Are American children taught that the USA won WW2?

Amanda K

I was taught very little about WW2 growing up. Basically we were taught that we went over kicked some @ss and went home. It was not until I was older that I realized that it was a combined effort from all of the allies. Thank You History Channel. I'm from the US and growing up I thought we did win the war. It's what we have been taught from others.

billybutsky

I was taught that Britain had one of the most superb aerial defenses when Germany tried to attack Britain and that the British pilots may have saved Britain from Germany because of their brilliant efforts

1011506

FU*K NO. we are taught that Britan made a heroic stand and stood up to germany durring raids. We are taught that ALLIES won ww2 no Britian not U.S.A. no France, but ALLIES. We learn all kinds of heroic deads of our ALLIES durring ww2. No single country could have won that war.

pensterx

The Americans like to belive a lot.

The secret German code was cracked by the USafter the submarine was captured by the US navy (including John Bon Jovi). And according to Hollywood they were also alone at Normandy.

The light bulb was invented by Edison! (It was only improved and patented by him).

The TV (Baird was Scottish)

Space flight (Russia got there first)

The car (No it wasn't Henry Ford - Try Benz)

Trains (The Brits were good at this - how has it all gone so wrong for them in that department)

Gunpowder and fireworks (Chinese they also invented ice cream)

And the best is of course Democracy. They were a few thousand years too late with that one thanks to the Greeks.

The US and indeed the west as a whole are masters at rewriting and revising history.

Gump023

From the education I received in High-School (4 years ago) in Politics/Government/History class; it was collaboration between 3 major powers that defeated the axis powers. Russia, Britain, & USA.

From what I remember we were sketchy about jumping in, until we were attacked at Pearl Harbor, which awakened the USA against the Axis.

Britain had a lot of problems with Air, and Sea superiority, so we sent all the help we could afford to assist not only for their sake, but to help fight from a different angle for the USA.

Also Russia was struggling and losing its foothold to protect the motherland, and we assisted as best we could.

That is what I was taught in class as an American student. Atleast what I remember.

freddie

we are taught that britian and russia and the us were equally important in winning the war but the french nahh they would still be speaking german if it werent for the allies just my 2 cents

guerilla77

The NY State public school system (where I went) from what I've heard is better than some other states' public school systems, so it might not be like this everywhere.

What my History lessons taught was that more so facts about events, who was involved, when, where, etc:

Pearl Harbor, December 7th, US involvement.

D-day, June 6th, 1944, US, British, Canadian, and other forces, I can't remember if I learned about the Spanish double agent named Juan Pujol Garcia hired by the British (largely responsible for D-Day not being a failure) in school or out of school though.

August 6th and 9th 1945 as bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In school, that Oppenheimer was largely responsible and was able to get an audience with Einstein, explain the physics behind "the bomb," letting Einstein come to the realization that Nazi Germany would be working on the same thing and would use it, and sign a letter to the President saying to listen to Oppenheimer. Out of school that the UK and Canada were involved in the Manhattan project as well.

In school that there was a French resistance. Out of school that it was decently effective considering the unconventional warfare, but that it also had problems and wouldn't be effective on its own, but gave valuable time to the Allies by tying up and destroying German resources.

Other events, in between...

There may have been some bias, but I'm not sure that's necessarily down right terrible, as its hard not for writers to have some bias even if they're attempting not to. In particular most of WWII history in High Schools these days is taught in a US History class as opposed to a World History class since World History classes tend to cover events up to the beginning of the 19th Century.

I certainly don't think the US was alone in its victory of WWII, and dont think they would have won on their own, but I also don't think its particularly important speculating about what could have been. Nazi Germany could have won WWII if they had been smarter, or developed the atomic bomb first, etc but they didn't and that's the important part.

We don't think that we won the war single handedly. However remember, the reason the US didnt join the war in the first place was due to a few reasons. One was the policy of isolation the American people supported after WWI. Beginning in 1929 the US went through a major economic depression. That combined with the memory of the losses of WW2 made the US wary. (Thats for the people who think the US didnt join because we just didnt want to.)

As for the children being taught the US won the war by themselves? No. Did we help? Yes. Was Hilter trying to attack the US? Yes, in a way. Anyone remember the Zimmerman letter to Mexico?

But please remember that just because you have heard something, like the US is taught they won the war by themselves, take it with a grain of salt. It might not be true.

