I’ve always been a massive nerd for WWII history. However, as someone who has seen the effects of war first hand, I do often think about the insane loss of life that took place in WWII. The amount of broken families and misplaced people from all over the world because of that war. I hope that our world will never again fall into something like that.
This is what I am worrying about. As years goes by and more people who lived through World War 2 died in their old age, people will forget how serious and real World War 2 was; people will still remember it but only in history books and dramatized movies and video games.
The Chicago gamer At the time of my comment I worded it wrong. I meant to say that we are losing 2,500 veterans from WW2 a year. Currently according to the information available to me, there are currently 389,000 US veterans alive today. Outside of the US there is no solid information on the total number alive. As i live in the US I’ll relate my statement to the US number.
Our obsession is simple. Almost everyone in the whole world was touched by it. It transformed the world is ways we don't even realize. It is also one of the last times the world came to together for a common purpose.
@@jonasloe4926 it was basically the entire world (all of north and south America, every country in Europe apart from 4 which are spain, portugal, Sweden, and the swiss, almost all countries in asia, oceania, and all of africa apart from liberia) facing the threat of fascism and the expansion of japan and germany (im not gonna count italy, they couldn't even stand a chance against greece)
@@Tinyvalkyrie410 I humbly submit that USA, Great Britain and France, could have just stayed out of WW1 and everything would have been fine. I am no historian, just guessing WW2 just covered the globe more.
Beating? I don't think so. 50 million stories to tell takes a while. And the beating part is a reach, I guess the amount of trivial & mundane time people spend scroll Y.T & Social media Is self inflicted beatings?
i can think of a number of reasons as to our obsession with WWII. A war so great that it touched virtually every country on the planet. A staggering global death toll. The emergence of new technology. We senior citizens are children of the generation that fought in that war. Hence our obsession.
Sorry we Allies All abandoned living men Behind in WW1, WW2, Korean, & Vietnam wars. Surreal but true: Books: "Enormous Crime"-by Bill Hendon. Want proof see 12 documentaries videos my UA-cam playlist. Book: Also 2-"Abandon in-Place" by-Lynn O'shea. Why abandon?: A) USA chief policy was 2 avoid a shooting war with USSR & Socialist, thus never directly confronted, & never when public (rather suppressed); B) technical knowledge. Soviets/North Korea Wanted prison labor, engineered-systems, and to (forcing r POWs at gun point to) reverse engineer our pilot's advanced planes. C) propaganda campaigns. D) $$ Embarrassment. Socialist planed to charge USA "reconstruction-aid" after war... defacto Millions per POW... ) demoralize the Armed Forces & agonized the US public by never returning all military POWS and unlucky civilians. Enraging! Supposedly The USA does not pay for hosteges, thus 🇺🇸 buried our POWS (from 4 Wars) & evidence. LOTS of foreigners, in all the 1900s, in the Gulag, (Boris yelson admitted 1992) forsaken by their (Western) governments! Depressing and Surreal
British and American view of WWII is romanticed. From other nations, they all want to forget what happened and don't even want to romanticize the thought of it. Big key players like Japan, German, Italy, China and Russia all want to forget about what happened. I used to be obsessed with the side of the American and British and their roles in WW2. What got my attention was meeting veterans, the soldiers outfits, their love stories, the songs sang in the era, the battles, the weapons used and events of that history is something I can list forever. But I still cannot fully explain why we love that time period. In general, it was an awful time for many nations affected. But it also gave direction on where those nations would end up to be in modern age.
Perhaps the fascination arises from our not having fully comprehended the undercurrents that shaped the world of the Nineteen Thirties. For all the lore and learning, no few apprehend that these dark undercurrents are shaping our world again.
My father landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day on June 6th, 1944. First town St Glees, on to St Lo, in his words they got the sh-t kicked out of them in St Lo. Fought in the Battle of The Bulge known as the Ardennes Forest where he carried two GIs under heavy fire to safety, he received the Medal of The Silver Star award in May of 45 for doing so.
The conclusion of this talk is to create more space for the 'gray areas' of history that don't just make us feel good about ourselves, but take the entirety of situations into context. However, the speaker offers it as if it a novel idea or approach that will bring about a "much more peaceful world". He fails to address that the contextualization of historically significant events is the entire process of being a historian and digesting historical information - nothing should be divorced from context, and de-contextualized approaches will always err on the side of bias no matter what (whatever your nationality is-we all think we are the best). It's intriguing to me that he feels like he's making a novel point when in reality he's describing what the process of recording and observing history is by definition.
Are you serious? All he wanted to say was that WW2 and stuff that happened in it shouldn't be thrown around like buzzwords to add weight to your argument which doesn't add anything of value to the conversation
His comments about: we’ll never get any better if we keep bringing up the past. This could also be used in the current day racial divide. I hear about how people were oppressed and they blame a certain race for that. None of us were personally involved with that time period. Yet we’ll never get past it, if we keep bringing it up. Morgan Freeman says it best when asked how to get rid of racial divide, his answer, “Stop talking about it”.
