did not include the Spanish equivalent of “cunt”). ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/5 "2014-01-27T14:49:26Z")
The Germans called GIs “Amies” ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/6 "2014-01-27T15:01:18Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > . > > For Germans, Americans (and i assume Brits and Canadians) called them > > 1. Krauts > 2. Jerrys > Etc. In WWI, the were often The Hun. In WWII, Germans apparently referred to Americans as Amis. No idea why 😉 ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/7 "2014-01-27T15:35:46Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > The Germans called GIs “Amies” Is this pronounced like the French word for friend, or the proper name Amy? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/8 "2014-01-27T15:47:16Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The only references I have for the War of Cuba refer to Americans as Americans. Well, Americanos. Spanish news sources would call you guys traitorous swine but do so with extremely convoluted grammar and using words found in the dictionary (back when the dictionary did not include the Spanish equivalent of “cunt”). What about gringo? I believe the word predates the war. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/9 "2014-01-27T16:05:00Z")
In WWII, the Germans used these: American: Ami, Yankee British: Tommy, Inselaffen (Island monkeys) French: Franzmann Russians: Ivan, Russki, Hiwi, Bolschewiken (German for “bolshevik”) Italians: Itaker (-ak is a derogatory ending, as in Polak) Poles: Polak Canadians - Kanaken The Japanese used these: Butter-kusai (stinks like butter) referred to all foreigners Kichiku Beihei “dirty American devil” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/10 "2014-01-27T16:17:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > What about gringo? I believe the word predates the war. But originated in Mexico, what I have seen about that war is all from Spain; note that I’m not a historian or documentalist, I just happen to have a personal interest in several people who took part in that war. The soldiers in the field may have used _gringo_ or _yanki_, but the reports, biographies, etc that I have seen did not, it’s always _los americanos_ or _los estadounidenses_ (both of them “official”, polite names). I’m reasonably sure that the soldiers used some terms their dear grandmothers wouldn’t have wanted them to use (although many of them would have been generic ones, not US-specific); the newspapers wouldn’t have. Popular sources such as songs, plays or novels again refer to _los americanos_. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/11 "2014-01-27T16:18:42Z")
In Revolutionary War reenacting we British side reenactors use “Doodles” (like in Yankee Doodle) as the derogative towards the Continental troops. I believe this was also a common term in the day. Of course, from the perspective of a British soldier, “Colonial” was derogatory all by itself. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/12 "2014-01-27T16:27:23Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > In WWII, Germans apparently referred to Americans as Amis. No idea why 😉 > [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Is this pronounced like the French word for friend, or the proper name Amy? I would suspect it was simply short for “Amerikanischer,” like “Jap” was short for “Japanese.” The accent would be on the first syllable, and the “a” would be like the “a” in “father” or “ah.” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/13 "2014-01-27T16:29:26Z")
Something that may have been a factor in our little common party is that it’s considered by many to mark the birth of the “yellow press”: supposedly-serious newspapers (as opposed to leaflets, rumors and minstrels) doing their best to work the populace into a frenzy. The [naval museum in Philadelphia](http://www.phillyseaport.org/) has a large section dedicated to the Spanish-American war, with an analysis that boils down to “what should have been a small incident got blown completely out of proportion in order to sell more newspapers”. Perhaps it marks a “before” and “after” in how the press would refer to the enemy in a war. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/14 "2014-01-27T16:36:32Z")
The British called the French ‘Frogs’ or Crapaud (toad) from the Napoleonic wars on. We have been (more recently I think) Le Rosbif. I have seen it suggested that Napoleon was the original ‘bogeyman’ derived from ‘Boney’. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/15 "2014-01-27T16:48:16Z")
On les appelait _Les Ricains_ ou _Les Amerloches_. The last is more slang and derogatory. Les Allemands c’était _Les Boches_ (apocope for _Alboches_). It’s very derogatory. They were the enemy. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/16 "2014-01-27T18:15:36Z")
[White devil](https://www.google.com/search?q=american+soldier+devils&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=WaHmUvPcLKKgsQSMzYH4Ag&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1097&bih=617#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=2iV8RsmbQhks4M%253A%3BFZtUoLoctCVOAM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.artandartifice.com%252F_imagery%252Ftoth%252Ftoth_devil_a_700.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.artandartifice.com%252Falex-toth-yellow-devil-white-devil.php%3B700%3B366) ---
**Author:** ![sidecar\_jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@sidecar\_jon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidecar_jon)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/17 "2014-01-27T18:43:47Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Based on working with people in the UK, I can tell you “Yank” is often used derisively or dismissively (and they are our ally). as well as “septics…” rhyming slang also a diversion but Bosch"" is what my grandad called WW1 Germans. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/18 "2014-01-27T18:50:12Z")
I recall from Stanley Karnow’s Vietnam War on PBS back in the 80’s that the NVA & VC called the Americans “the elephants” because they could hear them stomping along from far away. They could also smell their aftershave. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/19 "2014-01-27T19:55:29Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > . . . They could also smell their aftershave. No cite, but I read once that they could also smell the Americans by their shit. The smell of digested pepperoni pizza and other exotica was unmistakeable to those whose diet consisted, in large part, of rice. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839/20 "2014-01-27T23:25:57Z")
I believe I was a “running dog lackey of the imperialist” something or others. Oh, and a “roundeye” too. Was calling a German a “Jerry” that derogatory? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-derogatory-name-for-americans-in-each-war/679839.md?page=2)