Straight from the archives of the Library of Congress, come these photos of World War II, photos the likes of which should be in the school history books.
Wouldn't photos of the utter devastation of Pearl Harbor be more effective in teaching our American youth than simply memorizing the 12/7/41 date?
Pearl Harbor
USS Arizona topples in Pearl Harbor
Wreckage pulled from Pearl Harbor
US Marines pause at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands before advancing on the Japanese
The marines advancing at Guadalcanal
Look at how brave they were!
Crewman on an aircraft carrier.
US Navy scout planes
US Army Air Force planes with Mt McKinley as a backdrop
Infantryman at Guadalcanal
After three days of fighting in Munda
My friend, Jake, and I watched the TV mini-series, "The Winds Of War" last year. Do you remember it from the 1980's? It's the story told during World War II and it was just as good last year as it was in 1980. It's stream-able on Netflix.
They say if we don't learn from history, we're doomed to repeat it.
There are so many of these amazing images in your archives and in ours - why don't they get more viewing? Is it because they are 'too real'? When I think of the gratuitous violence on TV it makes no sense to me at all. Show students the real face of war - the real consequences and perhaps we'll someday not repeat history.
ReplyDeleteA picture is worth a thousand words. I wonder how we learned anything about history at all, it was so DULL in school, and then to see these photos... what a great resource. I look at the faces of the soldiers and even though they look like adults, they're only boys, fighting the wars of old men. Wow. Thanks for sharing these photos; they are tragic and beautiful at the same time, thought-provoking and SO IMPORTANT to see.
ReplyDeleteWow, what amazing images. Kids today really do need to see images like this instead of always just reading about it from a textbook. I don't think they realize the impact without a visual.
ReplyDeleteWow. Yes, these photos should be in school history books!!! I remember the winds of war!!
ReplyDeletexo
Oh thanks for sharing...I am showing these to my son tonight and we will check out that series, he would love it...WOW!!
ReplyDeleteThese images are so important and we should not forget them. In 1968 I was in Hawaii with my family when we met my Dad on R&R from Hawaii. We went to the the Pearl Harbor memorial. Even at the age of 18 this moved me to tears. I think I appreciate the sacrifice of my country even more today.
ReplyDeleteThose are amazing photos! Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteIndeed they were. As brave as it gets.
ReplyDeleteThanks, PJ.
=)
I totally agree with you on showing these photos to History classes as well as reading about facts. The photos bring it home...make it personal. I read see The Winds of War and read it was well. Both were excellent. I also watched the History channels WWII in HD and Vietnam in HD. That's what they were called.. the HD part. They both had the actual veterans telling story as they showed it taking place. It would have helped me, I know that. And, I am a "History" person.
ReplyDeleteI believe teachers now are required to teach to the standardized testing. There are good teachers that want to do more but can't. (Can you tell I come from a family of teachers?) Daughter # 2 is getting her Masters right now to allow her to teach at college level where she could do more stuff like this. It's the dirt of history that makes it interesting and War is certainly dirty.
These are very powerful. And yes,they should be n the history books.
ReplyDeleteAlways nice stopping by PJ ; -)