As said by my English teacher: every question in your essay has to be answered, if you won’t answer them, don’t ask them. Which is exactly what this man didn’t do.
I was watching this video about 20 minutes and nothing was told about russians people who fought in this war in during four years and who lost in this war about 27 millions people russians which country was destroyed completely and russians who won this war!!! and this is true truth!!!
No, not the russians who completely won the war, if the americans and brits were not pushing the western front, the germans would send all their troops to the eastern front and have a greater chance against the russians
People forget that the countries that were touched by WW2 at the deepest levels....Russia, US, Germany, UK, China, Japan, France, Italy are virtually all great powers today. Even countries like Poland, Indonesia and of course the world's Jews including those in Israel are highly populated and/or regional powers. Taken as a whole, the war touched a significant portion of the world's and was a true world war!
Im obsessed with world war II becuse i have only found out a bit but i want to learn more as people put there life foward for us and i feel sorry for them.
Are you equally obsessed with the Vietnam war? The Korean War? World War One? Those honestly have more to teach us, and should be just as historically relevant though. They aren’t though because they haven’t been mythologized.
This is as old as The Trojan War, when the war became myths. From the movie Troy: Achilles: He killed my cousin. Priam: He thought it was you. Priam: How many cousins have you killed? How many sons and fathers and brothers and husbands? How many, brave Achilles? Who's the good guy and who's the bad guy, Achilles?
because, almost uniquely, justified to fight it. The UK, Canada, then Russia were defending Decency. ( The US too, but they were also empire building: Taking over from Europe...)
I’m definitely obsessed with it. I collect items from WW2 like vehicles, weapons, items, etc... I’ve read many books, websites, etc... But currently, I’ve been reading (trying to read) a very important historical book. I won’t say it here because well I’ll be called a word that I’m not but my family line was a part of. Most other obsessed people here probably know that book I’m hinting at lol
Mein Kampf? If it is, there is nothing wrong with reading it. I too would like to read that book. To read the ramblings of a man who was to become one of the worlds worst murderers certainly seems interesting to me, it has nothing to do with agreeing with Nazism.
Hey there I'm trying to set up a website on ww2 items, history and philosophy. If you don't mind, I'd like to feature your items and thoughts. How do I reach you? Thanks
From what I heard, even when the Allies are fighting with good intentions, they have ulterior motives when WW2 was over: The US plans to spread capitalistic marketing and make profit in repairing war-torn countries. The Soviet Union tends to spread communism, acquiring new territories, and did became a world-power since Nazi imperialism is out of the picture. From Great Britain, I don't know much, I guess they still maintain their imperialism with their colonies. There is a slight hypocrisy for the Allies in World War 2: Soviet Union was run by a totalitarian dictatorship and Great Britain was also an imperial power.
After peace was declared: The french launched brutal campaigns to maintain grip on north and sub-saharan colonies. Russia ,destroyed by the nazis, was too weak to rebuild in an acceptable fashion. the US went on the rampage in south east Asia,and set up/ supported horrible but lucrative regimes in south america. In general, a return to old predatory colonial habits.But better armed.but,: No change, really.. meanwhile,. .The US was never invaded, so the war was quite useful for them, on the whole, so they immediately started ww3.
This guy says the brits think they’re the ones who fought the nazis alone and won the war. As an American, everything I was taught or learned on my own about ww2 gave me the perception that the USA were the sole true heroes of WW2 and I still believe that. But it makes me realize that there was a lot more going on in other countries without our involvement. That being said, we’re the only country to drop nuclear bombs to end 1/2 of the biggest war in history which changed history of war from those days forward. Also incited fear in all countries who a-posed us. Also, all stories told or created are about American soldiers defeating the terrible Nazis.
you still believe that? the russians destroyed the germans, Americans fought the weak reserves in the west while ussr fought the elite forces in the east. America did win against japan though.
Perhaps here in Britain we are obsessed with world war 2 because, unlike continental Europe, we never really had a revolution leading to more democratic government and a fairer society afterwards etc?? Have had a look through Keith Lowe's book on the bombing of Hamburg. Was truly dreadful I agree but what really gets to me time and time again (and is implied in this book) is how the bombing campaign against our cities in the UK is so often dismissed as though it was nothing. Maybe this is because we had far fewer deaths resulting from the bombing or what? Because we had our Anderson shelters, the Tube stations etc? Lowe thinks we need to know more about Hamburg and other German cities. Yes. BUT we also need to know more about what happened in the UK. Just one example - I live in Sussex and until this year never knew about the Luftwaffe bombing of Eastbourne where apparently 2,000 died and countless injured. Also have close contacts in Nottingham and only recently have known about the bombing which happened there. I hope Mr Lowe is not being politically correct in his writing. I also read in a book on the war (published in the 20th century) that people in this country were very uncomfortable with the bombing in Germany but because we were having the same sympathies were mixed.
