Your First Taste of History

[parsifal]

I am sure there were many Germans who opposed what happened, many that supported hitler then relaized the mistake, and I know that Germany is a completely different place today. No disrespect was intended by what I said, Chris, just a statrement about how I view my stepfather.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I am sure there were many Germans who opposed what happened, many that supported hitler then relaized the mistake, and I know that Germany is a completely different place today. No disrespect was intended by what I said, Chris, just a statrement about how I view my stepfather.

None was taken my friend, mine was a general statement and nothing more.

 

[Ferdinand Foch]

Hey everyone! Great stories! Keep 'em coming. Sorry about not being on, lost power for a few days at my house (and were still without power). Up at college now. Parsifal, I never knew that. Thank you for sharing. Everyone's stories are great. Actually, I just found out something about my late Uncle Gene. My grandpa told me that he was in Korea, and thought that he won three purple hearts. What he actually found out after his death was that his brother had won two Bronze Stars during the Pusan defense, before the Inchon Landings. He originally wasn't qualified to fight (he had bad eyes), and I believe was a clerk, or something to that effect. But, when Pusan was attack, all non-combatants were told to form up, while one in ten were selected to go up to the front lines. He happened to be one of those picked.
I can't tell you the circumstances on how he won these medals-my grandpa doesn't know. Uncle Gene did tell his family later though that the times he was most scared were just before the Chinese launched their human wave assaults (after they invaded Korea, of course). I believe he said that there was an eerie silence, but you know that they were out there. Then they would scream all at once when they attack. He said that no matter how many his fellow soldiers shot down, there was someone else to take that man's place. That's what scared him the most.

 

[Mustang nut]

The old boy who I am staying with hates Adolf with a vengeance. His father lost two brothers in the dying days of the first world war, he was then conscripted into the Volks sturm towards the end of the second and had both legs blown off below the knee leaving his wife to run the farm the best way she could.

I used to stay with a family in Dusseldorf, they still live in the house that had its roof and windows blown off, there was never a hint of malice in the old guy even though it was certainly an RAF bomber that did it.

My first taste of history was watching "all our yesterdays" a documentary series about the first world war with my father on sunday afternoons.

My first taste outside of home was probably walking around the walls of York looking at the Minster and cliffords tower.

 

[otftch]

Dad was an aircraft mechanic in the Navy. The first book I read by myself was an electrical test book that was he was studying for the chief's test. Just kind of snowballed rom there.
Ed

 

[Readie]

Michael, Thanks for sharing your history.
My paternal Grandfather and his brothers emigrated to Australia in 1912, and joined the Au Army in 1914, went to Gallipoli, were wounded, recovered and ended up in France where only my Grandfather survived.
The Au war records are fascinating to look through, all beautifully preserved. The recruitment, training, medical, battle reports etc. I have to hand it to the Aussie's that preserving the past is better done than here.

Chris, I am not PC at all, In fact I much prefer plain speaking. Anyway, as far as my lad is concerned I feel he needs a factual (as opposed to an emotional) understanding of WW2 in particular, so he can begin to understand why so many died. As we have said in pm's it was a long time ago, what's done is done and its time to move on for the new generation of young Europeans.

On a lighter note, I remember that most of my teachers were WW2 vets and one huge tech teacher was a fighter pilot…who he ever fitted into a fighter I'll never know. My PE master was an ex marine who had a trademark chilly stare for any stroppy teenager and suitable punishment to boot. No behaviour issues in his class.

After a childhood of war stories I have wondered whether my brother and I have been left feeling that we missed out on something by not 'going to war'. This may sound an odd thing to say, but I reckon a lot of the post war generation feel a little of this angst.

