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In Australia, for undergraduate students studying history, this is the most commonly assigned essay topic in World War 2 studies. Most of the students go into
by theworld22 5y ago
In Australia, for undergraduate students studying history, this is the most commonly assigned essay topic in World War 2 studies.
Most of the students go into it thinking like you.
Nearly all of them change their mind once they look more deeply at the evidence.
The atomic bombings are a classic case where the popular assumed narrative differs significantly from the facts.
And that’s the reason this is assigned as an essay topic. The idea is to sober up the students a little bit and help them understand that their neat worldviews (USA bad!) are not reflected in the messy reality.
- the_af 5y agoThanks for your reply. One thing I want to point out, because I saw someone else also ask me this: > [...] help them understand that their neat worldviews (USA bad!) I don't know about Australian students, but at least I am not saying "USA bad". I'm describing a particular narrative about the atomic bombings as being fueled by the necessity of Americans to sustain their perception of always being the good guys. For some reason some people read this and conclude I believe the US were the bad guys. I obviously believe the atomic bombings were a war crime; but more generally, I do not believe the US were the bad guys in WW2. All moral grays and downright immoral actions committed aside, the US was on the good side of that war, and Japan on the bad side. I hope that clears up that part of my position.