What kids know about military history

[Speedo]

Sorry canadians, thats just where the article is from. I know the same is true in US high schools. So sad.

War draws blank
Never mind remembering, students don't even know

By BILL KAUFMANN -- Calgary Sun
It could have been any high school in Calgary.

That realization makes the troubling, though predictable, lack of knowledge and awareness all the more depressing.

A lunch hour canvass of students at John G. Diefenbaker high school revealed, for the most part, only the vaguest notions of precisely why we should be grateful for the sacrifices of our veterans, while knowing our history for the future.

The mention of Auschwitz and Treblinka among students ranging from Grade 10-12 elicited universally blank reactions.

"It means absolutely nothing -- I don't think I've ever heard those words in my life," said Grade 12 student Sarah.

It was necessary to explain to these youths that putting a stop to the mass murder of mainly Jews at these death camps was one of the reasons our troops fought and died.

Said Jessica, 16: "All I know is Saving Private Ryan."

She couldn't impart the significance of the battle portrayed in that movie and when asked what contribution Canada made in the Battle of the Atlantic, offered "I have no clue."

Another guessed that epic high seas campaign in which Canadians defended convoys supplying Britain and the war effort was all to do about "drawing fishing boundaries."

Perhaps she'd be more up on Brian Tobin.

In discussions with about 20 students, only one had an inkling Dieppe involved a disastrous Canadian raid on a German-held French port in 1942.

A typical answer: "That was when the French stopped the Germans from toppling a statue or something."

Considering her version of Dieppe, Kendra, 17, might have watched Private Ryan too many times.

"Did the Americans go there?" was her answer.

Many had their wars mixed up, Greg being one of them with his synopsis of Dieppe.

"That was when (poison) gas was used for the first time," he surmised.

When confronted with D-Day, in which Canadians played a prominent role, Mike, 17, had an apocalyptic take.

"It's doomsday, right? When they nuked all the Japanese."

Sarah's version of D-Day was "when they killed a bunch of people who were civilians."

Give her some credit -- civilians no doubt died but it was hardly the central element of that momentous day.

The mention of the word 'Kapyong' stumped all. None had a clue it was probably Canada's finest hour in the Korean War, when our troops stymied a larger Chinese attacking force.

Only two of the students understood the basic thrust of the 1917 Vimy Ridge battle -- an assault pegged as a major coming-of-age moment for Canada.

"Canadians attacked out of their trenches and took a ridge," said Megan, 15.

Stalingrad proved another rough stretch, with only one of the lunching pupils, Ashton, guessing "it was a city the Germans tried to take from the Russians but couldn't."

Expecting any of them to know that titanic battle, along with Kursk the following summer, sealed the Nazis' fate and shaped the Cold War map was a hope too far.

One who was confident enough to venture a guess on Stalingrad, offered a question: "What's a grad?"

She needn't worry, she'll still be one despite that answer.

And some who knew the least said they were or had taken Canadian military history, both before and during high school.

So take heart -- our youths aren't missing out in the classroom, or so they admit.

One student shivering in the sunny cold summed it up: "(War) is just something that happens -- going to school is my own little war zone."

If the youth know nothing of the context of the vets' ordeals, of what they did and how they did it with all its bloody entrails, why would they care about that sacrifice?

It's just an abstract concept buried in the mists of history and Remembrance Day an annual poppy party.

It's just another day off, as one them happily chirped.

But they and their friends will be inheriting a world where there'll be war and -- funding permitting -- young Canadians at arms, possibly even some of them.

Given that, it might help the young to recognize an unavoidable war as opposed to a gratuitous one, like we see today.

"Most people don't think about (military history and Remembrance Day) as a major topic," said Ashton.

That it's actually part of the curriculum doesn't seem to matter.

"Social's not my thing," said one.

 

[omichyron]

It was necessary to explain to these youths that putting a stop to the mass murder of mainly Jews at these death camps was one of the reasons our troops fought and died.

BS. Our troops didn't know about those death camps until the war was basically over. they weren't fighting for that reason. if that had been the real motivation behind the war, we would have kept going into Russia at the end of it.

 

[The Yankee]

Ouch. I'm not as familiar with Dieppe as with the other examples, but in Canada, I would imagine that is a big part of their military history. That's.....ouch....

 

[SeleucusNicator]

I see we're raising another generation of leaders who will invade Russia in the winter.

How depressing. Unless Canadian troops are more used to General January's deadly tactics.

 

[puglover]

Ouch. That's pretty sad. I hope I'm not that dumb when it comes to history.

 

[Richard III]

No need to apologize. We deserve every kick we get for this. It doesn't help that our national government consists of people who regard national service as a sick joke, and see our underequipped, underpaid, overcommitted soldiers as something to be mocked rather than respected.

"At home, we are at peace, but abroad, Canada is at war." Gen. Romeo Daillaire.

 

[The Yankee]

Okay, do you have any idea about those events that were mentioned? If so, you're fine, puglover.

 

[The Yankee]

And it is pretty sad, Canada does have a nice history of valor to be proud of....'tis a shame hardly anyone knows about it!

