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Serbia is not as anti-American or anti-Western, they are sympathetic for both Russia and the West, for the first because of language and support, for the second because they consider themselves part of the West somehow. Things are different with Eastern Slavs.
Poland is very American-friendly. As far as I remember the American government described Poland as its biggest ally in the European Union. Well, to be precise, Polish government is American-friendly. Polish people tend to think of the Americans as of spoiled, privileged big children with literally no knowledge of history or geography (and I have to say, it's not without a reason) but I wouldn't say there are any anti-American sentiments here.
I'd say that anti-American mood in Russia is pretty high at the moment and Putin exploits every bit of it.
It's enough to remind "do you remember the 90ies" and the reaction follows.
I was watching a political TV program another day ( it was titled "Political culture" in Russia pertaining to the latest protests in Moscow) and when one of the the participants of the debate said "enough of threatening us with Americans," the answer that followed from the audience was "enough of threatening us with Stalin."
But that's politics.
As far as American tourists/business people are involved, I don't see any potential problem - none whatsoever.
AS regards the Baltic states, it certainly doesn't help that the United States during George HW Bush's administration dragged its feet in officially recognizing de jure their independence in 1991 after the tumultuous events leading to their de facto independence.
As the US had never recognized the Soviet takeover of those countries in the first place, presumably there was no need to recognize their independence all over again.
Attitudes to America are pretty complex. Some people (like in the Baltic States) are pro-American mainly for strategic reasons, just like they're pro-NATO and pro-EU. In some countries (Poland is maybe the best example) there's often a personal attachment due to the large number of immigrants from that country in the USA.
I lived in the Czech Republic and traveled in Poland. I think the Czechs are cooler towards the US than the Poles, but this has some roots in the national character as a small country historically dominated by bigger neighbors. They are wary of exchanging old masters for new ones.
I also lived in Russia, and while political anti-Americanism is a force there, I never was made to feel personally uncomfortable because of it.
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Croatia, while parts of the former eastern bloc, are not Eastern European countries. The view of Americans in Slovakia is probably the typical ignorant view that majority of Americans are uneducated fat people who are generally much poorer than Europeans (due to larger inequality) and don't really care or know anything about any other countries. Many people picture America as some sort of hell where you're mostly forced to end up poor in a dead end job for the rest of your life, due to costs of education, etc. The extreme paranoia of immigration and multiculturalism, which is very real in Slovakia, is also a contributing factor to the negative view of America, as they imagine a strong cultural decline and huge rise in crime and poverty.
I'm from the US and that's how I see the US, too.
I'd add in a bunch of violence and hatred in my description.
FrankCostello, I did not take your posting as anti-American, but I am not sure you have met many "common" Americans, if there is such a thing. Most Americans (and here I mean USA citizens) probably have never even considered foreign travel, NOT because of lack of money, but because: 1) we have too much of a love of "stuff," we would rather drive the latest car, buy a bigger house, wear designer shoes, than save the money up and put it toward foreign travels;2) most working Americans get maybe two weeks of vacation a year, almost never both weeks together, so we don't have time to travel overseas; 3) we are such a big nation, that traveling between states is similar to traveling between 2 European countries, so many of our travels are spent exploring great sites in our own nation, which is much less expensive and easier. I am from the rural South, and to me, to travel to the West Coast or New York, or DC, or even Florida, is like traveling to a foreign country! FYI, USA h as VARIOUS programs to help our poorer students get higher levels of education. I received a full grant to a local community college, then was able to transfer to the University level, based on my parents' income, through our PELL GRANT program here in the States. I have 2 children currently in college on the same grant program. The past 3 years we have befriended a young man from Romania, who came to our community as an exchange student to complete his senior year in high school. He returned last year and lived with us to attend the local community college. His opinion currently is that living with a not-very-affluent family in rural USA is not bad compared to living in Romania, where many dead-end jobs at very low pay await. But that is his experience only. Surely much different from a middle-class French or Italian or German life, I suppose. He has learned that the USA is not Heaven on Earth, but with its own set of problems, and people who are just normal people, not much different from those he has met in his own European travels, when it comes down to it. Some of us are educated, but still stupid, some of us are uneducated, but not so stupid. One thing's for sure, though: we are a bunch of fatties!
FrankCostello, I did not take your posting as anti-American, but I am not sure you have met many "common" Americans, if there is such a thing.
I think it's also important to look and see where each poster is from, to analyze their response to the question. That particular poster is from The Netherlands, and they probably do have those types of perceptions of Americans. He's projecting Eastern Europeans to think the same, but we can't assume that they would.
That's my take anyways. All responses are interesting, but I take the ones from Eastern Europe with a bit validity to them.
Georgians love the US for backing them in the recent struggles there. The Russians are rather less fond, partially for being the other side of that conflict, and of course for a myriad of other historical matters that lead to the two countires being enduring rivals.
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