[slm_HN]

The "greatest generation" name applies to Americans not Italians. They earned that title by winning World War II, rebuilding Japan and Germany, and creating the richest society in the history of the world.

That same generation of Italians embraced fascism, followed Mussolini, allied with Hitler and got their ass kicked in World War II.

[lazerwalker]

I'm not sure if shitting on Italians adds anything to this discussion.

That same "greatest generation" of Americans wrongly imprisoned American citizens of Japanese descent during the war, and turned a blind eye to Jewish refugees for an embarrassingly long time before grudgingly entering the war. None of us are perfect.

[sandworm101]

No. It is just a label. No different than gen-x or millenials. It is a description of people born during a paticular period. What those people did in other context, for good or ill, is beside the point: they did do something to venice that broke from previous practices.

[endisukaj]

They also sold half of Europe to the Soviets, started a war in Vietnam, and nuked Japan.

See? Goes both ways.