To show you how ignorant the general population of America is.

And what are we doing ourselves as students of WWII? Of warfare, as I assume everyone on this forum has wider interests than just '39-'45. What are you doing to teach and inform? I make it a point, probably to annoyance, to correct people when they make a statement like the D-Day landings ended the war. I also make it a point that my kids know about these wars...not because of the political motivations behind them...but because of service, selflessness and sacrifice. We also expose our children to different religions when they are curious about it, let them read the books and decide for themselves what and whom they'd like to believe in. The US education system has been flawed for as long as their has been a formal system. It's the same all over..."nanny state" or not...it's our responsibility to do our best to teach our kids, and if we care enough to point out the flaws in other folks knowledge then we should at least be trying to share what we've learned.

 

Hi Gunner, how’s the weather in Bavaria? Getting out to the range? Been too crappy around here to do any shooting.

Anyhow in answer to your question, you involve the kids. Our kids have been going to the Cenotaph ever remembrance ever since they can remember. I used to push their grandfather up to the front where all the veterans and the kids got to stay with him instead of heading to the back with me. Here is a picture of us from this year. Also their girlfriend and boyfriend. The girl's grandparents were in Holland during WWII and my uncle (Craig's great uncle) dropped food to them from a Lancaster. Make it personal and make it interesting. They will learn on their own, all they want to do in school is get good marks, that is what the system is set up for. I believe that real learning comes later; school should teach you how to learn.

Your family has a proud military history, how could that not be interesting?

KTK

 

You the cute one in front of the girl in the grey jacket?

 

The US never suffered or had the physical damage of WW2 as the European countries did, to remind them of the war. As such, there was nothing really to have the postwar generations have a connection to the history of the war other than maybe an obscure uncle was killed.

The people of this forum are interested in history and we know it details. But for many people that are just as intelligent; the 2nd world war was fought seven decades ago and its part of the fog of history now. It doesn't make them ignorant; just less informed as compared to us.

 

I enjoy all history as I suspect the majority around here do.

But WWII is critical, just think this history isn't some thousand of year old hearsay. But there are men living who actually threw babies into gas chambers and ovens. There are also men living who stopped them.

Evil is real and mankind is capable of great evil which we must always be on guard against.

WWII is proof and that proof is first hand knowledge to many.

Much more important than other conflicts to the present generations in my humble opinion.

KTK

 

Hi; There are allot of otherwise intelligent Canadians who are barely aware there was a World War II , let alone have any knowlege of the contribution and sacrifice a generation made to allied victory . One of the reasons for this is that we fought the war stuck between 2 world powers , Great Britian and America . To those who may not know better, when they read a book or see a war documentary that refers to the British Army or Air Force that something like 1 in 3 of the British forces are from Canadia, Australia, New Zeandland South Africa , and several conquored European countries . Indeed one of my pet peeves is when someone doing a Battle of Britian Documentary for example describes how "Britian Stood Alone " against Nazi tyrrany , I can't help but ask myself what about the rest of us ? We have always been a quiet kind of laid- back people ( except for hockey ) and until recently not really stood up and acknowledged our part , so we shouldn,t be surprised that so many people here are uninformed about Canada in World War II ...

 

But just not America, belasar. Sometime around 1900 an obscure British poet wrote

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the Brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;

see "Tommy" by Kipling

 

Hi Ken,

yes, i´m out shooting at the Range. No matter if it rains or snow falls, thats the best days at the range, you´re alone and you can collect lots of experiences for shooting under this circumstances.

Thanks for the answer and i agree totally with it! My daughter knows about her Great-Grandpa´s and what they did in war and she is proud of them although she has never seen them alive. It is the right way to let the teachers do their work and if the kids show some interest, you can educate them in several ways over here. Always good is to make a 5 hours trip to such places like Eben Emael where the history "Lives" and is to touch. And connect this tour with a nice Father/Daughter weekend and you have won.
Thanks for the pic, you have a fine family, congrats!

 

Kipling....OBSCURE????

It might be more than the teaching of WWII history that's sadly lacking in U.S. schools!!!

 

Drawing on my vast experience having delved into the deepest aspects of this subject matter.....I am humbly suggesting that I have found a new tool to attack our collective problem. It is called appropriately IGNORANCE MANAGEMENT, so I am making this available to you and all your organizational structures you may be blessed or cursed to have to work with. A firm sense of humor is required lest ye be left unable to deal with the stark realities. IGNORANCE MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT

 

What do you expect? I'm only 1 of those ignorant general population Americans. I'm kinda suprised a Brit didn't think of the quote right off.

