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Have you ever talked to a WWII vet?
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2017-10-22 at 6:56 PM UTCI was just thinking about how kids right now probably won't get the opportunity to talk to WWII vets. The last Civil War vet died in the 50's, and it's weird to me to think that the grandparents of today might've had some Confederate veteran come into their school and talk about what a slave auction was like. Will our Grandchildren think it's strange that we (or some of us) have had the opportunity to listen to a WWII vet talk about his M1 Garand and flying a biplane?
I think this difference will be further pushed by the prevalence of technology. Even something like living in the time without real internet surprises kids today. Though, now kids have a plethora of videos and movies to watch that can connect them to ages past. So perhaps they will feel more connected to the past than I do.
My childhood experience of WWII vets consists of big assemblies and some kid asking a vet if he'd ever killed anyone. "You don't ask a man that." Which meant yes.
Share relevant ponderings below -
2017-10-22 at 7:08 PM UTClol you and your depression over technology. My grandpa was in ww2, he was a cool dude and spoke a bunch of different languages.
and by the way why would it be weird for someone to talk about what a slave auction was like? seems pretty interesting to me. -
2017-10-22 at 7:19 PM UTCYou are the most basic blinder-wearing fuckboi on the face of the planet.
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2017-10-22 at 7:25 PM UTC
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2017-10-22 at 7:27 PM UTCathletic abilities: 0
Please stop posting and let the adults talk. -
2017-10-22 at 7:28 PM UTCinb4 §m£ÂgØL derails his own thread by posting my mugshots for 50th time.
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2017-10-22 at 7:28 PM UTC
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2017-10-22 at 7:39 PM UTCi always take my pets to this 92 year old vet. i'll ask him about WW2.The following users say it would be alright if the author of this post didn't die in a fire!
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2017-10-22 at 7:46 PM UTC
Originally posted by 霍比特人说中文不好 My childhood experience of WWII vets consists of big assemblies and some kid asking a vet if he'd ever killed anyone. "You don't ask a man that." Which meant yes.
That's pretty much my experience as well. It was kinda wierd that listening to some old dude tell a war story was supposed to be an enriching experience somehow. Like he was just some average Joe that happened to be the wrong age at the wrong time in history and got shipped off kill some other average Hans who was also unfortunate enough to be there. I'm not sure if it's because WWII vets are a soon-to-be-extinct demographic and are considered somehow valuable because they're rare or people think there's something special about that conflict, but either way the whole practice is creepy.The following users say it would be alright if the author of this post didn't die in a fire! -
2017-10-22 at 7:48 PM UTC
Originally posted by Lanny That's pretty much my experience as well. It was kinda wierd that listening to some old dude tell a war story was supposed to be an enriching experience somehow. Like he was just some average Joe that happened to be the wrong age at the wrong time in history and got shipped off kill some other average Hans who was also unfortunate enough to be there. I'm not sure if it's because WWII vets are a soon-to-be-extinct demographic and are considered somehow valuable because they're rare or people think there's something special about that conflict, but either way the whole practice is creepy.
you seem creeped out easily. Sure they were there at the wrong time as well of the hans but it was a very historical event that impacted the world.
the nazis needed to be stopped.
If people dont learn from history it will be soon to be repeat. Plus first hand stories of what war is like is very raw and real and candid. Some people are into that kinda thing I guess.
Post last edited by Bill Krozby at 2017-10-22T19:51:04.853249+00:00 -
2017-10-22 at 7:58 PM UTC
Originally posted by Lanny That's pretty much my experience as well. It was kinda wierd that listening to some old dude tell a war story was supposed to be an enriching experience somehow. Like he was just some average Joe that happened to be the wrong age at the wrong time in history and got shipped off kill some other average Hans who was also unfortunate enough to be there. I'm not sure if it's because WWII vets are a soon-to-be-extinct demographic and are considered somehow valuable because they're rare or people think there's something special about that conflict, but either way the whole practice is creepy.
I think it COULD be an enriching experience if the veteran is an effective/willing speaker, and if the audience is old enough to get to the good stuff. I've had I think two experiences with a WWII vet speaking and both times they just didn't seem like they wanted to talk about the stuff people are interested in. I want to hear about the specifics, like what the propaganda was like, what their rations were, what kind of gun they used, what their daily routine was like, what sort of equipment they had, war stories, etc.
It is a little creepy, but also important. I feel it's easy for there to be a disconnect with history when all you do is read about it and watch documentaries. It's very different listening to people who lived it. There are some really cool recordings from the civil war to the early 1900's that I find bizarre to listen to.
I bet if people heard from more Nazis about the tactics used during Hitler's campaign/career they would probably notice a lot more of the similarities between the tactics of what's going on with Trump/the media today. Dat fear. But many either forget or didn't learn at all. -
2017-10-22 at 8 PM UTC
Originally posted by Bill Krozby you seem creeped out easily. Sure they were there at the wrong time as well of the hans but it was a very historical event that impacted the world.
the nazis needed to be stopped.