It's not about not knowing more about the bombings in britain, but putting more focus on all raids that's been done on german civilians by the allied forces, which never gets focused on, as the winners always write the history. Pretty much everyone knows that London got bombed, but almost noone, except those that read extra into the great war, know about bombings done on the majority of german cities, me included.
@@owo1744 awww, are we suppose to feel bad? Maybe don’t cheer and parade for your genocidal manic of a leader when you’re winning, and turn a blind eye to the atrocities he’s committing and cry when those countries hit you back?🤡
One of the greatest lessons learned from WW2 was ‘no more empire building’ Obviously that’s what Germany was trying....but they’re not the only country guilty of that.
Excellent speaker. Thank you so much. I think memorials should be disconnected from politics and nationality today, to commemorate the dead of yesterday and own up the mistakes to learn from them. I wish we let the past rest, because we shouldn’t disturb the magma that shaped the foundation rocks of today, lest we want another eruption. Myths about war and national pride is what brought this conflict in the first place; just think of the “November criminals. “ there is a future ahead of us. If we don’t take it seriously, there may not be one.
This was not really the answer I was looking for. I just want to know why I’m so sickly obsessed with the ghettoes of Poland. I don’t want to be interested in it. It’s dark and full of misery. I want to look forward into the future and make the future great for everyone and futuristic. I DONT want to be interested in it! But at the same time it’s mystical. It’s like an artwork isolated and locked forever in history. It’s a strange feeling I can’t really describe.
The Japanese killed more Chinese with Samurai swords than the U.S. killed Japanese with atomic weapons. Kinda tough designing a monument for what Japan did.
As individuals, as societies, we do indeed need to stand up for our values, which may mean war. Of course we need to value the brave and honorable amongst us that are our soldiers. But why are we so silent about the consequences? My husband's and my parents and families were on opposite sides of WWII. Our parents were both badly damaged during the war, they never got over their problems. We, their children, lived with the consequences of their inner sadness and turmoil. These days when we see the eyes of recent immigrants to Canada from Syria, or other war torn locations, we can recognize the traumatized looks in their eyes. Like us, their children are likely destined to have to figure out what's wrong with their parents as they grow up how they've been affected. Why indeed do we keep going over the details of the battles and the technology of war. Why can't we address the horror of today's victims of war and stop glorifying any war, including WWII. What does this mythologizing say about human nature?
thank you and if we keep going over it maybe just maybe we will learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes. ww ll was horrible and we need to rember. Americans have become far too comfortable and greedy not thinking of others,very sad,but we can change!
I agree, I am so sick of WWII glorification, especially by Russians. My country''s aftermath of WWII was that it was occupied and we are still struggling with the consequences. And with glorification often comes the denial of war atrocities that were done also by those who won the war.
I have mixed feelings toward this talk. The speech is very, very general and common, it's like you're talking to a bunch of people who never, ever, questioned history or learned the darkside stories you mentioned. You dont even answer your own question. Why is there a particular fascination for WW2, for a lot of us ? Identification ? Source of inspiration ? What about the philosophical roots ? You lost so much time talking about common topics such as national myth, history rewriting, and your personal aversion for the politician world. Going deeper in the grey areas you pointed out would have been a start.
7:06 It really pisses me off that this blonde woman on her phone is possibly ignoring this entire speech. People like her are the *main* reason why History repeats itself...
Steven spielberg is pretty obsessed with ww2. Hes made 3 films about it from different angles in jaws theirs a great speech about ww2 his alien series taken starts off with ww2. Indiana jones & the nazis of course. Theirs so much ww2 in spielberg films just wonder his obsession
Western version of history neglects the fact that 90% of German civilian casulties were from bombs that fell on their cities, and 90% of German military casulties happened on eastern front.
Sorry, that's not factual. The displacement of roughly 13 million germans beginning in 1944 cost about 600.000 lives. And that is the most conservative estimate (source: wikipedia).
The answer isn't simple nor singular - It wasn't even a single "war"; it was many. That massive war time did not end wars, but WWII is often seen as the last clean, honorable war. News spin, for example, would have us think that Americans supported our initial war efforts in the early 40's, but not so in the mid-60s. In fact, the opposite was closer to the truth. WWII was the "good" war. Even worse than the common spin is misplaced collective guilt (in Germany) or near complete historical ignorance (young Japanese and Australians) Let us hope at least that our professional warriors study it well to learn its most critical lessons. "A nation that makes too great a distinction between its soldiers and it's scholars will have it's thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools"
That memorial was literally the first time the bomber boys were honoured. Like it or not - I doubt the war would have been won without them. They were hated for killing civilians and. That is why 2012 was the first time they wete remembered!
