Do you believe that the way we learn history in this country skews our perception of other countries?
Also, if Hitler had been killed at birth, would the second world war have ever happened?

Discuss, or tell me something magnificent about yourself. QOTW lies accepted.
( fuck shit up the best you never had, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:41, 35 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I've never learned history in this country
but I would imagine they focus more on British history than international history. Even though I went to an international school, and learned history in French, the focus was on French History.

If Hitler had been killed at birth, you'd mention a different name in your boardsig.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:46, Reply)

Hmmm
When I was little I did Tudors, Stuarts and WWII, but also Egypt and Rome.

I didn't do GCSE, but my A Level was both British and European. It just varies I guess :)
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:57, Reply)

I went to a European School and as a result, got to learn history in my first foreign language. Not sure if it was meant to focus on the history of the country of the language it was being taught in, or if our history teacher was just used to French history.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:07, Reply)

COUNTERFACTUAL YESSSSS
It's my favourite branch of history.

There were plenty of people pissed off at the Treaty of Versailles. The collapse of the Weimar Republic also left a space open for radical parties, like the National Socialists. If it wasn't Hitler, it might have been someone else. But someone who might have liked the Jews more, or someone who was a REAL socialist.
I argued in an exam that you COULD say Maria Theresa of Austria ruined the French Monarchy. WOO.

The question was "Is any interpretation of History valid?"


Magnificent about myself? I was blue when I was born.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:50, Reply)

Seems about right.

I think Hitler's character may have had something to do with it as well. Also, his foreign minister Von Ribbentrop was a bit of an idiot who managed to convince Hitler that if Germany were to invade Poland, England would join on the side of the Germans.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:11, Reply)

Your thinking of "mad eyes" Hess
Von Ribbentrop skated the thin ice of genius and shiteness; mostly shiteness. His jewel in the crown lay with the molotov-ribbentrop pact; which allowed the Germans to march into Poland in the first instance without fearing a two front campaign,as the action inevitably led to a declaration of war from Britain and France due to the treaties in place.
As ambassador to Britain leading up to the war he was generally autistic and created a number of enemies leading to his anglophobia; if anything he spent a large amount of his time turning the anti communist Anti-Comintern Pact against Britain. /Fact Fans
He also didn't like Jews whcih caught up with him in the end in that there Nuremburg.
( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:52, Reply)

From what I remember, he was also a caricature of a typical Nazi.
He would often exaggerate his persona and try to put on a big front to impress people.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 21:22, Reply)

I think all history taught in school has a way of skewing opinions.
All countries seem to have some degree of educational patriotism (we don't really hear how bad the empire was). But I think anyone who is even slightly aware of their surrondings will learn more than what's on the curriculum by the time they're out of school.

Yes I believe so, although it's possible it wouldn't have got so far and been so anti jew.

I weigh less now than I did in year 11.
(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:51, Reply)

*awaits scathing reply*

(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:51, Reply)

oh are you all bufffffffff now?

( Lisette von Falcon, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:53, Reply)

Not in the slightest.

(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:54, Reply)

skin and bones, then?

( Lisette von Falcon, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:58, Reply)

Nah I'm still 190ish pounds
just I was bigger at school when I played rugby and ate my mothers cooking.
(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:00, Reply)

what happened to your shoulder?

( Lisette von Falcon, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:02, Reply)

I fell out of a burning helicopter.

(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:03, Reply)

cud

( Lisette von Falcon, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:07, Reply)

SPEAK ENGLISH...ENGLISH!

(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:18, Reply)

WOW
AWESOME
TOTALLY KEWL DEWD
( Lisette von Falcon, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:21, Reply)

"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it"
-Winston Churchill


What I mean is, all history is bias. It's impossible to write impartially.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:54, Reply)

Just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean it's impossible.

(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 19:58, Reply)

I just don't think it can be done.
Not taking into account historiography, what about contested battles; a "glorious victory" or "disastrous defeat"?
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:00, Reply)

But therein is a fine answer to Becky's question
Because Churchill was a pretty useless parliamentarian of no fixed political allegiance.

He was largely responsible for one of the most appalling disasters of the First World War (Gallipoli) and managed to get himself and his men captured during the Boer war, so frankly he was, on the face of it, absolutely unsuitable for any sort of military leadership.

There's no denying his genius at rhetoric during WW2, but that was about as much as he was capable of - stirring rhetoric. Yalta was all about Roosevelt and Stalin, and the strategists were the military chiefs of staff.

Now we are told that he was our greatest ever statesman. I'd beg to differ.

Edit - missed the last line. A 90 foot tall statue of me, but with six arms, is shortly to be erected on a prominent hilltop, paid for by public subscription. I will be depicted wearing a corduroy dressing gown and striped pantaloons. I am satisfied with these arrangements.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:10, Reply)

What has that got to do with anything? :D
Seriously though. Epic battle between Thucydides and Herodotus. One writing "clinical" scientific history. One writing PEOPLE history. Which would you rather read? I'm going with the giant ants.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:22, Reply)

Which bit?
Becky wanted to know magnificent things about me. You ain't going to get much more magnificent than a 90' six armed statue.

What should I be holding in four of my hands? I'll be needing a glass of Merlot in one hand and a Rothmans in the other.

That leaves four spare.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:33, Reply)

I thought you meant MY last line >_<
as it was a reply to me and all...Sozbbz.

A couple of cocks?
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:37, Reply)

No.
I'm a male man, y'see.

And straight. Though currently in remission.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:43, Reply)

They could be your own.

( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:45, Reply)

I don't have two cocks.
I have one that's pretty much redundant.

Maybe I could have a mouth organ in one hand, a kitten in another, a book in the third and a picture of a furry dwarf in the last.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:56, Reply)

If impartiality is impossible
multiple sources may counteract the bias, but it's still up to the reader to judge which one is true.
( mistaspakkaman and the inedible shifting caterpillars, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:23, Reply)

I'm rubbish at history
But I made a pub full of miserable Latvians laugh once. They spoke no English and I spoke no Latvian. In fact I can make the most surly cunts laugh - even my uncle Tony.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:01, Reply)

did you take your top off

(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:01, Reply)

You cheeky mare!

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:06, Reply)

like shooting fish in a thimble.

(PsychoChomp, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:18, Reply)

I hope that's not a description of my bra.
I'm going to stop this filth from ruining becky's proper intelligent stuff. Good day, sir.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 3 Sep 2009, 20:40, Reply)

Oooh Oooh
You should read Making History by Stephen Fry its a book basically about what would have happened if Hitler was never born... its a very good read even though its totally fictional. It gets the noggin' workin'!

I have a copy if you ever fancy borrowing it! :)
(Flim-Flam the Magnificent "You is talking loco and I like it!", Thu 3 Sep 2009, 22:10, Reply)