Posted on 12/08/2004 7:20:37 AM PST by 7thson
Couple things. I was stationed at Pearl from 1991 to 1993 on the USS Chosin. During times when the ship went into the yards, the command had us sleeping in barracks at Ford Island. This was the early 90's and I do not recall a sign or anything signifying historical significance. When my wife came over from CONUS to visit, we toured the Arizona Memorial. Looking at pictures on the wall, I noticed an aerial shot of the same barracks I was sleeping in.
The last time I was there in early 92 - and when I was in shape - I ran the perimeter road around the island - 3 miles. After doing that a few times, I ran it twice for six miles which was a big deal for me at the time.
Now get this. The ship is stationed at Pearl. While inport on the weekends, I would rent movies either from Tower Records or the exchange. Once I rented THE NAKED AND THE DEAD, based on the book by Norman Mailer. After reading the book I wanted to see how they handled the movie. I'm down in the berthing with one other guy - a young OS around 24 years old. The movie starts and it shows a naval battle - battleships shooting off and such. So he asks if this is a war movie? Yes. Which war? WW II. Where? Pacific theater. You ready for the next question? He asks who were we fighting? I turned and looked at him, saying we are stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and you don't know who we fought in WW II? His answer - hey, I'm not good at that history stuff! I just turned around to watch the movie and he left.
Sadly, that doesn't surprise me. It infuriates me, but doesn't surprise me.
I graduated from HS in 1972 and learned absolutely nothing about WWII or Korea. It's even worse now.
Thanks for your service.
What's a shame is that his not knowing about WWII is not an isolated case. The schools don't teach history like they use to. You know the saying, "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." I'm afraid it's going to happen because they neglect to teach the lessons that many young men gave their lives for so we wouldn't have to do it later on.
I have met a lot of people like this unfortunately. You would be stunned to learn how many people think the Capitol of the United States is in Washington State! Kids are learning nothing and are not being taught how to learn anything either. That way, when they are lied to by campaigning Democrats and RINOs, they will believe everything they are told.
I'm on a couple of neutral forums where we spar with the Lefties. I find we're (I have allies) constantly giving history lessons to the youngsters (I'm 45).
The good news is that two of my best allies, both politically and on the history front, are substantially younger than I am, one about 10 years, and the other 15-20.
(sarcasm OFF)
Forget it, you're on a roll.
"You know the saying, "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." I'm afraid it's going to happen "
So we're gonna be dropping a coupla more nukes on Japan?
I think my first learning about "Pearl Harbor" came when I was about 7 or 8 years old, back around 1961 or 1962. It was talked about in a Dennis the Menace comic book in which Dennis toured Hawaii. They spent at least a page talking about the battle and the monument. Later on, my teachers reinforced what I had read with more knowledge.
I don't think kids get this kind of learning anymore.
Succeeding generations won't know who they are because they won't know who WE were.
Several years ago, there was a survey of High School students. Most believed that World War II was started when the USA executed a sneak attack on the Germans at Pearl Harbor!
No, nukes weren't used at Pearl Harbor. I'm talking a sneak attack (9/11 would qualify) and not from the Japanese.
Really, when you think about it, this is a big thing about Japan that we have in common about them, when it comes to WWII, History, textbooks and modern day students. It's all watered down, if not removed completely.
No the axiom speaks of repeating "mistakes".
It was the Aleutians who bombed Pearl Harbor.
"No, nukes weren't used at Pearl Harbor. I'm talking a sneak attack (9/11 would qualify) and not from the Japanese."
We shoulda nuked Saudi Arabia after 9-11.
"No the axiom speaks of repeating "mistakes"."
I know - I was just hoping we could nuke a few cities in Saudi Arabia.
First fireproof polar bears, and now this.
why'd they yank a Pearl Harbor thread?
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