Forgive my ignorance but I remain confused as to what was the MAIN point he was trying to make after all. On the other hand, I don't know anything about this historian's background however it would be interesting to listen to a military historian as well, preferably someone coming from a military background him/herself.
I think he is overthinking it.... obviously the war is in the past but if we don't have reminders about what happened then history will repeat itself... I feel as if to him the second world war is a book a novel that we as people envy this is not the case this presentation was kind of a joke
Not every country is passionate about ww1 & 2 ...like the whole South Asian region...they we're busy in kicking out British colonialists from their country...to many people in south asia...ever heard about Churchill orchestrated Bengal famine?
Had it up to here with WW2 fanaticism. It's like celebrating mass killings and the day the earth eas nearly destroyed. I think I'd be more interested if some of the commercialism stopped
The only reason it’s commercialised so much is because people have great interest in it, There’s business without a customer - not the other way round - you can’t flog a dead horse.
A WW2 fan... Wow that is quite the term. Really it's quite despicable to call yourself or anyone that. "I'm a fan of the Franco-Prussian war, the battles were more bloody and that really does it for me". How can you be a fan of a war...
i thought the point was clear, people are obsessed with the second world war because other people can use everyone's perception of it as a propaganda tool to advance their own agenda
This is a RARE TEDx talk in the sense that it's truly educational, bringing awareness about the way media/politicians attempt to influence people.
I’ve always been a massive nerd for WWII history. However, as someone who has seen the effects of war first hand, I do often think about the insane loss of life that took place in WWII. The amount of broken families and misplaced people from all over the world because of that war. I hope that our world will never again fall into something like that.
Yes you said it precisely. We must learn the hard lessons from WWII. Then lean to live together better so - Never Again.
I love this guy's speech and really hope there are more minds like him in the world.
I must admit I love watching those old WWII films.
@Karl Marx Not at all dear...What did the Germans do...It was who was an Austrian and he brainwashed and defamed Germany.
Same
This is what I am worrying about. As years goes by and more people who lived through World War 2 died in their old age, people will forget how serious and real World War 2 was; people will still remember it but only in history books and dramatized movies and video games.
@Billy Z this is why it's very important for us to keep studying and understanding our world history.
I'm worried about total assholes like this guy suggesting we're the bad guys
There are told to be less then 2,500 WW2 veterans left alive. That’s depressing because by the time I’m 40 or 50 none will be left.
@@KlLLERROBOT99 there are over a million left worldwide
The Chicago gamer At the time of my comment I worded it wrong. I meant to say that we are losing 2,500 veterans from WW2 a year.
Currently according to the information available to me, there are currently 389,000 US veterans alive today. Outside of the US there is no solid information on the total number alive. As i live in the US I’ll relate my statement to the US number.
Our obsession is simple. Almost everyone in the whole world was touched by it. It transformed the world is ways we don't even realize. It is also one of the last times the world came to together for a common purpose.
I don't know if a world war could count as the entire world coming together for a common purpose
@@jonasloe4926 it was basically the entire world (all of north and south America, every country in Europe apart from 4 which are spain, portugal, Sweden, and the swiss, almost all countries in asia, oceania, and all of africa apart from liberia) facing the threat of fascism and the expansion of japan and germany (im not gonna count italy, they couldn't even stand a chance against greece)
Then why not World War One? Or the Cold War? Or the horrors of colonialism?
@@Tinyvalkyrie410 I humbly submit that USA, Great Britain and France, could have just stayed out of WW1 and everything would have been fine. I am no historian, just guessing WW2 just covered the globe more.
@@Tinyvalkyrie410they don’t like to remember that
I have been obsessed with WWII since I was very young.....now I am 48.....and to this day I feel so drawn to it.....i wish I knew truly.
Because the media, politicians and educational system have been beating it into us our whole lives.
As part of a long-standing brainwashing program to make us hate white people.....
Beating? I don't think so.
50 million stories to tell takes a while.
And the beating part is a reach, I guess the amount of trivial & mundane time people spend scroll Y.T & Social media
Is self inflicted beatings?
i can think of a number of reasons as to our obsession with WWII. A war so great that it touched virtually every country on the planet. A staggering global death toll. The emergence of new technology.
We senior citizens are children of the generation that fought in that war. Hence our obsession.
Do you think that's the reason?
Marcus It’s reason enough for me.
Did you even watch this video? Sounds like you are replying to the title only...
Sorry we Allies All abandoned living men Behind in WW1, WW2, Korean, & Vietnam wars. Surreal but true: Books: "Enormous Crime"-by Bill Hendon. Want proof see 12 documentaries videos my UA-cam playlist.
Book: Also 2-"Abandon in-Place" by-Lynn O'shea.
Why abandon?: A) USA chief policy was 2 avoid a shooting war with USSR & Socialist, thus never directly confronted, & never when public (rather suppressed); B) technical knowledge. Soviets/North Korea Wanted prison labor, engineered-systems, and to (forcing r POWs at gun point to) reverse engineer our pilot's advanced planes. C) propaganda campaigns. D) $$ Embarrassment. Socialist planed to charge USA "reconstruction-aid" after war... defacto Millions per POW... ) demoralize the Armed Forces & agonized the US public by never returning all military POWS and unlucky civilians.
Enraging! Supposedly The USA does not pay for hosteges, thus 🇺🇸 buried our POWS (from 4 Wars) & evidence. LOTS of foreigners, in all the 1900s, in the Gulag, (Boris yelson admitted 1992) forsaken by their (Western) governments! Depressing and Surreal
I could not help but feel that you needed to jump in to your subject, and not have wasted so much in a wandering introduction...
it was by far the most significant event of the 20th century.
British and American view of WWII is romanticed. From other nations, they all want to forget what happened and don't even want to romanticize the thought of it. Big key players like Japan, German, Italy, China and Russia all want to forget about what happened. I used to be obsessed with the side of the American and British and their roles in WW2. What got my attention was meeting veterans, the soldiers outfits, their love stories, the songs sang in the era, the battles, the weapons used and events of that history is something I can list forever. But I still cannot fully explain why we love that time period. In general, it was an awful time for many nations affected. But it also gave direction on where those nations would end up to be in modern age.
Compared to WW1? Probably because like most stories, the second half is is usually when things start paying off.
Perhaps the fascination arises from our not having fully comprehended the undercurrents that shaped the world of the Nineteen Thirties.
For all the lore and learning, no few apprehend that these dark undercurrents are shaping our world again.
My father landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day on June 6th, 1944. First town St Glees, on to St Lo, in his words they got the sh-t kicked out of them in St Lo. Fought in the Battle of The Bulge known as the Ardennes Forest where he carried two GIs under heavy fire to safety, he received the Medal of The Silver Star award in May of 45 for doing so.
im happy that we learn about these things in my primary school
The conclusion of this talk is to create more space for the 'gray areas' of history that don't just make us feel good about ourselves, but take the entirety of situations into context. However, the speaker offers it as if it a novel idea or approach that will bring about a "much more peaceful world". He fails to address that the contextualization of historically significant events is the entire process of being a historian and digesting historical information - nothing should be divorced from context, and de-contextualized approaches will always err on the side of bias no matter what (whatever your nationality is-we all think we are the best). It's intriguing to me that he feels like he's making a novel point when in reality he's describing what the process of recording and observing history is by definition.
In other words, it's a TEDx talk.
Are you serious? All he wanted to say was that WW2 and stuff that happened in it shouldn't be thrown around like buzzwords to add weight to your argument which doesn't add anything of value to the conversation
I am absolutely obsessed with World War II. When my television is on, its always on those channels he mentioned in the beginning of the video.
.
Thank you for the perspective that you bring to current happenings in the world. War should never be celebrated and should be an absolute last resort.
And as time goes by and people forget but you should always remember
His comments about: we’ll never get any better if we keep bringing up the past. This could also be used in the current day racial divide. I hear about how people were oppressed and they blame a certain race for that. None of us were personally involved with that time period. Yet we’ll never get past it, if we keep bringing it up. Morgan Freeman says it best when asked how to get rid of racial divide, his answer, “Stop talking about it”.
As said by my English teacher: every question in your essay has to be answered, if you won’t answer them, don’t ask them.
Which is exactly what this man didn’t do.
I was watching this video about 20 minutes and nothing was told about russians people who fought in this war in during four years and who lost in this war about 27 millions people russians which country was destroyed completely and russians who won this war!!! and this is true truth!!!
Дмитрий Ростовцев you are correct
No, not the russians who completely won the war, if the americans and brits were not pushing the western front, the germans would send all their troops to the eastern front and have a greater chance against the russians
yeap, how about Russians who started ww2 and about these who invaded Finland....? If You want 'true truth maybe it's time to talk about them...
Lol Russian
People forget that the countries that were touched by WW2 at the deepest levels....Russia, US, Germany, UK, China, Japan, France, Italy are virtually all great powers today. Even countries like Poland, Indonesia and of course the world's Jews including those in Israel are highly populated and/or regional powers. Taken as a whole, the war touched a significant portion of the world's and was a true world war!
Im obsessed with world war II becuse i have only found out a bit but i want to learn more as people put there life foward for us and i feel sorry for them.
Are you equally obsessed with the Vietnam war? The Korean War? World War One? Those honestly have more to teach us, and should be just as historically relevant though. They aren’t though because they haven’t been mythologized.
we need to learn more about usa and british crimes over the centuries and what they did to other nations.
