mbassoc2003 wrote:In that specific instance/time period, the US was not neutral, nor was it isolationist. .. If you study your history and politics from sources outside of the US, you may be able to form a more accurate view of events...

Many of these things are in fact taught in US schools - the Monroe Doctrine of a sphere of influence in the 19th century Americas, the US as "world's policeman" around the time of the Spanish American War, etc. The occupation of Nicaragua during the 20s-30s is a little more obscure.

The real gap in popularized American history is what Badmike pointed out, the Korean War era. It goes well beyond the war itself. In myth, we went straight from victory in WWII to the peace & prosperity of the mid-1950s. I can't give you a neat summation of what was going on in between, because it is what it is: a time that many seemed to want to forget, for some reason. A minor historical Dark Age.

The fragments which do come through are sorta grim: film noir & horror comics. Anti-communist paranoia & the prospect of nuclear war. The routs & reversals of the war in Korea. Periods of recession & unemployment as the economy transitioned. ..at this point, you're probably thinking that the UK & Europe had it much worse, but that's my whole point. Why did such negativity seem to exist in postwar America?

sauromatian wrote:
Many of these things are in fact taught in US schools - the Monroe Doctrine of a sphere of influence in the 19th century Americas, the US as "world's policeman" around the time of the Spanish American War, etc. The occupation of Nicaragua during the 20s-30s is a little more obscure.

The real gap in popularized American history is what Badmike pointed out, the Korean War era. It goes well beyond the war itself. In myth, we went straight from victory in WWII to the peace & prosperity of the mid-1950s. I can't give you a neat summation of what was going on in between, because it is what it is: a time that many seemed to want to forget, for some reason. A minor historical Dark Age.

The fragments which do come through are sorta grim: film noir & horror comics. Anti-communist paranoia & the prospect of nuclear war. The routs & reversals of the war in Korea. Periods of recession & unemployment as the economy transitioned. ..at this point, you're probably thinking that the UK & Europe had it much worse, but that's my whole point. Why did such negativity seem to exist in postwar America?

Sauro hit the nail on the head. I've read a few histories of the 50s lately (including David Halberstam's work that predated his Korean War history).  This is not the "golden" age many envision, or that is seen on TV sitcoms.  The threat of nuclear holocaust, the spread of communism, the real and imagined enemies attacked by McCarthy, the Civil Rights Revolution, disillusioned solders back from the horrors of WWII, the non-official and untraditional status of the Korean War (all the fighting took place in the first 9 months; after that, it was a grim game of keeping the status quo for the next few years).  In all, there was a sense that "this is what we fought for?" that led to plenty of depression and disillusionment in returning service men, which filtered through society.  Post-war booms in buying appliances, houses and cars (for the first time in history, all readily available and affordable to the average person) led to initial enjoyment but eventual nervousness. After all, these people were within throwing distance of an age when you didn't buy anything that you couldn't afford to pay cash for...and now they were in virtual debt for the rest of their lives to the American Dream.  

All in all, it really doesn't sound like a very pleasant time to live in!  This seems to go against our societal expectations, but most of those are seen through shows like Make Room For Daddy, Ozzie and Harriet, I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best, and other shows that presented a completely imaginary idealized view of post-war America.  And the post Korean war disillusionment was maybe as bad or worst than even the Vietnam war homecomings....it's not called "The Forgotten War" for nothing.  

So there are lots of reasons why this period in American history is either painted in a glowing light or completely passed over with a few sentences in history books.  Personally, even though the 50s was the birth of the most sweeping Civil Rights changes in history, I don't think most of America liked what they saw either then or looking back now and this is a big reason it's been "forgotten". The hate, ignorance, unfairness, and pure evil found in much of the society of the time is not something most want to believe happen, but it did. IMO this is why this era is generally swept under the rug when teaching history of what happened at the time.

Mike B.

Badmike wrote:And with that, MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone here!!!  

Mike B.

Ho Ho Ho  

I have not seen the new Tron movie, so I must survive on these instead:

Tronitized Aliens climactic battle:
. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkxo4tAV6CI

Tronitized Green Lantern trailer:
. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh1815OqONg

Traumatized Tycho:
. . . http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/12/22/

Merry Christmas all.

Best,

Paul

Merry Christmas to all members!

Happy Holidays to all Acaeum Members.

Martin

ashmire13 wrote:Yep, almost ticking over midnight here and having had to dump my car 25miles from home in the middle of nowhere due to ice, its been a crap day.

But Merry Christmas guys, and I hope that the New Year is a happy and healthy one (despite my impending divorce  )

Woah!  I hope you do have a merry Christmas even though the proverbial feces has hit the proverbial motorized wind apparatus.  

Happy holidays!

I feel for you Ashmire, I had to take 40 minutes to drive my 11 miles home from work tonight in the snow.  Stupid white christmas wishers...