Being a WW2 vet, would Higgins really drive an Audi?

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Would Higgins have driven an Audi in real life?

Yes
35
90%
No
1
3%
Heck No
3
8%
 
Total votes: 39

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lutherhgillis
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Being a WW2 vet, would Higgins really drive an Audi?

#1 Post by lutherhgillis »

I had 4 great uncles who served in WW2 and all made it back home alive. None of the 4 would buy anything made in Japan or Germany (back then you could actually buy most things made in USA if you chose to do so). They expressed it like this, "Those bastards took 4 years of my life and they will not get a penny of my money."

I know times have changed but for the Higgins character to have served in WW2 and supposing that he made the choice of automobiles, would he have chosen an Audi? I liked the Jag he drove in the Holmes is Where the Heart Is episode personally.

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Doc Ibold
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#2 Post by Doc Ibold »

I vote yes.

Higgins probably would have done his research and looked for the most efficient car there was.

On another take... all Higgins really would have been able to drive would be the Jimmy... as the Ferrari is Italian.

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#3 Post by J.J. Walters »

It wasn't his car, it was Robin "The Socialist" Masters car! ;)
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#4 Post by Jaybird »

My father in law would never buy a Japanese car. He did watch his Japanese TV set, however. Higgins, being logical and fairly unemotional, would have reconciled his distaste for the Nazi political machine with the reality that one couldn't blame everything on the German people.
Being English, he also was intelligent enough to accept the blame for what the British government, the Queen and/or King, did to various countries during the colonialist period when "the sun never set on the British Empire."
In short, he would drive what he felt was the better vehicle.

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#5 Post by Dervish »

Higgins fought the Japanese in World War II. And yet, he had no sizable problem with Japanese people or culture. He didn't even seem to show too much disdain for seppuku in episode 3.14 "The Arrow That is Not Aimed". I'd have to say Jaybird's assessment of Higgins is spot on.

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#6 Post by lutherhgillis »

Jay,

I agree with the first part of your comment but not the second. Higgins seemd to be a total loyalist. I am not sure he could find fault with many or maybe any of the British imperialist actions. Remember the recounting of the Mao Mao uprising during '53 in Kenya (Black on White episode)? Higgins actually defended the actions of the troops and said the lads suffered by 'having to live with what they did' excusing the lack of formal punishment.

Higgins also mentioned that he served during the Nazi trials and helped process the Nazis after their testimony at trial (Never Never Again). He said 'they all had their excuses' but it was obvious that Higgins was not at all sympathetic with anyone who went along with the Nazi system.

I agree that, by the 80s, Higgins would probably see an Audi as a great car instead of a Nazi memory (after all, all Germans are not Nazis) but, for someone who was directly involved in war, forgetting is not that easy.
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#7 Post by lutherhgillis »

James,

If the French made a car that would run... then maybe... :wink:

Hey, why do you think RM is a socialist? It seems to me that he exploited the good ole capitalist system pretty well... :lol:

All kidding aside, did you see the photos of the American and English military graveyards all over Europe that was going around for Memorial Day. I believe that says it all... Many people today want America to become like France (and other socialist countries). What if we had been like France in WW2? France would be speaking German today...

Peace through strength :idea:
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#8 Post by Steve »

Interesting question. My Father was a P-38 Pilot in WWII, shot down behind enemy lines 10 days after D-Day and hidden from the Germans by the French underground. When his memoirs of his ordeal was published in a book, I was surprised to read when he stated that he would never buy a German or Japanese made Car. This from a good man that was a Lay Pastor at his Church and one of the folks that helped start Habitat for Humanity. I guess a War where 55 million people lost their lives and our young men and women witnessed countless horrors was just too much for some and I never questioned him on it. Now, as for Higgins, he seemed to have a more reflective outlook on the fog and horrors of a War and on a couple of occasions told of horror stories perpetrated by both sides. My belief is he would indeed drive an Audi, and would have even befriended some of his one time enemies......

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#9 Post by lutherhgillis »

Steve,

I salute your father. A true hero!

I see your point about Higgins. They wrote him to be a complex character. He likely would have forgiven much.

My neighbor for 20 some years was a WW2 vet who was on a ship at Pearl when the bombing began. He NEVER mentioned it until the last years of his life. He said the horror was too much to remember but he could not possibly forget.