This is as old as The Trojan War, when the war became myths.
From the movie Troy:
Achilles: He killed my cousin.
Priam: He thought it was you.
Priam: How many cousins have you killed?
How many sons and fathers
and brothers and husbands?
How many, brave Achilles?
Who's the good guy and who's the bad guy, Achilles?
thank you very much but the question of why are we obsessed with it didnt really got answered but thanks
because, almost uniquely, justified to fight it.
The UK, Canada, then Russia were defending Decency. ( The US too, but they were also empire building: Taking over from Europe...)
Lowe speaks about issues of war and memory as if no historian has ever broached such topics.
Well said Keith Lowe, it's so refreshing to hear the truth, we are a nation obsessed with WWII and it is keeping us back in 1945.
kinda the reason ww3 hasnt happened either
1945 wasnt such a bad year for Americans
I’m definitely obsessed with it. I collect items from WW2 like vehicles, weapons, items, etc...
I’ve read many books, websites, etc...
But currently, I’ve been reading (trying to read) a very important historical book. I won’t say it here because well I’ll be called a word that I’m not but my family line was a part of.
Most other obsessed people here probably know that book I’m hinting at lol
Mein Kampf? If it is, there is nothing wrong with reading it. I too would like to read that book. To read the ramblings of a man who was to become one of the worlds worst murderers certainly seems interesting to me, it has nothing to do with agreeing with Nazism.
Read Mein Kampf, the Communist Manifesto, MAO'S Red Book, and The Wealth of Nations. All good.
Also. Hardcore History podcasts.
Hey there
I'm trying to set up a website on ww2 items, history and philosophy. If you don't mind, I'd like to feature your items and thoughts.
How do I reach you? Thanks
From what I heard, even when the Allies are fighting with good intentions, they have ulterior motives when WW2 was over:
The US plans to spread capitalistic marketing and make profit in repairing war-torn countries.
The Soviet Union tends to spread communism, acquiring new territories, and did became a world-power since Nazi imperialism is out of the picture.
From Great Britain, I don't know much, I guess they still maintain their imperialism with their colonies.
There is a slight hypocrisy for the Allies in World War 2:
Soviet Union was run by a totalitarian dictatorship and Great Britain was also an imperial power.
@Count Rufus they killed less than both the ussr and Britain, much less
After peace was declared:
The french launched brutal campaigns to maintain grip on north and sub-saharan colonies.
Russia ,destroyed by the nazis, was too weak to rebuild in an acceptable fashion. the US went on the rampage in south east Asia,and set up/ supported horrible but lucrative regimes in south america.
In general, a return to old predatory colonial habits.But better armed.but,: No change, really.. meanwhile,.
.The US was never invaded, so the war was quite useful for them, on the whole, so they immediately started ww3.
World war 1 was a more far reaching world changing war. It made world war 2 have to happen as well as the cold war
Very True, some argue that it was a continual war, that WW1 didnt end until 1945.
This would be especially true for those who fought in both.
great video! something everyone has to be aware about
My mother-in-law told me WWII blitz stories when she was a young woman in England. It was a big deal. Lest we forget.
Well said.
This guy says the brits think they’re the ones who fought the nazis alone and won the war. As an American, everything I was taught or learned on my own about ww2 gave me the perception that the USA were the sole true heroes of WW2 and I still believe that. But it makes me realize that there was a lot more going on in other countries without our involvement. That being said, we’re the only country to drop nuclear bombs to end 1/2 of the biggest war in history which changed history of war from those days forward. Also incited fear in all countries who a-posed us. Also, all stories told or created are about American soldiers defeating the terrible Nazis.
you still believe that? the russians destroyed the germans, Americans fought the weak reserves in the west while ussr fought the elite forces in the east. America did win against japan though.
America and Germany barely touched each other and they were not "the good guys" in the war.
The floor kinda looks like the Japenese flag lol.
Perhaps here in Britain we are obsessed with world war 2 because, unlike continental Europe, we never really had a revolution leading to more democratic government and a fairer society afterwards etc?? Have had a look through Keith Lowe's book on the bombing of Hamburg. Was truly dreadful I agree but what really gets to me time and time again (and is implied in this book) is how the bombing campaign against our cities in the UK is so often dismissed as though it was nothing. Maybe this is because we had far fewer deaths resulting from the bombing or what? Because we had our Anderson shelters, the Tube stations etc? Lowe thinks we need to know more about Hamburg and other German cities. Yes. BUT we also need to know more about what happened in the UK. Just one example - I live in Sussex and until this year never knew about the Luftwaffe bombing of Eastbourne where apparently 2,000 died and countless injured. Also have close contacts in Nottingham and only recently have known about the bombing which happened there. I hope Mr Lowe is not being politically correct in his writing. I also read in a book on the war (published in the 20th century) that people in this country were very uncomfortable with the bombing in Germany but because we were having the same sympathies were mixed.
