Lies they teach you in HIstory class

[George Palmer]

OOhhh I've got one!

"Kennedy was shot by Oswald"

 

[Legion]

I am trying to compile a list of lies or misinformation they teach you in History class. So far this doesn't even apply to current events which would make this list far more interesting. Do you have any you think you want to add or any rebuttals. Also note for those in other countries, this is written from an American perspective.
Lie #1
Communism and Fascism are opposites. The truth is they are both totalitarian governments run by dictators who oppose individuality. In fact the Nazis were the National Socialist German Worker'S Party.
Lie #2
Europe was better under Stalin than Hitler. The fact is Stalin was responsible for more deaths in Europe than Hitler was.
Lie #3
Inflation is a natural process of the Economy. The truth is inflation can be avoided or at the very least minimized if the Government didn't continue to over mint money and if we actually had money that was backed by something.
Lie #4
The civil war was fought primarily over slavery. The fact is, although slavery was on issue,the main one was state's rights vs. Federal power. If the main focus was slavery than states like Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri would have joined the South, they had slaves and were Northern states, and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

The truth is that there never has been a truly by the letter communist state, and even if there was it would suck.

Thank God there's one less brainwashed person on here. I cannot believe how many people truly believe that Communism has ever actually existed; that is to say actual Communism rather than those who claim to be Communists.

Communism, by the letter is actually a democracy, in that the leaders are voted for.

 

[Merteg]

Nazi is a conjunction of the two words "Nationalistischer Sozialist." Those roughly translate into "Nationalist Socialist." So, yes, the Nazis were the Nationalist Socialist Party of Germany.

 

[Gamer137]

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

Have you been to a history class? 41 was when the US joined the war, not when it started. It started in 39 when Britain declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland. Hitler gaining power was not the beginning of WW2, he was elected long before (33 as I've been informed)

I'm sure the reasoning behind that is until Pearl Harbor, you had one war in Europe/Africa and another set of conflicts in Asia and Australia. Pearl Harbor is attacked, and not only does North and South America get involved(I only recall Brazil though), but all of the sudden both conflicts are connected as the same conflict.

Also, it could be nationalistic stupidity. I'll give them the benefit of a doubt.

 

[Merteg]

I am trying to compile a list of lies or misinformation they teach you in History class. So far this doesn't even apply to current events which would make this list far more interesting. Do you have any you think you want to add or any rebuttals. Also note for those in other countries, this is written from an American perspective.
Lie #1
Communism and Fascism are opposites. The truth is they are both totalitarian governments run by dictators who oppose individuality. In fact the Nazis were the National Socialist German Worker'S Party.
Lie #2
Europe was better under Stalin than Hitler. The fact is Stalin was responsible for more deaths in Europe than Hitler was.
Lie #3
Inflation is a natural process of the Economy. The truth is inflation can be avoided or at the very least minimized if the Government didn't continue to over mint money and if we actually had money that was backed by something.
Lie #4
The civil war was fought primarily over slavery. The fact is, although slavery was on issue,the main one was state's rights vs. Federal power. If the main focus was slavery than states like Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri would have joined the South, they had slaves and were Northern states, and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

The truth is that there never has been a truly by the letter communist state, and even if there was it would suck.

Thank God there's one less brainwashed person on here. I cannot believe how many people truly believe that Communism has ever actually existed; that is to say actual Communism rather than those who claim to be Communists.

Communism, by the letter is actually a democracy, in that the leaders are voted for.

If there was real communism I believe that that community would get along fine. Communism has gotten such a representation as a horrible and evil thing, but I believe it would work pretty well. Actually, it probably wouldn't as people don't like they do "in theory."

 

[-Orgasmatron-]

The truth is they are both totalitarian governments run by dictators who oppose individuality.

No, see, that's a lie. Communism doesn't mean Dictatorship, just like Capitalism and Democracy are not synonymous.

 

[Lexodus]

Christopher Columbus didn't fucking discover North America. He thought he was in the Indies south of Asia. The first people from Europe to discover North America were the Vikings.

wrong.

the first people to find north America were native Americans

im nitpicking haha

He said FROM EUROPE. Therefore you fail [at nitpicking].

 

[historybuff]

I was taught that England and France disapproved of the US for having slavery; what I wasn't taught was that they were ready to side with the Confederacy on the issue when it came down to war. Russia was the only country to support the Union North.

