Learning about the Jeju island massacre was the root for me breaking away from the western propaganda around the DPRK. To be honest though, as an American, we really weren’t taught about the Korean war at all. We covered the Vietnam war, pretty much just the domestic situation, focusing especially on the presidents, but completely glossed over the Korean war. It was basically a footnote in our curriculum.
Hell, I didn’t learn about the Vietnam war even. Until I started learning about politics in my free time in my late teens, I couldn’t have even told you whether Vietnam or Korea was first, or what either of those wars were about. I was vaguely aware America had been to war in both countries (because of movies I guess) but when? Why? How? Couldn’t begin to say.
Absolutely, my experience is very similar. It’s pretty stark how much more vague history we were taught became covering anything more recent than WWII. Granted, everything before that was heavily skewed to the American Imperialist perspective anyway, but we at least went more in-depth in events that happened. I could tell you more about the start of WWI than any details about any post-WWII war coming out of high school.
Learning about the Jeju island massacre was the root for me breaking away from the western propaganda around the DPRK. To be honest though, as an American, we really weren’t taught about the Korean war at all. We covered the Vietnam war, pretty much just the domestic situation, focusing especially on the presidents, but completely glossed over the Korean war. It was basically a footnote in our curriculum.
Hell, I didn’t learn about the Vietnam war even. Until I started learning about politics in my free time in my late teens, I couldn’t have even told you whether Vietnam or Korea was first, or what either of those wars were about. I was vaguely aware America had been to war in both countries (because of movies I guess) but when? Why? How? Couldn’t begin to say.
Absolutely, my experience is very similar. It’s pretty stark how much more vague history we were taught became covering anything more recent than WWII. Granted, everything before that was heavily skewed to the American Imperialist perspective anyway, but we at least went more in-depth in events that happened. I could tell you more about the start of WWI than any details about any post-WWII war coming out of high school.