Anthony R

We weren't taught that we won singlehandedly, but you do have to admit it would not have been feasible if the US hadn't have entered. Thats probably why they made that comment. I do like the fact that when many allies including the US ARMY were retreating the USMC stayed and turned the tide. ie Belleau Wood (WWI). The USMC also pretty much won the Pacific single handedly (WWII). Iwo Jima, Peleliu, Okinawa etc etc.
If you really want to find out just research major battles in the European theater and the Pacific and see what countries did what.
For the retard haggisbasher that mentioned we thought we won Viet Nam too. Read some history. Nam was a political loss,but militarily it was being won. After the Tet Offensive every single offensive was put down by the US Military, but due to lack of political and social support back in the states the US Military was forced by its bean counters to turn over all operations to the ARVN units, which eventually due to lack of military capability and funds lost to the NVA. If you believe we are taught history by Rambo movies you are even more retarded than you sound.

boden21

sure mate it also seems that they won the battle of britain as well (dream on )

Keith

Every country is this way. I once saw a world map with Spain in the center and the rest of the world all distorted around it. Have you ever read the poem the Persian Version?

The Persian Version
Graves, Robert (1895-1985)

Truth-loving Persians do not dwell upon
The trivial skirmish fought near Marathon.
As for the Greek theatrical tradition
Which represents that summer's expedition
Not as a mere reconnaissance in force
By three brigades of foot and one of horse
(Their left flank covered by some obsolete
Light craft detached from the main Persian fleet)
But as a grandiose, ill-starred attempt
To conquer Greece--they treat it with contempt;
And only incidentally refute
Major Greek claims, by stressing what repute
The Persian monarch and Persian nation
Won by this salutary demonstration:
Despite a strong defence and adverse weather
All arms combined mangificently together.

Mark P

"History" is highly variable. Parochial history is just that, simplistic and often linear. It's important to realize that critical thinking and in-depth analysis are really not part of the learning experience in elementary or middle school (at least from my experience). The emphasis is on rote memorization (names and dates) to establish a core of knowledge.
Many historians believe the Soviets would have won with or without the US and that the US's role was far greater in WWI.

A Person

Don't assume. We are taught the Allies won the war. Although the US had one of the largest roles to play because of our abundance of natural resources, population, ingenuity and we were not being bombed during WWII. (except for Pearl Harbor) Those are the facts.

michael2k_18

They probably are as thats what they seem to believe!!!

Honza you got it spot on!!! as i tell my other half when she goes on about migrant workers from eastern europe, we owe the eastern european, french and commonwealth pilots and we owe them one big time!!! but this question isnt about that it's about americas belief that we owe them, the fact is simple no victory in the Battle of Britain no D Day!!

mindworms

I would like to add, that the Britain did not won the Battle of Briatin itself. Britain had aircraft but not enough pilots. Volunteers from occupied Europe came in and fought fo Britain, to get thec chance to liberate the Europe again. Polish, Czechoslowak, French squadrons those were men who saved the Britain.

slicktop80

I was taught that we played a pivotal roll in winning the war, and that it would have been much less likely for our Allies to have come out on top without our manpower and manufacturing capabilities. I was never taught that America won singlehandedly, just that we were a huge contributor to victory, particularly in Europe. The Pacific theatre really was pretty much all America, as I believe history shows.

starlight

Americans re write history to suit themselves. So most of them grow up in false beliefs about lots of things. Try watching any war film or even the patriot film. that was a total rewrite, as we dont learn our own history very well now , most of the Brits grow up believing what they see in the films without question. SAD. But thats the way it is.

â™¥haggisbasherâ™¥

It seems they think that way, but remember all those Rambo movies, they make out they won the Vietnam war too, the Americans never came into the war until Pearl Harbour, they didn't want to get involved, but they did help us to win,they certainly didn't win it on their own merit, the Germans bit off more than they could chew when they took on Russia. Good question!!

srracvuee

the battle of Britain was a turning point because at that time it was a matter of the Germans crossing the channel and it would have been over and we fought on determinedly i personally with desert rats and Italy and Germans began to crack //Now if the Americans hadn't come to our rescue we couldn't have beat that powerful German army but i hope they also add when teaching the children in both wars they were 2 years late coming in and it makes you wonder if Pearl Harbour hadn't happened would they have come at all/ just facts i love the USA and its people i'm often there//just a family debate we'll always stick together

Dean C

They are probaly taught that America Created the ground you walk on, but each country it going to swing history in there favour, it happens everywhere, why would you want to be apart of a country that had no historical importance or never achieved anything ?????? well never achieved anything on its own!

Jason M

I am sure thee are things in your historical teachings about the USA becoming their own country the may differ from ours.

Francophile

I damned well hope not as they left tiny Britain along with her Commonwealth/Empire partners to fight alone for three years from 1939 to 1942.

The US 'helped us' by providing ships etc on 'lend lease' on such extortionate terms that the UK only finished paying off the debt last year - more than sixty years after WW2 ended.

just4ivaylo

Not just WWII. You'd be surprised at what America takes credit for. I mean...who invented the first computer? That's right! Not an American. Yogurt? Nope, claimed to be American too. North Carolina license plates..."First in Flight"...Yeah...mhm, really? If you taught your children with the world's standards, and not have been 4 years behind every country in education, they would know the French were the first in the air.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: