why is history different in the USA?

Question

as in totally inaccurate

Answer 1

We still study the Holocaust in our history books.

I understand that your English history books have eliminated the Holocaust. Can you tell us why they did that? Is tha holocaust a myth like that President in Iran says?

Answer 2

History is no different the facts are always the same, what people seem to miss is each persons view of the facts are different.
When reading history always try to look what was involved of countries involved and read books on the same subject from the opposing sides, take WW11 the Geman and Russian conflict, up to just the last few years the most reliable source was all written by the Germans, reading communist inspired litrature on the conflict was a joke a fantasy directed by Stalin and the other red rabble, it is only now that some very serious litrature on the Russian side is comming to light and we are now more able to form a balanced opinion of the huge conflict in the east.
The other thing to watch out for in reading history is who wrote it, like Montgommery the English Field Marshall and not a very good one come to that he never had a good word to say about his American counterparts and in his writings you can always feel that angst still simmering away, at the same time you get a different spin from Bradley,Patton and Eisenhower, it really is all back biting from men who were all found to be wanting when the hard desisions needed to be made.
If you can read through the mountains of stuff about these historical figures what becomes apparent was that Only Patton could be given the mantle of a General on that same level as the German Generals but no western Army had the hard fighting troops that Germany and Russia had hence all Pattons great fighting abilities would have come to nothing, the others were good at other aspects of leading men or organising armies. Eisenhower was really the only man who could of held the allies together but he was no Rommel.
my advice to anyone reading any sort of History is read a wide spectrum to gain your own insight.
And to answer the main point of this question, American history is really very refreshing, some of it is propaganda but on the whole the facts are written and you get the oversight of an American desision to a problem either within the states or of foreign policy.

Answer 3

Because they won WW2 on their own etc.
They say that history is written by the victors, well hollywood is busy re-writing history. The enigma code was captured and broken by the Yanks (false). The worlds first electronic computer was american(false), shall I go on. Beware the US bought up and closed down most of the british film industry in the late 50's and 60s, that is when the falsification started.

You seem to have touched a raw nerve with some of our ex-colonial cousins.

Answer 4

Still, remember when I first visited England and picked up a book that describe the American Rebellion instead of the American Revolution, opened my eyes a bit. History through different view points takes on various perceptions.

Answer 5

History as taught in schools and colleges is usually weighted in favour of the country in which it is being taught. History referring to other countries in which the home country is not involved tends to be more accurate and subjective.Very few countries will teach it's own students of shortcomings in their own country's history.The tendency is to glamorised the achievements of ones forefathers.In that sense history will have a different emphasis from country to country.This is entirely understandable as long as the truth is not distorted to portray the home country in a good light when it was really at fault in some respect.Could the history students of any country be expected to believe that their country folk had committed horrible cruel crimes against other people even if it was true.American soldiers and servicemen have committed as many atrocities as any other country. No country is guiltless. It was sometimes necessary in times of war.

Answer 6

They do tend to re write certain bits when making films so that there is always an all American hero, but that is only the movie industry and while it influences the lower levels of their society (remember we do have one of our own too) it does not reflect the teaching of 'true' History.

And if you think we Brits never wrote out anything just remember to the victor go the spoils.

All country's do it.

Answer 7

If the yanks don`t like it, they simply change it so it makes them look good, remember the USA is only just over 200 years old (after 1776).
And when the idiotic yanks say they kicked the English butt in 1776 - you were not Americans then you a$$hole.

Answer 8

Because we didn't let Stalin write our history books. Our history is not inaccurate. Where did you go to school?

Answer 9

Theirs is a fairy tale as told by Walt Disney,they don't really have any history of their own due to their country only being in existence for less than 250 years.

Answer 10

Well Russia rewrites their history all the time. You will need to be a little more specific as to what point in our history is different that what you know,.