 

THIS obscure British poet?



...or this one?



..maybe this one?



...even this one -



...the average American has been exposed to more Kipling than you might realise

 

The American public, at large, has a rather short memory. We want to be entertained, stimulated, led from one topic-of-the-moment to the next. There was a massive amount of public support for WW2, for a few years, due to the personal nature of the war. America was fairly isolationist right up until the point the Japanese brought it to our doorsteps. A good portion of the population had never heard of Pearl Harbor, but when it was our boys, our bases, our country being attacked, it became personal and Yamamoto's "sleeping giant" got pissed. In Korea and Vietnam, it was an ally. Another country. Someone else's problem (especially in 'Nam, with the unrestricted access that the media had, and the tendency of media outlets to color their reports to suit public opinion). It wasn't personal, therefore it wasn't popular. The war(s) in the Middle East started out the same...what's going on over there is a problem that's been ongoing for thousands of years, why should we be involved? Then it was brought home on 9-ll, and all of a sudden its personal again. The population got pissed. The amount of support for troops and anything pro-military was astounding! For a couple of years. Then we got tired of paying higher gas prices, tired of seeing our troops go over to some place we couldn't pronounce, spell, or find on a map that only had the one location printed on it (in large font. With Crayon.). So the interest has, for the general public, shifted to the latest Hollywood scandal, reality show, or American Idol competition. Take a look at the number of US flags you see sported on cars/trucks driving around town nowadays. I can't remember the last time I saw one. Most folks will slap a magnetic "support our troops" ribbon on their trunk, but that's about it. I drive around town, and invariably the only flags I see flying in front of houses also have a vehicle with a sticker from one (or more, if the owner has kids in service) of the branches of service. People were actually surprised last year when they were putting together the 4th of July service at church, and I made sure that the Coast Guard anthem was played along with the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force (they did include the CG, BTW....sorry, but if you didn't serve, you don't have the right to insult the Coast Guard. They're ours to make fun of. ...and vice versa.).

I always try to set the record straight when I hear someone mention something about D-Day (I always ask "which D-Day?" which totally throws folks for a loop....and leads to a discussion about the Normandy campaign, the Pacific island-hopping tactic, etc) or another incorrect history fact. There's a small airport nearby that has a museum which hosts a C-47...I always hear folks tell me "oh, that bomber flew over yesterday, it was pretty cool". Heh. Invariably, it turns out to be the C47 they saw. Which leads to another conversation about the use of the C47, paratroops, B-17's, etc. Had one guy tell me he saw a P-38....pulled up a pic of the local B-25, he proudly proclaimed "yep, that's it...two tails!" Well...at least he could count. LOL Sorry to sound like I'm blowin my own horn here, but I do try to pass along my own limited knowledge wherever possible.

 

Man thats classic! How do you NOT sound condescending when a bloke pulls a B-24 and says its a P-38! Thats like calling a Harley a Ferrari! Not even the same machine. Im discovering that there is one thing worse than ignorance of the war and thats misinformation...id rather someone didnt know what a B-24 was, than thought proudly that they did...and pull out a bloody P-38! And dont get me started on the great C-47...
We are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin here in Feb...they managed to get an air raid siren to sound at the time of the first bombing...but the fly past? PC-3 Orion! Only sorta prop driven plane they can find...i did suggest they look further for next year...a "built" WW2 aircraft costs about 1 Mil these days (pretty cheap in my opinion) but a perfect replica for static display will only set you back a couple of hundred thou...we can afford it here...we bloody should!
Oh and i wouldnt pay out on the US coast gaurd...they could probably give our NAVY a run for its money!

 

Maybe check with the Japs next year, they might lend you a couple of Zero's and Betty's if they are not planning on invading Pearl Harbour.

KTK

 

Actually mate...thats not a bad idea! Have no idea what the "warbird" situation in Japan is like today...there would have to be some around wouldnt there? And some Japanese pilots (or other) that would KILL (pardon pun) for a chance to re-enact the deed...might look into that. My local government is full of southerners who havent a clue...

 

And Ken, while we're beating up on you, that particular "harbour" is spelled, "harbor". Just sayin' . . .

 

Yeah Ken! ; )

Bloody Yanks and what they call Engrish.