How do Americans feel about the way Native Americans were treated?

[Howlin Mad Missy]

To be fair, some connections (particularly in early American history) can be drawn between the two people and the way in which the British viewed them (I've heard credible arguments that assert the Irish were worse of than the Natives during the 16th/17th century), but by and the situations are pretty dissimilar.

Indeed we a had something of a war but I don't recall it being policy to infect them with smallpox. Hitler would have been proud. And yes I do believe it a genocide.

Whether or not Natives were ever intentionally infected with small-pox is a matter of scholarly debate. According to a professor of mine, who is an expert in early American history, there is only one primary source which describes such a event and it is far from an infallible one. The subject has come up a few times in classes I have had.

Furthermore, initially the Natives were seen as very child-like and uncivilized where as the Irish were seen almost as traitors and as such were treated much more harshly during that period.

Um, don't think so....The Irish are still in Ireland aren't they? (& several claiming to be in NY)

There is documented discussion and acknowledgement of deliberately infecting the native.

Whether this was sanctioned at the highest level is unproven....but then again the only written 'evidence' of the final solution was the Wansee conference and that mainly talks about resettlement.

Of course Eichmans testamony fills in the gaps...