Mark Salkeld wrote:
>
> i started reading this mailing list about 6 months ago, and i've finally decided
> to pipe up and actually say something! so be nice guys :-)
>
> and i know its a long post, but i just love 20th century history! and if ive
> made any blatant mistakes, i'm sorry ... most of this i've written from memory,
> and its been about a year since i last tackled a good history book ...
>
> I dont really want to get involved in the whole 'are Americans arrogant'
> argument, but i would just like to point out a few facts about 20th century
> history that we hollywood influenced westerners often seem to forget (me
> included).
> (btw, the Australian media / politicians seem to like to claim that Australia
> 'won' the 1st and 2nd world wars just as much as Americans / Hollywood does!
> this year, being Australia's 100th as an independent nation, we've been drenched
> with tv shows about the heroic defence of Paris by ANZACS during the German
> summer offensive of 1918; and the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea in 1942 etc
> etc etc) Not that such efforts weren't heroic / brave / decisive etc, because
> they most definately were, but they were all part of a much bigger picture,
> which is so easily (and sadly) forgotten ...
I think... in general.. that the overarching sweep of history is
generally correct - the further you get from prime sources, the less
distinct the story becomes, but the general impression that America won
the war is pretty true, on a macro level. That, of COURSE, doesn't
diminish the heroic accomplishments on all sides of the war - for every
soldier or civilian killed, there was at least one story worthy of being
made into a summer blockbuster.
-j-