If people dont learn from history it will be soon to be repeat. Plus first hand stories of what war is like is very raw and real and candid. Some people are into that kinda thing I guess.
Post last edited by Bill Krozby at 2017-10-22T19:51:04.853249+00:00
"If people dont learn from history it will be soon to be repeat" -Bill Krozby, 2017. -
2017-10-22 at 8:04 PM UTC
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2017-10-22 at 8:04 PM UTC
Originally posted by Bill Krozby you seem creeped out easily. Sure they were there at the wrong time as well of the hans but it was a very historical event that impacted the world.
Sure it was, but what's the value in parading some old dude around for children because he killed someone on government orders 60 years ago? Students aren't learning anything about history at these things, it gives them no insight into the circumstances of WWII. The Vietnam war protests were historically significant but you don't see participants in that protest circulated to talk to students.If people dont learn from history it will be soon to be repeat. Plus first hand stories of what war is like is very raw and real and candid. Some people are into that kinda thing I guess.
Post last edited by Bill Krozby at 2017-10-22T19:51:04.853249+00:00
What exactly have you learned by listening to WWII vets that's going to prevent "history repeating itself"? -
2017-10-22 at 8:06 PM UTC
Originally posted by 霍比特人说中文不好 I think it COULD be an enriching experience if the veteran is an effective/willing speaker, and if the audience is old enough to get to the good stuff. I've had I think two experiences with a WWII vet speaking and both times they just didn't seem like they wanted to talk about the stuff people are interested in. I want to hear about the specifics, like what the propaganda was like, what their rations were, what kind of gun they used, what their daily routine was like, what sort of equipment they had, war stories, etc.
It is a little creepy, but also important. I feel it's easy for there to be a disconnect with history when all you do is read about it and watch documentaries. It's very different listening to people who lived it. There are some really cool recordings from the civil war to the early 1900's that I find bizarre to listen to.
I bet if people heard from more Nazis about the tactics used during Hitler's campaign/career they would probably notice a lot more of the similarities between the tactics of what's going on with Trump/the media today. Dat fear. But many either forget or didn't learn at all.
the same tactics have been apart of murican polotics way before trump was ever here -
2017-10-22 at 8:10 PM UTC
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2017-10-22 at 8:15 PM UTC
Originally posted by Lanny Sure it was, but what's the value in parading some old dude around for children because he killed someone on government orders 60 years ago? Students aren't learning anything about history at these things, it gives them no insight into the circumstances of WWII. The Vietnam war protests were historically significant but you don't see participants in that protest circulated to talk to students.
What exactly have you learned by listening to WWII vets that's going to prevent "history repeating itself"?
We don't put people into camps anymore for one. Not like what happened in WWII. We also don't enslave people. And racism is now met by national outcry. Why? Because people who lived through these things spoke out against them. They went to schools and rallies and held events and their ideas were heard because of it.
Maybe you can't consciously think about anything, but it's pretty impressionable on a 10 year old to hear a vet talk about the horrors he had to endure because X people did X. It is important for people to hear and be reminded of the damage suffered in the past. -
2017-10-22 at 8:19 PM UTC
Originally posted by Lanny Sure it was, but what's the value in parading some old dude around for children because he killed someone on government orders 60 years ago? Students aren't learning anything about history at these things, it gives them no insight into the circumstances of WWII. The Vietnam war protests were historically significant but you don't see participants in that protest circulated to talk to students.
What exactly have you learned by listening to WWII vets that's going to prevent "history repeating itself"?
it gives them in site into what a lot of peoples lives were like then, and why there pappy drank so much and why their parents came out the way they did. It was a huuuuuuuge epic event in world history that shaped out parents and ourselves.
I've learned from my grandfather that war is not the answer and innocent families are killed in events like that and we need to take a more proactive approach to prevent such atrocities or at least minimize the collateral damage. He told me that in france he literally saw a french baby get ran over by a tank and it stuck with for years, especially with all the other stuff.
you know what they say "war is hell" and its true, but other countries back then were a lot more insidious and needed to be tamed. I know its probably not a movie thats up your alley but last friday I saw the douglas MacArthur movie and while a lot of people thought he was a dick, people from the Philippines and other countries were actually glad that the allies came in. It was all about trying to get to a resolution quickly as possible. I think that even generals and some leaders actually have respect for other countries, but sometimes its an unfortunate game that has to pan out -
2017-10-22 at 8:19 PM UTCPerhaps it's not as stark a contrast, but read something like this
and you can see why it is important that we uphold and maintain these sorts of values. I don't think we could do it without teaching history. The speeches given by vets are more a supplementary thing. It's the underlying education on history that matters. -
2017-10-22 at 8:19 PM UTC
