Is there a whole generation that doesn't understand the cold war?

Question

This question caught my eye, and the responses to it:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhK3aUh_NAWO1TsWvRqvOg_sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080823060824AAQNZDv&show=7#profile-info-mwjkn4dHaa

Having lived through the cold war, I am baffled by the lack of grasp of the idea of two powers deadlocked with enough nuclear firepower to destroy civilization.

There is a real problem with our nation's sense of history when entire fifty year periods of time disappear into the mist of public amnesia.

Are you a young person, or do you know young people, that do not grasp the nature of the nuclear standoff that obtained for half of the 20th century. Would you be shocked, or would you even reflect upon a return to this deadly standoff?

Please, well thought out answers would be appreciated.

Answer 1

I've a degree in history and my daughter (actually step-daughter), a high school junior won't ask me anything relating to history or politics.  She would rather fail the subject than have to face facts and watch her "perfect" perspective of the world disintegrate before her very eyes.

Here in the U.S., yes, there is an entire generation that knows nothing about such events.  Sadly, they are all coming to the polls in November.

I find it interesting that we are headed into another Cold War.  Russia's Putin is very much a nationalist who concerns himself only with the immediate effects of what is good for Russia.  Left to him, we are seeing the rebirth of the former Soviet Union.

Answer 2

I'm new to YA (but old to the world).  I was surprised, then forced to realize how "long ago" the Cold War is to 16-20 y/o.

It is more than sad how little history, even recent history people learn.  I'm afraid many adults aren't much better.

Makes you wonder who should be allowed to vote.

Noticed you didn't get many answers (any?) from young people.  Would have been interesting.

I did try to relate the fall of the Berlin Wall to events an equal distance in the past when I was in high school.  Back then, ~20 years seemed truly in the past.  That was really my perception.  But al least I found history interesting.

Answer 3

Yes sadly it is true. In school we only have to have one history course to pass High School.  We take it in grade ten.  In my history class we barely finished the second world war, I was horrified.  It really seemed that no one cared.  Our teacher really did try but she came in half the year and was definitely not trained to teacher this subject and the teacher she replaced had spent half of the year on the South African war.

I think it's crazy that we learn so little history and that the history we actually do learn is so rushed and incomplete.  The way I see it we can't truly move forward unless we know how we've gotten here. The same things are going to keep happening because we don't know how other people solved it.

Answer 4

As a person who just graduated with a degree in history, and a member of generation Y, it almost pains me to do this, but ugh, I guess I shall defend my generation. In short, we are what you made us, and I mean that in the most honest way I possibly can. Is my generation, and those younger than me, painfully ignorant of history, government, politics, and the world around us? Absolutely, and as a history teacher, it is my job to fight against that. But really, as the child of two pure baby boomers, THAT generation has done its best to forget the lessons of the Cold War. They wrapped themselves up so comfortably in money, and security of age, that they are willing to re-peat whatever mistakes they made (or fought against) in spades. Its not just my generation, AMERICANS are painfully ignorant of history, we believe that we are immune to the forces of history, whereas in reality we need to go back and study Rome to understand what kind of course we are on.

In terms of returning to it, it has potential, although I think Russia isn't the worry here, (although Putin is a little nutty,) China is really on the crash course with the U.S. in terms of power, both militarily and economically.

Answer 5

I agree with Doc on this. Having lived through the cold war and watched as Putin seized power... most people just don't want to believe that the bear is back. They choose to believe that Russia has been tamed even after seeing what is going on in Georgia. The very same people wants to say its none of our business. When I look at Geogria I see Czechoslovakia being given to the n***s. I also see Italy 1956. I would hope we learn from History... but some people refuse to do so and would rather sit back on their high horse and try to figure out what the politically correct thing to do. Political Correctness is what is being taught now and is what is easily learned. It is a form of group thought... a very dangerous thing. I would not be surprised that returning to the cold war is the PC thing to do.

My personal thought is this. We're in a war as far as Russisa is concerned... We're going to have to offend somebody!

Answer 6

I am interested in the idea that a cold war was EVER warranted. I am also  interested in the idea that because Russia is interested only in its own national interests that it is starting a new cold war.  

I believe that there are national interests and national interests.  I believe that to march unilaterally into a sovereign nation, based on the national interests of the invading force is an aggressive action under any circumstances.

What countries have done this in the last 8 years or so?

George Santayana wrote "Any nation that does not know its history is doomed to repeat it."

Answer 7

Maybe it is easier to understand events in history for those who went though them. If you weren't around during the Cuban Missile Crisis you can not really comprehend just how call we came to World War 3. To them these critical events in history are just dull and boring facts in a text book. They have more important things to worry about, like does this dress make me you fat or is my Little Mr. Happy big enough. They are more interested in their mp3 or 4 players and downloading their favourite music and movies and the internet to care about things that happened before they were even born. But if things keep going the way they seem to be going involving the resurgence of the Soviet Union they may get a lesson in history they never saw coming. But will they really be prepared when reality smacks them in the face. In others words what would they do if their so-called perfect world crumbles all around them. To paraphrase Winston Churchill "An iron curtain has re-descended  across Europe."

God help us all if they are not up to facing the crisis ahead and make the right decisions. But if they are not, I don't blame the Baby Boomers but the parents of the Baby Boomers  for this. The ones who were born or grow up during  the Dirty Thirties and World War 2. They didn't want their children to go through what they did and did without. So they pampered their children, who went on to create such things as the "Me Generation" or the me first and to h**l with everyone else philosophy. Unfortunately this trend contined on to each of the following generations and has gotten worse with each generation. While at the same time the quality of the education systems has deteriated to the point where there are graduating students who can't read, write or use their minds to hanlde the complex issues of such things as history, philosophy etc..