Cheers
John

 

[mikewint]

I'm late to this thread, with the move and the storm, I've spent all of my time with the house and dock but this is a REALLY great discussion. I envy all your experiences and family history.
Initially, starting in the '50s, I never much cared for schoolbook history until I discovered the Egyptians on a trip to the Museum of Natural History. I read everything I could get my hands on and became quite the little expert on ancient Egyptian history. It was here that I discovered how history could be manipulated by the powerful. Ramesses II's version of the Battle of Kadesh claimed a great Egyptian victory which was in all the history books. Then archeologists discovered Hittite records where Muwatalli claimed a great Hittite victory in the same battle. My introduction into propaganda.
As a very young child, my grandparents had a man living with them. They called him "the kiaser" I never knew his actual name but I was fascinated by his old helmet. Years later I realized it was a pickelhaube. Why he was living with them or what his relationship was with them I never found out. My Dad had feet like a duck and was exempt from WWII. I did have 3 uncles in WWII one in the Navy and two in the Marines. The two in the Marines were KIA, one on Iwo and another on Guadalcanal. The Navy uncle survived but would never discuss his experiences other than his total and complete hatred of anything Japanese.
My real love of history, started in college where one of my professors was a Lincoln scholar. For the first time in my life I learned that Lincoln was not a saint perched on a pedestal but a real man with all the faults of a real man.
Next came Vietnam and my personal experiences there which I also refused to discuss with anyone for over 30 years. My wife knew some of it but there were many things I withheld even from her. To this day, my children now nothing of my time in Vietnam. Over the last 6 years I have shared some of this with students in local high schools and I have begun to do presentations at several other schools. I know first hand how the Vietnam I personally knew differed from its portrayal by the news media in the US.
My conclusions are: History is a set of lies agreed upon by the victor and History would be a wonderful thing - if only it were true.

 

[pbfoot]

Lived near Montreal as a young kid in the early 60's in a small town , the local regiment Royal Rifles of Canada were in Hong Kong in 41 and lots of neighbours were survivors of life as japanese POW's , not a good place for a Toyota Dealer , the other Regiment was in Dieppe the Fusilers Mount Royal so there were enough vets around to remind you of History , my first historic event was the Cuban Missle Crisis , lived near NORAD fighter base and lots of neighbours were in the RCAF And USAF , can remember the military families had packed their cars for a quick move to the north in case the balloon went up

 

[Readie]

I'
Next came Vietnam ...

Hello Mike,
Vietnam is a sensitive subject in Australia too. I say this as I grew up in Melbourne and the army cadets at my school was all about joining the Au army and going to Vietnam.
My school year was one year too young to actually go but, no one who did go will discuss it or those who didn't come home.
The British Army has events that are not up for discussion like Northern Ireland.
Its a shame as people who study history would love to know the truth.
Regards
John

 

[mikewint]

John, It was my honor and privilege to work with several Aussie groups and let me state without any hesitation whatever that the Diggers were among the toughest troops in country. One of my finest souvenirs is a Digger hat with the raised side brim.
As to truth, I don't know, I saw my little piece of the puzzle and I know how the US news media slanted their reporting of many events, like the Tet-offensive for example

 

[Readie]

John, It was my honor and privilege to work with several Aussie groups and let me state without any hesitation whatever that the Diggers were among the toughest troops in country. One of my finest souvenirs is a Digger hat with the raised side brim.
As to truth, I don't know, I saw my little piece of the puzzle and I know how the US news media slanted their reporting of many events, like the Tet-offensive for example

Mike, The Aussies take pride in being tough troops, rightly so when you look at the battle honours. ANZAC day is a day for remembering.
John

 

[parsifal]

Most countries have a veterans day of one sort or another, but usually its a day that marks some kind of victory. Our main veterans day marks the start of a campaign, that in reality was a disastrous defeat. Perhaps a reminder that wars and reputations and all that costs blood and lives.

