Summary Everything You Learned About World War Two Is Wrong | Lessons from History medium.com
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Despite the inspirational influence of myths during World War Two, there are still misconceptions, such as the belief that the majority of American soldiers were enthusiastic about fighting Nazis from the start.
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Key Points
- Many people still believe the myth that most American soldiers were eager to fight Nazis during World War Two, but in reality, most soldiers were drafted based on necessity rather than patriotism.
- The idea that Britain was alone during the Battle of Britain is a lie, as the British Empire drew upon resources and manpower from various countries.
- Winston S. Churchill recognized the historical importance of myths during times of crisis, as they inspired soldiers to be courageous despite the overwhelming odds of death.
- Some myths about World War Two have been passed down from one generation to the next for decades.
- The author highlights the need to set the record straight about World War Two and correct the misconceptions that many people still believe.
Summaries
27 word summary
Myths during World War Two inspired courage, but there are still misconceptions. One lie is that most American soldiers were eager to fight Nazis from the beginning.
45 word summary
During World War Two, myths played a significant role in inspiring soldiers to be courageous. However, there are several lies about the war that many people still believe. One such lie is that most American soldiers were eager to fight Nazis from the beginning, when
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Everything You Learned About World War Two Is Wrong
Its time to set the record straight
Matt Lillywhite
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Lessons from History
3 min read
Jul 4
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At times of crisis,
Winston S. Churchill
said, myths have historical importance.
The former British Prime Minister was correct in saying that
myths inspired soldiers
to be courageous during World War Two despite the overwhelming odds of death. However, some myths have been passed down from one generation to the next for decades.
Here are several lies about World War Two that many people still believe:
Most American Soldiers Were Eager To Fight Nazis
This lie was taught to me in high school.
A pervasive myth infiltrated history books and led people to believe that everyone always wanted to kill Nazis from the outset of
World War Two
. And while fighting for ones country is admirable, most
American soldiers
were drafted into the military based on necessity (rather than patriotism).
88% of Americans in 1940 opposed the idea of declaring war against the Axis powers in Europe, per
The National World War Two Museum
. As late as June, only 35% of Americans believed their government should risk war to help the British.
Marine Corps with the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Photo by the
US Navy
Great Britain Was Alone During Its Darkest Hour
I love watching history movies. Many of them depict the game-changing
Battle of Britain
in which the British fight alone against Germany and its allies. After growing up in the UK, I cant help but feel a sense of pride whenever a
British Spitfire
shoots down a plane from the German Air Force (
Luftwaffe
). Its an exhilarating feeling!
Sadly, its a lie to say that Britain was alone during that fateful time in history. After all, the
British Empire
spanned roughly 25% of the globe during its peak. It also drew upon resources (and men) from Canada, South Africa, Australia, and several other countries.
In fact, many of the pilots who fought during The Battle of Britain were from all over the world with several volunteers from the
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2.2K
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2.2K
2.2K
61
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Written by
Matt Lillywhite
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Writer for
Lessons from History
I'm a top writer featured in Mind Cafe, Publishous, Better Marketing, The Startup, Curious, Lessons From History, and more.
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