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POINTLESS THREAD III: ESCAPE FROM RAPTOR MOUNTAIN AGAIN
Blue Kitty:
Sorflakne:
--- Quote from: BeoPuppy on 03 Aug 2013, 01:38 ---
--- Quote from: Akima on 02 Aug 2013, 03:44 ---[WWII on Facebook]
I should not expect anything else, I suppose, but where was China? I mean, we only fought Japan for eight years (1937-1945), and didn't surrender despite somewhere between twenty and thirty million military and civilian casualties. Once, America knew that...
--- End quote ---
China's contributions to the second world war are glossed over. At least, I'd never realized until, well, NOW, that there was such a thing. And I've been taught the history of WWII three times in school always in multi week blocks. In the version I've been taught it's the US that wins in the end, unaided.
--- End quote ---
I'm willing to bet that Russia and the Eastern Front were not mentioned at all, because again, dirty commies.
Not to mention, Americans are extremely ethnocentric when it comes to their contributions in wars. If they didn't have a hand in something or played only a small role, then it's never mentioned in American history classes, or if it is, it's barely a footnote (such as the few Americans that snuck over to England and flew for the British during the Battle for Britain), or how huge of a role Poles played. Oh, and let's also not forget that Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh) was a key ally in Southeast Asia...
American history classes are watered down to begin with anyway. By 4th grade you've learned all the stuff that schools are brave enough to teach, because for some reason, people think that teaching kids the real history will make them less patriotic or something. It backfires, because when these kids eventually do learn the truths (usually as adults), they're angry that they were lied to or not told the whole story.
GarandMarine:
For more on this thread and more like it see: Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen or any book other then one the /man/ wants you to read.
We also gloss hard over bad shit we did. When I first got in to the real details of the American Indian Wars I actually wept.
LeeC:
let me break it down for ya
--- Quote from: Sorflakne on 03 Aug 2013, 13:41 ---I'm willing to bet that Russia and the Eastern Front were not mentioned at all, because again, dirty commies.
--- End quote ---
You'd lose that bet my friend. Each county of each state in the US generally has their own curriculum and because we have to cover the cold war the ruskies are mentions, mainly the battle of stalingrad, kiev, and berlin. Also because of the negotiations with US UK and USSR they get mentioned a bit (as they are the "big 3" allied powers). China is only mentioned with he rape of Nanking which prompted the US to cut exports to japan (which in turn lead to the japanese attacking the US). Mind you this is just what I remember in highschool. College is VERY different and outs to teach everything about everything (even took an entire class on the Chinese revolutions in the 20th century myself) and being a history buff I know waaaayyy more than they teach in high school.
--- Quote ---Not to mention, Americans are extremely ethnocentric when it comes to their contributions in wars.
--- End quote ---
eh not really just in wars. :wink: We are by our very nature xenophobic and ethnocentric because that has been our policy since the colonization of the Americas (before we were the US).
--- Quote --- If they didn't have a hand in something or played only a small role, then it's never mentioned in American history classes
--- End quote ---
boxer rebellion is hardly mentioned and WW1 is mentioned a bit but more on the tech and european bickering than our involvment. I will say that world history in our public schools is everything before america. Everything after america's founding is in US history courses. We dont really have a world history class that I can rememeber.
--- Quote ---such as the few Americans that snuck over to England and flew for the British during the Battle for Britain
--- End quote ---
that is mentioned actually but nothing else really. Just small paragraphs on everything leading up to pearl harbor.
--- Quote ---American history classes are watered down to begin with anyway. By 4th grade you've learned all the stuff that schools are brave enough to teach, because for some reason, people think that teaching kids the real history will make them less patriotic or something.
--- End quote ---
think most countries history about themselves are like that for young children. Believe it or not we actually do speak about slavery and the civil rights movements in great detail and those arnt exactly the most proud moments of our country. Hell I never knew race was an issue until we learned about MLKjr and the civil rights movements in 1st grade.
--- Quote ---It backfires, because when these kids eventually do learn the truths (usually as adults), they're angry that they were lied to or not told the whole story.
--- End quote ---
couldn't be far from the truth, mainly because most Americans don't care to learn history or geography.
back to our regularly schedule bit of awesome
Sorflakne:
--- Quote ---We also gloss hard over bad shit we did. When I first got in to the real details of the American Indian Wars I actually wept.
--- End quote ---
America in Central America. Specifically Coca Cola and United Fruit Company. Oh yeah, and Blair Mountain (early 1900s).
Have fun.
--- Quote ---You'd lose that bet my friend. Each county of each state in the US generally has their own curriculum and because we have to cover the cold war the ruskies are mentions, mainly the battle of stalingrad, kiev, and berlin. Also because of the negotiations with US UK and USSR they get mentioned a bit (as they are the "big 3" allied powers).
--- End quote ---
Ok, I was exaggerating :P Even so, I'm willing to bet that their overall contribution to the war was very downplayed in the material.
--- Quote ---Believe it or not we actually do speak about slavery and the civil rights movements in great detail and those arnt exactly the most proud moments of our country. Hell I never knew race was an issue until we learned about MLKjr and the civil rights movements in 1st grade.
--- End quote ---
Yeah, so did we at my school (I went to school in MN). However, the finer details, so to say, aren't really covered, such as how the FBI worked to suppress MLK and whatnot. Slavery...I'm not touching that. Too easy a topic to get people angry and riled up over.
--- Quote ---couldn't be far from the truth, mainly because most Americans don't care to learn history or geography.
--- End quote ---
And that is sad. And also why people continue to act like they always have.
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