Ignorance towards WW2

here here well spoken my fellow countrymen we may of only been a small
army but we are well known threw out this world in conflict
best krieg

 

Ignorance about WW2 is really due to a lack of historical foundatiions, and it isn't restricted to just ONE country. If a individual has not been taught the basics of when, where, who, why and how, they can't be blamed for being lacking in the details .

I volunteer at the Canadian War Plane Heritage Museum, om a weekly basis, as tour guide. I usually have 10 to 20 people in my group, and I allways ask some basic history questions, to find out what level of knowledge the folks have. It is a waste of time to go into great details about "the bomber stream " if people don't know what the concept is all about. I start with the very basic facts, like the events that led up to September 1939. I tell the guests that they can ask me anything, but it has to relate to what we are looking at on the floor of the hanger, not some esoteric bit of family history.

With elementary school kids I try to fit my words to their age and ability to absorb information. The high school kids are either totally unable to get anything out of it, because they have a 10 second attention span, or in some rare cases, they are actually interested, and want to learn from me. I've learned to splt the girls from the boys, into two seperate groups, with a guide for each group , and we go in two opposite directions, around the floor, and only let them join up at the end, to eat in the cafe, and then hit the buses, to go home. By doing this, we get better attention and less "show off behaviour ".

Saturdays and Sundays, there are more adults, and I usually set up at a location in front of our Lancaster bomber, it it isn't off on a flight somewhere. It is the major attraction in our collection, so it makes sense to be there to talk and inform our guests. about it's restoration to flying condition, ( 11 years long ) and the history of the RCAF and in particular number six bomb group's history. It sure is a lot easier to get someone's imagination going, with a full size aircraft right in front of their face. I try not to use a "rehearsed patter " when I talk to visitors , to keep it fresh, day after day, but some facts are just so basic that they have to be said, over again.

That is why I ask THEM questions, to see if I'm getting thru to their minds ? And to learn if what I say is clear and understood. Unfortunately, too many WW2 buffs fall into the habit of assuming that because THEY understand all the abbreviations and acronyms, that every one else that they talk to does as well . I can usually spot a military buff right away, and I try to talk to the others who are NOT well informed, who may very well have zero knowledge at all about the subject of WW2. I want them to leave with a new interest and some basic information that will hep them to find out more, if they are inclined. That is my way of instilling "knowledge about WW2 " , one person at a time.

If you are interested in the Canadian War Plane Museum go here.

CANADIAN WARPLANE HERITAGE

Jim Bunting. Toronto.

 

Well said. Again you are talking to people who came to this museum and with the exception of school kids maybe, they are interested in learning more, which is a good thing. The problme is when you deal with people who don't even care and do not bother to learn. Btw thanks for the interesting link!

 

I liked Keystone Two-Eight's post above because it reminds me of my relationship with my brother and father today.

Growing up, my dad loved watching old war movies and tv shows like Black Sheep, Big Red One, Dirty Dozen, Winds of War, Patton, Tora Tora Tora, etc. Gradually my brother and I became interested and loved watching them with him...it was a family event. As I've gotten older, I don't watch those as much as I used to nor do I talk to my father and brother as much having grown up and living my own life, etc. My interest in all the "neat looking" airplanes and guns and tanks grew into an interest in the men and leaders using them and my knowledge and understanding of WW2 on the whole has increased as well.

Now, when I get the chance, I'll discuss what I'm reading with my father or brother when I get to see them and we'll think back to those old movies and memories. A lot of times, I'll share with them stuff from my reading that they never knew. For example, my dad was only aware of the 101st's involvement in the Battle of the Bulge and really didn't know anything else about the conflict. (Thanks to Band of Brothers.) I recently read Toland's book on the subject and discussed with him many aspects of the battle not covered in BoB. He was real interested in the things we talked about; stuff he had no idea had happened. I was glad to be able to share that with him.

I think its important to know something about ww2...what caused it and how it changed the course of recent history, esp for us Americans, for example. It's an added bonus when interest in this history can generate bonds between fathers and sons perhaps not directly touched by the war some 60 plus years ago...

 

This post reminded me of my relationship with my dad, now deceased. He had been an artillery officer during the war (albeit in a neutral country), had a good library for those pre-internet times, and never ceased to wonder how I knew so much more than he did!

This wasn't a one-upmanship show, it Just happened that way... In any case I inherited most of his books. R.I.P., old buddy.

Now I don't see any of my daughters having the slightest interest in the subject, so I suppose I'll order a Viking funeral for myself consuming my entire library :evil1:

 

Most of my life I was around military personnel or friends with the same interests. So for me when I discussed anything military most knew what I was talking about LOL . Now as I have mention before sometimes I am amazed with where some people do get their knowledge from. What I have called "Videogame History and Knowledge". At least some who have that can come to these forums and learn .

 

I think to me in the last couple of day there have been some prime examples of the "Ignorance" of some when it comes to WWII history even with some who come here. Its not just people who know nothing about WWII. My personal favorite is the use of the word "Never" when it comes to making a statement. It has been used before when just looking up the information would prove the term wrong LOL.

 

Za, your daughters might surprise you. My Dad didn't really know how interested I was until about 5 or 6 years before he died.

The more I talk about the things I have been doing and the writing I have going with my parents story, the more people I find who are interested, but haven't known where to start to get WWII information that isn't too technical or overwhelming.