Is anybody else having problems posting here?
I've just lost a long post; it's not the first time and it's really frustrating.


I will try to explain it one more time for you and for those who think that my point is to prove that the US didn't do much during the WWII.

To my question "Who decided that YOU are the ones to be responsible for the peace?" you answered

"I guess we kind of got that idea from WWI and WWII --- and then the Cold War."

Which implies the wide-spread "Americans won WWII" myth.
I believe if we discuss WWI or Cold War you will learn some interesting facts about those events as well as you did having WWII conversation.

"The information is all there, in the secondary literature, but has not made its way into our textbooks, media or teacher-training programs and therefore hasn't reached our schools. As a consequence, according to comparative historian Marc Ferro, the United States has wound up with the largest gap of any country in the world between what historians know and what the rest of us are taught." Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen.

Lack of critical thinking impedes any development.

And the point is: we all know what happens to nations that lose critical thinking.
It's not about Americans or WWII solely.
It's about any nation and any topic.

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If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.

I would not say the US won WWII singlehandely, but I would say there is good enough history behind it to say the US was the decisive factor in the complete defeat of Germany and Japan and the end of occupation of lands occupied by both nations before the US was forced to fully participate in it via Pearl Harbor.

You say Americans are uncriticial in thinking. I doubt that. Compared to other nations.

The biggest problem in American education isn't the lack of development of critical thinking skills. The biggest problem is general ignorance if you take the society as a whole. But even then, I'm not so sure how it would compare on a global average.

If we narrow the focus down to those who study to go to college, however, that shifts things back more into a favorable light.

Which side of the US are you criticizing? It sounds like you mean the educated as well with the execption being the historians --- Phd holders.

I don't have a lot of experience with foreigners outside of Korea though I've met people from just about everywhere and spent time in France and Japan.

But, I am willing to place Americans along side other nationals.

Just because Americans don't believe we weren't a major factor or not the decisive factor in WWII, or that we are not on the same level of the French and British and Belgians and Dutch and Spanish when it comes to colonialism......

which is fascinating to me...........how successfully Euro-centric post-modern social theory has shifted the focus and anger over colonialism from Europe to the United States. 100 years from now, it will be noted as one of the most remarkable feats in the history of thought......

....but....just because educated Americans have not come away with the same thoughts as the French or Germans doesn't mean they are stupid and brainwashed.

.....and as I was rereading this, a thought popped into my head to add...

...how much greater can I think the European educational system is over what the poor Americans have to put up with when the French member of a think tank can write a book "proving" 9/11 was a CIA hoax and it becomes a nationwide best seller in France and beyond?

Well, I think that most average people do tend to overinflate their country's role in history, whether they're American, English, French, or whatever. But, nothing that we've "learned" about WWII in this discussion points to the US not having played an important role in the defeat of Germany and Japan. Earlier in the discussion, the argument was that the US didn't enter the war until it was already decided, and that is just absolutely, resoundingly wrong.

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Hook 'em
Bear


Texas Longhorns
2005 College World Series Champs
2005 NCAA Football Champs

Agreed!

Mike

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All worthwhile rhetoric! I am learning some things. Ivoire- I'm listening ,too. I have also lost lengthy posts more than once, and it is very frustrating! And BTW, the B I U
(Bold, Italic and Underline) just above in "Quick Reply" don't work for me, either. Mike, is it just me, or can these irritations be easily fixed? [Weird] (Never mind, I just found out they work ONLY after they print in the forum. ) I think the U.S. did extraordinary humanitarian things to help some Europeans and destroy others. Then we spent lots of money afterwards to help some rebuild. In the war with Japan, we helped them rebuild so much that they surpassed us in many ways!
My generation was between wars, and I am interested in all opinions in my search for the facts. Our history books, like those in most countries, are going to glorify our part, and are certain to be flawed in other areas. I have a book called "The Underside of American History", which tells the early history of "America" including the point of view of the Mexicans and the Indians. Wow! We white folk were not always the nice guys we like to think we were! Apparently we did some unspeakable things to the women of our adversaries! Yes, friends, war is hell. Even if we win, we lose. Have we won the wars and lost the peace? Keep educating and stimulating me, and thanks for being civil! I love it!

Mr Joe and Others,

If you are having any problems on the forums, please post them in feedback forum. Please be as descriptive as possible and I will fix any problems. I don't have a chance to read all the post, but do look out for new threads in the feedback forum. Thanks!

Mike

Ivoire and others,

You guys have some good points, but could you all please start some new threads? This thread was intended for people to talk about the U.S. military either staying or leaving Korea. If you can't find a good forum, let me know and I will create it. The lounge is a good place for topics like this. Start a new thread and post it here if you want. Thanks!

Mike

OK Guys and Gals, we have eaten up 9 pages of the "Should the US Military stay or leave Korea" Forum, and Mike wants us to start another thread !

So - Since he is THE GREAT LEADER, let's keep him happy.

The next contributor please write here that you are continuing the WORLD WARS Discussion, for lack of a better name, in the LOUNGE, and we will see you there!

Here you go, I started a topic:

Do you think the U.S. made a mistake going to war in Iraq?
http://forums.usfkclassifieds.com/showthread.php?t=445