It's not about not knowing more about the bombings in britain, but putting more focus on all raids that's been done on german civilians by the allied forces, which never gets focused on, as the winners always write the history. Pretty much everyone knows that London got bombed, but almost noone, except those that read extra into the great war, know about bombings done on the majority of german cities, me included.
@@owo1744 awww, are we suppose to feel bad? Maybe don’t cheer and parade for your genocidal manic of a leader when you’re winning, and turn a blind eye to the atrocities he’s committing and cry when those countries hit you back?🤡
My country didn't fight in ww2 but I'm still obsessed about ww2
One of the greatest lessons learned from WW2 was ‘no more empire building’
Obviously that’s what Germany was trying....but they’re not the only country guilty of that.
Except the post-war order launched Soviet and American imperialism. 🤔
Very relevant in 2021
Excellent speaker. Thank you so much. I think memorials should be disconnected from politics and nationality today, to commemorate the dead of yesterday and own up the mistakes to learn from them. I wish we let the past rest, because we shouldn’t disturb the magma that shaped the foundation rocks of today, lest we want another eruption. Myths about war and national pride is what brought this conflict in the first place; just think of the “November criminals. “ there is a future ahead of us. If we don’t take it seriously, there may not be one.
America's "Greatest Generation" means the greatest generation of Americans, not the whole world. He totally misrepresented the term.
Its a TED Talk, they let anyone do these, thats why 90% of then are bad.
This was not really the answer I was looking for.
I just want to know why I’m so sickly obsessed with the ghettoes of Poland.
I don’t want to be interested in it. It’s dark and full of misery. I want to look forward into the future and make the future great for everyone and futuristic. I DONT want to be interested in it!
But at the same time it’s mystical. It’s like an artwork isolated and locked forever in history. It’s a strange feeling I can’t really describe.
The Japanese killed more Chinese with Samurai swords than the U.S. killed Japanese with atomic weapons. Kinda tough designing a monument for what Japan did.
You missed the point entirely
Good speaker, a pleasure to listen to.
Good job Brit, well done.
you gotta love the guy, talking of the WWII and selective memory and not mention the Red Army in the 20' speech. the irony...
you know why.
But it's a different topic.
As individuals, as societies, we do indeed need to stand up for our values, which may mean war. Of course we need to value the brave and honorable amongst us that are our soldiers. But why are we so silent about the consequences? My husband's and my parents and families were on opposite sides of WWII. Our parents were both badly damaged during the war, they never got over their problems. We, their children, lived with the consequences of their inner sadness and turmoil. These days when we see the eyes of recent immigrants to Canada from Syria, or other war torn locations, we can recognize the traumatized looks in their eyes. Like us, their children are likely destined to have to figure out what's wrong with their parents as they grow up how they've been affected. Why indeed do we keep going over the details of the battles and the technology of war. Why can't we address the horror of today's victims of war and stop glorifying any war, including WWII. What does this mythologizing say about human nature?
thank you and if we keep going over it maybe just maybe we will learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes. ww ll was horrible and we need to rember. Americans have become far too comfortable and greedy not thinking of others,very sad,but we can change!
I agree, I am so sick of WWII glorification, especially by Russians. My country''s aftermath of WWII was that it was occupied and we are still struggling with the consequences. And with glorification often comes the denial of war atrocities that were done also by those who won the war.
1:29 I see the imperial Japanese flag. Can you?
good speech.
This guy has clearly never spent any time in Russia.
Just proves the point, "dont start nuttin, wont be nuttin"
We have so many games based on WW2: War Thunder, COD: WW2 (my favorite), so many man! its an interesting war!
This is a basic argument that all sides are bad and does not even address the question.
Nah. I got nothing against the Germans and the Japanese. They make fine cars as far as I'm concerned.
And everything else.............England thinks it should be running Europe, because we can't, thats why they want out.
And the Japanese
*Hentai*
@@allthingaialf Shut up.
@@justaname325 should I take that as an insult
I have mixed feelings toward this talk. The speech is very, very general and common, it's like you're talking to a bunch of people who never, ever, questioned history or learned the darkside stories you mentioned. You dont even answer your own question. Why is there a particular fascination for WW2, for a lot of us ? Identification ? Source of inspiration ? What about the philosophical roots ? You lost so much time talking about common topics such as national myth, history rewriting, and your personal aversion for the politician world. Going deeper in the grey areas you pointed out would have been a start.
I resonate with this. He half-answers many of his own questions and misses the mark on the rest.
HEY! IM A WINDOW CLEANER
Yeah, it was kind of a big deal...
