D-Day Dunces

[Hagar]

Re: The Normandy thread. I found this article in today's Daily Mirror enlightening but not surprising. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=14291825&method=full&siteid=50143

As the Mirror is one of the tabloid "rags" well-known for their sensationalist style of reporting I'm not sure how accurate it is. Knowing how little importance is attached to history in schools these days I suspect there's more than a little truth in it.

BRITAIN is a nation of D-Day dunces, a Mirror survey reveals.

We asked 1,000 under 25s across the country what they knew about the Allied invasion of France in 1944 - and found astonishing ignorance despite massive TV, radio and newspaper coverage of this week's 60th anniversary.

Seventy-three per cent did not know what it was, when it happened or who was involved.

Only six per cent correctly answered all seven questions shown on the left.*

*These are the questions with some sample answers. If you asked them when England last won the World Cup (against Germany in 1966) they would probably tell you the exact date & who scored the goals.

1. What is D-Day?

ANSWER: Day of the Allied invasion of France.

DUNCE: David Butler, a 20-year-old admin worker from Blackpool, said: "Is it something to do with Denomination Day? I really haven't got a clue."
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2. When was D-Day?

ANSWER: 6 June 1944.

DUNCE: Alexia Lange, a 20-year-old student from Bournemouth, Dorset, said: "I'm sure it happened in the 60s. The precise year would be 1962, I think."
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3. Where did it happen?

ANSWER: The beaches of Normandy, France.

DUNCE: Robert Johnson, 20, from Grays, Essex, said: "I'm sure it was Japan but I don't know any more than that."
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4. Who was British Prime Minister at the time?

ANSWER: Sir Winston Churchill.

DUNCE: Dilip Rajah, a 20-year-old university student from Lewisham, South East London: "Was it Tony Blair? I really don't know, mate."
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5. Who was the President of America at the time?

ANSWER: Franklin D. Roosevelt.

DUNCE: Michael Fitzsimons, 15, of Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, said: "It was the man who could not chop down the tree." (presumably referring to George Washington, first President of the US)
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6. Who was the leader of Germany at the time?

ANSWER: Adolf Hitler.

DUNCE: Hannah Gray, a 24-year-old advertising executive, said: "Was it a king? I don't know. Can I phone a friend?"
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7. During which world war did D-Day happen?

ANSWER: World War II.

DUNCE: Natasha Mitchell, a 19-year-old helpdesk worker from South London, said: "Was it World War I? This is really embarrassing."

[Craig.]

:-/ :-/ i wish i could really find this funny, but for something so important to be forgotten by so many people. Hell even simple details like what war it was.

[Hagar]

I think this says it all.

Asked which world war it happened in Simone Marshall, 19, of North London, said: "Was it in Iraq?"

Sarah Gentry, 15, of Bromley, Kent, thought John Kennedy was the American president. Peter Murray, 17, of Liverpool, said: "Our Prime Minister was Tony Blair's granddad."

Tim Whitehouse, 16, of Kingstanding, Birmingham, summed up many youngsters' apathy: "It's not important though, is it. It's past so there is no need to keep remembering it."

[Craig.]

maybe sending them onto some beaches while being shot at would soon make them realise how important it is.

[Smoke2much]

No Craig, your Granfather's mates made the ultimate sacrifice so that these idiots could live free of fear.

It's another symptom of the no responsibility/someone elses fault/I know my rights society that we live in.

Will

[Hagar]

I see it more as a disregard for history in general. "It's boring & what use is it?"
To quote young Master Tim Whitehouse, 16, of Kingstanding, Birmingham

"It's not important though, is it. It's past so there is no need to keep remembering it."

I would tell him that it's far more important than he realises. What happened on that day & why still affects us all. The world might be a far better place if he & those in power were prepared to learn from the mistakes of the past. It seems to me that we carry on repeating the same ones & will continue to do so.

[Woodlouse2002]

You must remember that D-Day is the title assigned to the day of any major military operation. Especially beach assults. So that means that there are many many correct answers to those questions.