 

[Goonie]

That is what ALBERTA gets for not making Canadian history mandatory. This is not a nation wide thing.

 

[newfangle]

I've been to that high school. Trust me guys, don't be surprised.

 

[The Yankee]

Alberta doesn't make it mandatory? I don't get it....

But, you won't find much better in many American schools....don't know about Canadian.

 

[Plexus]

Sadly to say, I am fairly ignorant about Canadian military history. I'd venture to say that I know more about Czech military history.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

I take deep, deep offense at this article and its flippant remark:

It's just an abstract concept buried in the mists of history and Remembrance Day an annual poppy party.

Maybe that holds true in Canada, but I assure you it most certainly does not in the civilized and respectful States. In the USA, Remembrance Day is an annual BBQ. I have no idea what a "poppy party" is.

On a slightly less sarcastic note.. Yes, I would expect this... out of Alberta at least. I'm satisfied to see that I knew most of the battles mentioned, except Canada's involvement in Korea... but then I'm not Canadian.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

Originally posted by The Yankee

But, you won't find much better in many American schools....don't know about Canadian.

It's different for us. Americans pride ourselves on our ignorance of Canada, which they well should. Our schools should take extra efforts not to teach much about Canada. Its just funnier that way.

Inside Canada, however, I would expect them to at least have a working knowledge of their own history.

 

[Shadylookin]

forgeting events of the past especially wars is common. only historians might know of wars in the middle ages, as well as about any war that happend over 200 years ago. I doubt your average teenager knows much about ww2 i don't know that much. and yes sad as it may be 40 years from now if anyone still remembers 9/11 other than the people acctually alive that day i doubt it will have any importance. if were lucky they might remember it as a day when some planes flew into some tall buildings

 

[Richard III]

Originally posted by Goonie
That is what ALBERTA gets for not making Canadian history mandatory. This is not a nation wide thing.

Are you sure?


Here Plexus: learn something:

1885 - Canadian forces suppress an armed rebellion of half-breeds on the prairies
1899 - Canadian volunteers fight in distinct regiments in the Boer War
1914-1918 - Canadians send several hundred thousand troops overseas to fight in the trenches, with particularly noteworthy service at the Somme, 3rd Ypres and - newfangle...? - the assault on Vimy Ridge. The famous poem "In Flanders Fields" is written by a Canadian medic.
1939 - Canada declares war independently from Britain, looking over its shoulder to wonder why America won't fight fascism
1941 - Canada declares war on the Japanese before the US does
1939-1945 - Once again, several hundred thousand enlist or are conscripted. The First Canadian Division arrives in Europe just late enough to be pulled back to England, where it sits as the one intact, fully kitted mechanized formation in the UK throughout 1940. Canadian pilots make up a significant number of RAF pilots in the Battle of Britain. Canadian troops are among those ass-kicked at Hong Kong; Canadians raid Dieppe in 1942 in strength as a "reconnaisance in force" for D-day, and are butchered; Canadian divisons serve with distinction on the extreme right flank of the Allied advance in the Italian campaign; on D-Day, one of the five invasion beaches (Juno) is allocated to a division of what becomes the First Canadian Army, which takes responsibility for the left flank of the Allied advance and eventually liberates Holland.

Chief contributions during the war, however:

1. The Commonwealth air training plan, which trains most of the Empire's pilots safely and quickly in isolated spots Canada and then flies them across (often with shiny new planes). Several sources suggest this small innovation was a decisive factor in winning the Battle of Britain. RCAF bombers and Canadians in RAF service play a large role in the British air war over Germany.
2. The Battle of the Atlantic: at various points, the Royal Canadian Navy is running 1/3-2/3rds of convoys, and at war's end the navy is the world's third largest in # of units (don't know about tonnage, but probably a poorer third there as well). Needless to say, war material from Canada is critical in the period before US lend lease shipments are regular.

A few Canadian regiments - ? - also fought in Korea, and far too many Canadians have served in far too many UN peacekeeping missions overseas. A battalion of Canadians is in Afghanistan as we speak. Etc.

R.III

 

[puglover]

Originally posted by The Yankee
Okay, do you have any idea about those events that were mentioned? If so, you're fine, puglover.

Yeah. I know some of them at least, but not in detail (except D-day, which I know pretty well). Besides, I'm only 7th grade.

 

[Richard III]

Originally posted by Pontiuth Pilate
I take deep, deep offense at this article and its flippant remark:

It's just an abstract concept buried in the mists of history and Remembrance Day an annual poppy party.

I think it's clear that this remark is intended to be sarcasm. It's important to note that in recent years, some idiots took to referring to it as "poppy day," which only served to further confuse those who had no clue what the poppy was intended to symbolize.

Hence the statement above.

 

[newfangle]

Originally posted by Richard III



- newfangle...? - the assault on Vimy Ridge.

I still contend that I didn't know what I was talking about.

 

[Richard III]

Um....? You contend that you didn't know what you were talking about?

Interesting contention