I was taught that America had internment camps for the Japanese in WW2; what I wasn't taught was that we weren't the only country that did that. Also, I was never taught about the concentration camps that the Japanese had for the Chinese. Unit 731 camps.

I feel like this needs a clause because things they told me when I was kid such as: Columbus discovered America and was nice to the native americans--was eventually refuted in either high school or college or through my own research.

Like--I was pretty much taught that there has always been tension between Russia and America--but that's not true. But I don't feel like they lied so much as left things out. Which amounts to nearly the same thing.

 

[Merteg]

Nazi is a conjunction of the two words "Nationalistischer Sozialist." Those roughly translate into "Nationalist Socialist." So, yes, the Nazis were the Nationalist Socialist Party of Germany.

Just a name, Nationalism is a right wing term and socialism is a left wing term.

I could name myself St Awesome King of the Universe. Wouldn't change my life for the better,

I didn't say it meant anything, I was just giving the translation.

 

[Lexodus]

I am trying to compile a list of lies or misinformation they teach you in History class. So far this doesn't even apply to current events which would make this list far more interesting. Do you have any you think you want to add or any rebuttals. Also note for those in other countries, this is written from an American perspective.
Lie #1
Communism and Fascism are opposites. The truth is they are both totalitarian governments run by dictators who oppose individuality. In fact the Nazis were the National Socialist German Worker'S Party.
Lie #2
Europe was better under Stalin than Hitler. The fact is Stalin was responsible for more deaths in Europe than Hitler was.
Lie #3
Inflation is a natural process of the Economy. The truth is inflation can be avoided or at the very least minimized if the Government didn't continue to over mint money and if we actually had money that was backed by something.
Lie #4
The civil war was fought primarily over slavery. The fact is, although slavery was on issue,the main one was state's rights vs. Federal power. If the main focus was slavery than states like Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri would have joined the South, they had slaves and were Northern states, and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

From a British perspective:

Lie #1 - My Year 10 (ages 14-15) history teacher said the same thing and encouraged us to think of the political spectrum more like a full circle than a semi. IE. Though Socialism and Fascism are at opposite ends of the spectrum, they have more in common with each other than the bits in the middle.

Lie #2 - One of my modules was Russian history, 1855-1953. No chance we didn't get told about the bad stuff Stalin got up to.

Lie #3 - True (ish, I'm not an economics buff), but some inflation is a good thing. If things cost more, companies make more money and pay their employees better, generating wealth.

Lie #4 - Again, we studied all the reasons behind the American Civil War, and were taught to interpret slavery as a bone of contention between the North and South that generated ill-feeling. This was way back in Year 9 (ages 13-14) though, so I'm sure we weren't taught this in great depth.

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

Have you been to a history class? 41 was when the US joined the war, not when it started. It started in 39 when Britain declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland. Hitler gaining power was not the beginning of WW2, he was elected long before (31 but I could easily be wrong about that)

I'm thinking Hitler started to gain power in 33.

He was elected Chancellor in '33 but didn't gain his real power until he became Führer in '34

The Chinese say WW2 started in 1937, and the Russians in 1941. It's pretty Eurocentric to claim a divine right to the 'true' start of WW2.

Not really. The war started in '39.... because that's when war was declared by us (we being the first to do so).

 

[eggcarrier]

Agreed. Most of what's brought up are nothing more than political debates, mere personal conceptions, and what people want to focus on.
And Communism and Facism are totalitarian governments, but how they got there are completely different. And polar opposites on their stances.
And on the Civil War issues, everybody knows that! Anybody that's watched the history channel for five minutes would know that.

 

[Merteg]

I am trying to compile a list of lies or misinformation they teach you in History class. So far this doesn't even apply to current events which would make this list far more interesting. Do you have any you think you want to add or any rebuttals. Also note for those in other countries, this is written from an American perspective.
Lie #1
Communism and Fascism are opposites. The truth is they are both totalitarian governments run by dictators who oppose individuality. In fact the Nazis were the National Socialist German Worker'S Party.
Lie #2
Europe was better under Stalin than Hitler. The fact is Stalin was responsible for more deaths in Europe than Hitler was.
Lie #3
Inflation is a natural process of the Economy. The truth is inflation can be avoided or at the very least minimized if the Government didn't continue to over mint money and if we actually had money that was backed by something.
Lie #4
The civil war was fought primarily over slavery. The fact is, although slavery was on issue,the main one was state's rights vs. Federal power. If the main focus was slavery than states like Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri would have joined the South, they had slaves and were Northern states, and additionally the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to them.

