I've been thinking about this for a while, in terms of WW2 with Germany, and especially with Japan. A completely alien culture (mind you, from both sides, I'm n

I've been thinking about this for a while, in terms of WW2 with Germany, and especially with Japan. A completely alien culture (mind you, from both sides, I'm not exotizing Japan so much as emphasizing the limited contact pre WW2) that felt diametrically opposed to our very way of life, we waged total war, both sides committed atrocities and then the US dropped the two biggest bombs ever dropped in war on civilian populations, dismantled their government, and to this day have restrictions on their military. By all rights they should hate us bitterly, but our nations and our people quickly became close allies, friends even. Americans love Anime and romanticize Japanese cultural institutions, such as the baths, their transit, the technology and urbanization of Japanese cities. Japanese people love Jazz, and baseball, and there's just a lovely mutual respect and cultural cross-pollination between two cultures that, while more similar than they were in WW2, still have many differences. I know every situation is unique, and I think one of the advantages is that there was so little shared history, so little room for preexisting animosity, so both sides could say "Yeah, that was an unfortunate time, but we've realized our mistakes and get along now." But it still gives me hope for other seemingly intractable conflicts.