I also knew a man who fought in Korea. He was in a squad where everyone was killed but him. He played dead when the enemy checked for kills and was fortunate enough to escape later. He made it back to the allied side and lived.

Many people served boldly and bravely.
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#10 Post by IKnowWhatYoureThinking »

I think Higgins would've seen it as a quality car and driven it. I'm sure he would also pine for a Jaguar though.

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#11 Post by Jay-Firestorm »

I have (or had) several distant relations who refused to buy anything German or Japanese. But that was quite a time ago, it would be harder to avoid them nowadays.

As for Higgins...
I don't know. As pointed out, he has no problem with Japanese culture - in fact in several episodes is shown to embrace it, so maybe as the years passed he didn't have such trouble with driving a German car.

...Sorry, a pretty simplistic answer after some of the thoughtful comments in this thread! :lol:
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#12 Post by ConchRepublican »

Jay-Firestorm wrote:...Sorry, a pretty simplistic answer after some of the thoughtful comments in this thread! :lol:
Occam's razor - “The simplest explanation for a phenomenon is most likely the correct explanation."

I think you have it right. :wink:
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#13 Post by MACattack »

My grandfather fought in WWII and hated asians his whole life. Odd thing was, his business partner in real estate was Japanese!

I think Higgins liked Audis. Notice he never drove a Volkswagen, though!
The Volkswagen was a TRUE Nazi car. Hitler actually had them manufactured as a reward of the German people.
I just don't give a damn!

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Re:

#14 Post by K Hale »

lutherhgillis wrote:I agree with the first part of your comment but not the second. Higgins seemd to be a total loyalist. I am not sure he could find fault with many or maybe any of the British imperialist actions. Remember the recounting of the Mao Mao uprising during '53 in Kenya (Black on White episode)? Higgins actually defended the actions of the troops and said the lads suffered by 'having to live with what they did' excusing the lack of formal punishment.
Not at all. He recommended formal punishment at the time even for himself, and thirty years later still thought they should have been punished.

Higgins describes the event this way: "We had been in the bush a week when Privates Holmesby and O'Rourke were ambushed whilst scouting a wadi. We found them at sunset, mutilated. But that word cannot possibly describe what had been done to their bodies. There was a full moon so we were able to stay on the Mau Mau's track. Around midnight we found them. There was a brief skirmish and two of them were killed. But I was slashed by a panga in the thigh and couldn't go on. I ordered the lads to press on. When I caught up with them the next morning, they had tracked the Mau Mau to Biribi and leveled the village. A number of innocent Africans were killed, including some women and children. But it was my responsibility. I should never have allowed the lads to go on without me."

The Kenyan police officer says, "Sergeant Major Higgins reported the massacre, assumed full responsibility and recommended a court-martial for everyone involved, including himself. Naturally, he was absolved. Unfortunately, the others were simply reprimanded and moved out of the country."

Higgins says, "The army did them no favor by not court-martialing them." Later he adds, "They were decent lads, you know. Young. Clutterbuck couldn't have been more than 18. They were brutalized, they'd seen their mates killed. It was just too bloody much for them. It would have been far better if they had been court-martialed and punished. It would have given them a chance to pay their debt. As it is they just had to live with it."

As for driving a German car, I agree with those who say he would have put it behind him and driven a nice, practical car, regardless of what country it was manufactured in. My father fought the Japanese in World War 2 and had no issue with driving a Mazda.
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Re: Being a WW2 vet, would Higgins really drive an Audi?

#15 Post by MagnumsLeftShoulder »

Can't believe I never saw this thread before! Thanks for bringing it back to the top K Hale!

I don't know if Higgins would drive an Audi or not, but for what's it's worth I had an extended family member who saw major combat in Europe in WWII and then made a career of the Army. When he retired in the early 60's and came home for good he was driving a baby blue Volkswagen Beatle. He was my grandparent's neighbor and when he would pass in front of their house on his way to work, one of them would always say "There goes Jr. in his bug." He was still driving his bug into the 90's. I think a lot of people in the community(there were a lot of WWII veterans) thought it was weird, but I guess frugality won out over any war bitterness.

I have wondered why Audi was the car they used on the show. You'd think it would have been the more popular Mercedes or BMW for the sedan, but maybe the show got some sort of deal with Audi.

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