Dan: Jackson Pollack was an artist. Polack is slang for someone of Polish descent.
While we did declare war on Japan following the Pearl Harbor attack, we did NOT declare war on Germany and Italy. Both Germany and Italy declared war on us, and thus we found ourselves embroiled in the European conflict, as well as the Pacific War. The rest, as they say, is history.[/quote]
Regarding the helicopter ejections seats:
Actually, the term “polack” is an anglicized exonym of the Polish endonym “polak” (which is a male-gendered adjective/noun for polish or polish person). This is, mind you the language most in need of a Cyrillic alphabet and with the most weird Latin phonetics. Jackson Pollack is just a differently anglicized version (kind of like Cassidy/Cassaday/O’Caiside/O’Casedeagh). But yes, you are correct that the most common spelling of the derogatory American slur is “polack”.
However, since I was describing my wife and my step-mother, the proper endonym would be “polka” (the female version–or should that be pollcka?..hmm).
Quick side note on Polka: The mass immigration into southern texas of German (Poland was part of Germany at the time) immigrants left an indelible mark on that area. Ever wonder why there is always an accordion in Mexican music? Or why Mennonite Cheese comes from Oaxaca?
Regarding WWII:
Yeah.
They declared war on us and we could have just held back and let everyone else run out of steam before doing anything (which we sort of did).
But personal sentiment played a big role in us heading to Europe.