From a British perspective:

Lie #1 - My Year 10 (ages 14-15) history teacher said the same thing and encouraged us to think of the political spectrum more like a full circle than a semi. IE. Though Socialism and Fascism are at opposite ends of the spectrum, they have more in common with each other than the bits in the middle.

Lie #2 - One of my modules was Russian history, 1855-1953. No chance we didn't get told about the bad stuff Stalin got up to.

Lie #3 - True (ish, I'm not an economics buff), but some inflation is a good thing. If things cost more, companies make more money and pay their employees better, generating wealth.

Lie #4 - Again, we studied all the reasons behind the American Civil War, and were taught to interpret slavery as a bone of contention between the North and South that generated ill-feeling. This was way back in Year 9 (ages 13-14) though, so I'm sure we weren't taught this in great depth.

Here's another.
World War one didn't end until 1919.
which also throws out the 'fact' that 1919 was supposed to be the only year when there wasn't a war :|

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

Have you been to a history class? 41 was when the US joined the war, not when it started. It started in 39 when Britain declared war on Germany after they invaded Poland. Hitler gaining power was not the beginning of WW2, he was elected long before (31 but I could easily be wrong about that)

I'm thinking Hitler started to gain power in 33.

He was elected Chancellor in '33 but didn't gain his real power until he became Führer in '34

The Chinese say WW2 started in 1937, and the Russians in 1941. It's pretty Eurocentric to claim a divine right to the 'true' start of WW2.

Not really. The war started in '39.... because that's when war was declared by us (we being the first to do so).

September 1, 1939 ? September 2, 1945 if Wikipedia is to be believed.

 

[eggcarrier]

Now if you really want to hear a History lie: In Japan, they are taught that the US attacked them at Pearl Harbor.

 

[bodyklok]

Yea, I think I remember something about that. Also,in the US we claim that WWII started in 1941 when Europe puts the date at 1939,while Hitler gained power even before that.

are you serious? USA is alot more arrogant now, its like you guys think that a war doesn't start until you join it.

Well I can sorta understand why people say that. Aside from the fact that the USA didn't join until 1941.

You could argue that, until the USA began fighting in the east, it wasn't a 'world war' that included all of the worlds contents.

Antarctica wasn't represented, so that still holds true then.

Clearly you've never heard of the Great air land and sea battle of Antartintion, where an entire army of penguins fought off six hundred thousand Nazi death troopers, fully equipped with death ships and doom planes. And a low orbit ion cannon, which was destroyed at the cost of the penguins commander, Lord Penguin Dante Jimmy Hendrix Mc'Mercury, when he launched him self into space and head butted it to death while wearing a nuclear helmet. Fool.

 

[petrolinus]

[...] Lie #3
Inflation is a natural process of the Economy. The truth is inflation can be avoided or at the very least minimized if the Government didn't continue to over mint money and if we actually had money that was backed by something. [...]

I think you're referring to the popular idea that the gold standard should have been kept. The problem with a fixed amount of money is that although you surely have no inflation, you are likely to get deflation, which is the opposite but just as bad.
With a constant amount of money and an increasing amount of goods, you'll get more goods for your money. Sounds good, but businesses will think its not worth producing for that few money and stop doing so. Eventually, you might even wind up with negative economic growth (as eventually less goods are produced).
That is why the central banks try to reach "price stability" and increase the amount of money with the increasing amount of goods.

 

[Merteg]

Nazi is a conjunction of the two words "Nationalistischer Sozialist." Those roughly translate into "Nationalist Socialist." So, yes, the Nazis were the Nationalist Socialist Party of Germany.

The thing is, the idea of being "nationalist socialists" makes no sense. All other forms of socialism are internationalist. It's only 'socialist' in the sense that the government is involved with industry like in socialist countries. Unlike every other form of socialism, however, the government isn't involved with industry for the sake of workers--it's involved with industry for the sake of the state. In national socialism, the workers exist to serve the state; in every other form of socialism, the state exists to serve the workers.

So no--it's not really 'socialist' anymore than than the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was 'republican'.

I have read Mein Kampf, Hitler hated those work unions.

As I said before, I wasn't saying ANYTHING about their views, I was just saying what their name was a conjunction of!

 

[ConstantJoe]

Christopher Columbus didn't fucking discover North America. He thought he was in the Indies south of Asia. The first people from Europe to discover North America were the Vikings.

And St. Brendan.