There's a useful book in this context called Lies My Teacher Told Me, by James Loewen.
But I think all nations colour thewir history atrociously to make themselves look good -- or at least they used to: most of the European ones have learned to face up to reality a bit better, with the Brits acknowledging the many vilenesses of the colonial period, etc. And even when I was a kid it was admitted openly in history classes that, yes, the Brits had been in the wrong in the events leading up to the American Revolution/War of Independence. The US is being a bit slower to catch up in this respect, is all.
But then, to the European eye, the US is pretty goddam odd and atavistic about patriotism, and that's probably a part of it too.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2009-02-18 04:01 am (UTC)There's a useful book in this context called Lies My Teacher Told Me, by James Loewen.
But I think all nations colour thewir history atrociously to make themselves look good -- or at least they used to: most of the European ones have learned to face up to reality a bit better, with the Brits acknowledging the many vilenesses of the colonial period, etc. And even when I was a kid it was admitted openly in history classes that, yes, the Brits had been in the wrong in the events leading up to the American Revolution/War of Independence. The US is being a bit slower to catch up in this respect, is all.
But then, to the European eye, the US is pretty goddam odd and atavistic about patriotism, and that's probably a part of it too.