World War Eleven R4

[Prudie]

Did anyone else hear a very interesting interview on R4 this morning with the last surviving crew member of the Enola Gay? It raised some very debatable thoughts but the one that stunned me was when he was asked if the modern day US youth were aware of what was done that day. He replied that only recently he had been invited to speak at a high school and the teacher introduced him to the class as a veteran of World War Eleven (WW11). I cannt believe such ignorance from a teacher (if it's true of course).

[boxtops]

That's awful, really unaware of world history!

[VHG]

I think the problem is that so many youngsters (and I include people in their 20s and even 30s) have little or no interest in any sort of history, and often are not even bothered about what is going on in the "news" today.

My daughter is 26 and is not stupid, but she never reads a newspaper, never watches the TV news, and rarely reads a book (one or two novels a year - I dont think she has ever read a factual book). I think this is very common amongst many teenagers and 20 somethings.

I think many youngsters have got out of the habit of reading anything written down on paper (newspapers and books etc).

However she loves using a computer, and has a smartphone, but lives in the "now" generation, where they are more interested in what is happening on Facebook (or other web sites) with their friends.

So her knowledge of history (even recent history) is scant, and she has no interest at all in "older" history.

They also watch films like Pearl Harbour or Saving Private Ryan and have no idea these are based around real events. I have watched many films that have encouraged me to get a book and read more on the subject, but I am not sure many youngsters today do that.

I am not picking on my daughter, only using her as an example, as I am sure there are many many thousands of youngsters like her.

p.s. And before anyone complains, I am not saying ALL teenagers and 20 somethings are like this, but I think it is very common.

[boxtops]

VHG, I think you're right.

[Prudie]

Yes VHG, see shades of my own university educated daughter of 25 in yours. Having said that surely no-one could think there was a WW eleven. TBH I can't believe it but that's what he said.

[douglas9401]

Teachers don't HAVE to be intelligent, just have a memory for what the're teaching at any given time.

[Prudie]

Oh no, as an ex-teacher I think they MUST be intelligent.

[FredPuli43]

Just a slip of the tongue when reading notes, methinks. Should have written World War 2 !

But Americans teach that that World Wars I and II started later than 1914 and 1939, simply because the US didn't get directly involved until later. Apparently it's not a war, or a world war, until they join in.

History teaching here is a bit odd. It tends to play up certain periods for study and gloss over the rest. An example is my daughter, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the both the the Weimar Republic and the Russian Revolution (which my own school, 40 years ago avoided altogether) but knows very little else of European or British history.

[sandyRoe]

WW11 is slipping deeper into the mists of time. It must seem to youngsters as remote as Waterloo.

[douglas9401]

50 lines for the're :(

There, their, they're.

[Tizzi24]

I agree with VHG regarding books, it's really sad that so many homes don't have even one book in. If children read more, then it would help their spelling and broaden their knowledge - so many youngsters cannot spell these days.

I'm just thankful that my 3 grandchildren have always got their nose stuck in a book!