As this survey was done by the Mirror, I would be suprised if anyone believed it after what they've done in the recent past. Whats more, it is very easy to do a survey like this and get the results you want. Just ask a 1000 students who are brain dead and have no interest in history.

[Hagar]

You must remember that D-Day is the title assigned to the day of any major military operation. Especially beach assults. So that means that there are many many correct answers to those questions.

You could be right but with the amount of media coverage of D-Day 6th June (THE D-Day) over the last few weeks I can't see how there could be any confusion. I believe it's more a sign of general apathy to all world history, past or present. It surprises & worries me just how many people are completely ignorant of current affairs, history & geography. They read the newspapers & watch the news on TV but many of them don't seem to know what's going on or where these places are. They're far more interested in the sports news. These are the same people that vote in elections.

PS. What's more worrying is that the same applies to most politicians.

[Woodlouse2002]

You could be right but with the amount of media coverage of D-Day 6th June (THE D-Day) over the last few weeks I can't see how there could be any confusion. I believe it's more a sign of general apathy to all world history, past or present. It surprises & worries me just how many people are completely ignorant of current affairs, history & geography. They read the newspapers & watch the news on TV but many of them don't seem to know what's going on or where these places are. They're far more interested in the sports news. These are the same people that vote in elections.

I realise this. But I doubt the mirror thought to ask many history students these questions. It's all very well for reading this and critisising the youth of today but if I wanted to do a survey like this, and get those results, then I would ask a load of youngsters, with no real interest in history and those who don't really care for learning days and dates. If this survey was actually taken, and not made up (I really wouldn't put anything past the Mirror these days) then I could almost guarentee that the students asked were not just picked off the streets at random. But chosen for their lack of education and interest in past events. You must remember that this is only 1000 under 25's who took the survey and so cannot really be looked upon as an accurate representation of ignorance to D-Day.

[Hagar]

It's not the history students that concern me. I would expect them to know but this might depend on the period of history they study. I'm not criticising the youth of today at all. It's not their fault but the education system. I believe that everyone should have a general grounding in history, particularly where it affects their everyday lives. So much can be learned from mistakes made in the past. This was only 60 years ago but it appears to be regarded as Ancient History now.

[denishc]

 You Brits shouldn't feel so bad.  I'm sure that if you asked the same number of American youths the same questions you'ld probably get the same responses.

[Blackbird971]

This is pathetic. One of the most memorable and imnportant days in history and no one knows when and where it was or what it was for.

[Saitek]

Well I got most of them right. I accidently saw the date for one of them, but I think I knew that anyway. The one I got wrong was who the Amercian presisdent was. I think my mind was blank for a brief second thats all.  :-[
Thats really bad for adults though not to know even simple details like what war it was in. I nearly fell off my chair in shock! How ridiculous!

Ben

[Felix/FFDS]

Well, technically, "D-day" is the day any invasion went forth.  Casablanca, Sicily, Guadalcanal, etc., all were carried out on *their*  corresponding "D-day".

Of course, history has given us that "D-Day" refers to 6 June 1944.

Although quite a "simple" test, one wonders how we -as youths - would have answered similar questions.

Interestingly, I was in my early 20s in the early/mid '70s, I wonder if I'd been able to answer:

Who was Gavrilo Prizip?

Who was President of the US in 1917?

What was the Luisitania?

What is Sarajevo famous for?

[Hagar]

You might well be right Felix. I wasn't particularly interested in history at school, that came later. It might be different now but all my friends & I were only too well aware of WWII, the BoB, the London Blitz, D-Day (6th June), VE Day, VJ Day etc as our parents & close relatives had been closely involved in it. Some never returned as a result & too many children never knew their fathers or brothers. I also knew people that had served in WWI. The barber that cut my hair had been badly gassed in the trenches. He wheezed constantly & his health suffered for the rest of his life.

We used to have remembrance services at school & were told the reason why but I don't think this is regarded as politically correct now. Maybe I shouldn't comment any further on that. I'm certain that most of the youngsters of today have one or more relatives that were there. Maybe they don't talk to their grandparents any more. Respect seems an outdated concept these days.