[Incipient]

Other than the recent clown the US has elected, does the EU really feel like a "vassal"? Do people toil against their will, yield their culture to another power? In Australia we're even more so a "vassal" of England, but we're as Aussie as Aussie can be. Life wouldn't change a zack if we separated from the UK...we'd just be a Republic I suppose?

I can't imagine the EU should feel particularly different? (other than Ukraine and the recent shemozzle)

[monero-xmr]

If you are invaded by China and won’t fight to the death, expecting America or someone else to save you, or would just roll over and take it, you are a vassal mentally. If some country invaded America I would fight to the death

[Incipient]

If China invaded the vast majority of countries (eg populations <50mil) I'd expect the country to give up after a few weeks of fighting if the US or a large number of allies didn't step in. I don't see how having every man/woman (hopefully not every child!) gunned down is viable for a country.

I don't think relying on your allies makes you a vassal.