Nothin worth dying for is cheap

 

[mikewint]

Parsifal, could not agree with you more however sometimes the dying purchases nothing and is a total waste of human life. The Aussie's have ANZAC Day, 25 April, whose origin lies in the disastrous and totally unnecessary Gallipoli campaign, Charge of the Light Brigade, Pickett's charge at Gettysburg, and hundreds more. As to Vietnam over 58,000 American troops KIA not to mention all the MIAs not on the wall so we could pick up our bat and ball and go home.
I'll shut-up now or I'll get political. Dying for something is better than living for nothing. Unfortunately those in charge often reverse it.

 

[parsifal]

Best deal Mike, in my book is to live for something. Us Aussies dont like dying that much. i guess most people have that mindset. i never killed anybody, thankfully, but there were a few times in my life when I hoped the other guy thought what i just said, if you know what i mean

 

[evangilder]

My family history is full of farmers and warriors (often both when the country called, dropping the plow for a rifle). I spent 10 of my growing up years in Dayton Ohio, back when NCR and Wright Patterson were the main employers. My father took me, as a young child to see the final landing of the XB-70 and I was hooked. I spent many a weekend at the Air Force Museum, going back to the days it was in old hangars. Of course, growing up in Dayton, I also got to see the Wright Bicycle Shop in Carillon Park and several Dayton Air Fairs. I had 2 uncles that served in the Pacific in WWII, cousins in Vietnam, Grenada, and both Gulf Wars. I was about 15 when we moved to Wisconsin and I got to spend time in the EAA Museum, first in Milwaukee and later in Osh Kosh. After spending that much time around historic items, you meet some of the characters that survived those things and get to meet some people with amazing stories. When I was a teenager, we would go deer hunting in Antigo, Wisconsin. One morning, at breakfast, our hunting buddy introduced us to an older gentleman who ran a business locally. My step-dad was floored after we left the restaurant. He asked me "Do you know who that was?". I had no idea. The man was Doc Bradley, one of the Iwo flag raisers. I still get goose-bumps thinking about it.

The things you witness yourself will all be things to tell your kids and grand-kids about. My grandmother died about 15 years ago. She was born before cars, airplanes and all kinds of things. The stories she told about the past and the family history are golden. Her father and three of her brothers opened the first Ford dealership in Indiana. We have photos of some of those Model As on the farm in Clear Creek. She told stories of her family moving from Pennsylvania to Indiana in a covered wagon! I used to laugh, because she would say "I don't know how they did it. I can't survive without my microwave"!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

If we are talking about history that we witnissed ourselves, I guess the two that affected me the most were the fall of the Berlin Wall. I was in Berlin when that historic event was taking place, and then after that would have to be the war in Iraq. I spent 12 months in that country taking part in it myself.

 

[mikewint]

Evan, cannot begin to tell you how many time I have wished to be able to go back in time and talk to my grandparents and this time actually LISTEN to their stories.
Alder, first hand witnessed history is probably the closest to the real truth but then it is a very microscopic view. Written histories generally are written with a point of view and tend to shade events and people to the writers point of view. Historical figures also get "bigger than life" and they become chimeras of themselves.

 

[tyrodtom]

I'm from the same town as U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers. I went to the same church as his father, mother, grandmother, and 3 of his sisters.
I can remember the day in early May 1960, when his family was informed that he was missing. It was at a Wedesday church service ( called Bible study ) when they asked the members to pray for Francis. Francis was almost 20 years older than me, so i'd hardly seen him. Though my oldest brother went to school with him.

 

[Readie]

If we are talking about history that we witnissed ourselves, I guess the two that affected me the most were the fall of the Berlin Wall. I was in Berlin when that historic event was taking place.

A big moment in history as the Soviet threat crumbled before our eyes.
If 'witnessing' includes TV coverage, then I would say 1969 with the lunar landing, 1989 with the Berlin wall and 2001 with 9/11.Most people can say exactly where they were on that momentous day when the world changed forever.
Cheers
John

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Two moments that I witnessed on TV that strongly remembering were the Challenger Explosion and 9-11. I remember being on top of my aircraft at the hanger and being told to get in formation, then later in the chow hall watching the video of the towers being hit and being put on alert. Terrible day.