In my opinion people should stop talking about wars
so they happen again, great
7:06
It really pisses me off that this blonde woman on her phone is possibly ignoring this entire speech.
People like her are the *main* reason why History repeats itself...
Kugel Cancer chill, she could be texting someone you don’t know, and why would she go to a tedx talk and not listen seems counter intuitive
Steven spielberg is pretty obsessed with ww2. Hes made 3 films about it from different angles in jaws theirs a great speech about ww2 his alien series taken starts off with ww2. Indiana jones & the nazis of course. Theirs so much ww2 in spielberg films just wonder his obsession
He is so overrated and doesn't deserve any awards
Western version of history neglects the fact that
90% of German civilian casulties were from bombs that fell on their cities,
and 90% of German military casulties happened on eastern front.
Sorry, that's not factual. The displacement of roughly 13 million germans beginning in 1944 cost about 600.000 lives. And that is the most conservative estimate (source: wikipedia).
Can we just have a ww1 games except BF1 Verdun and tannanburg
BF1 wasn't really a WW1 game, it was incredibly innacruate, and guns were in that game that were never used.
@@plasticbudgie *some guns
We didn't talk about games here.
Please read this book : All Quiet on the Western Front
The war of Austrian succession was even more fundamental to the present state of the world.
That is so true
How?
The answer isn't simple nor singular - It wasn't even a single "war"; it was many.
That massive war time did not end wars, but WWII is often seen as the last clean, honorable war. News spin, for example, would have us think that Americans supported our initial war efforts in the early 40's, but not so in the mid-60s. In fact, the opposite was closer to the truth. WWII was the "good" war.
Even worse than the common spin is misplaced collective guilt (in Germany) or near complete historical ignorance (young Japanese and Australians)
Let us hope at least that our professional warriors study it well to learn its most critical lessons. "A nation that makes too great a distinction between its soldiers and it's scholars will have it's thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools"
It's my uncle! 😃
really
Are you British too?
That memorial was literally the first time the bomber boys were honoured. Like it or not - I doubt the war would have been won without them. They were hated for killing civilians and. That is why 2012 was the first time they wete remembered!
Why not include the civilians tho that'd the whole point
Forgive my ignorance but I remain confused as to what was the MAIN point he was trying to make after all. On the other hand, I don't know anything about this historian's background however it would be interesting to listen to a military historian as well, preferably someone coming from a military background him/herself.
But the Battle Of Britain was our finest hour.
No Just a warmup compared to real battles in the east that is.
Compare any 2023 ted talk to this one...
I think he is overthinking it.... obviously the war is in the past but if we don't have reminders about what happened then history will repeat itself... I feel as if to him the second world war is a book a novel that we as people envy this is not the case this presentation was kind of a joke
I am a History teacher and 100 percent agree with him I don't think he's overthinking it people at trying to simplify it
I like it because I am fascinated but human idiocy and vulgarity.
noted
Not every country is passionate about ww1 & 2 ...like the whole South Asian region...they we're busy in kicking out British colonialists from their country...to many people in south asia...ever heard about Churchill orchestrated Bengal famine?
Those poor poor Germans...
+HanikSheli And the Japanese...
the Italians were also bombed
Those poor, poor Germans killed twenty seven million Russians.
pardon?
Tor from Nor exactly....people are learning more every day.
The same with 911.
Because the wrong side won?
Had it up to here with WW2 fanaticism. It's like celebrating mass killings and the day the earth eas nearly destroyed. I think I'd be more interested if some of the commercialism stopped
The only reason it’s commercialised so much is because people have great interest in it,
There’s business without a customer - not the other way round - you can’t flog a dead horse.
@@GaryboldyfulTheres no Fanaticism & No one celebrates WWII .
The way he summarize the war is just silly .... And seriously low lQ
Here's a result to consider about WWII the allies lost it in Europe.
That's because it's the LAST righteous war that we were involved in.
keep telling yourself that.
the grey areas is the reason for the 20 dislikes too
I don't think so.
ya, people don't like history they want to believe in the myth.. just ask David Irving.
Oh im found interest in 2 world war there
halfway in and i can see where this is going. I hope he mentions Dresden,that's a good one for his like.
Well Germans are not glorifying the war... Not at all... but that makes sense I guess :D
If ur a ww2 fan...SKIP THIS! Nothing here, move along please!
A WW2 fan... Wow that is quite the term. Really it's quite despicable to call yourself or anyone that. "I'm a fan of the Franco-Prussian war, the battles were more bloody and that really does it for me". How can you be a fan of a war...
Siegfried: People like GG unfortunately "perfectly" prove the point of this specific TED talk. "Fans" equate to "hooligans" IMO
U just proved his point. "ww2 fans" ridicoules xd
Is mein krampf in their
The far cold pharmacokinetically protect because crocodile chronically delay through a second drink. heartbreaking, terrific stretch
What a silly question! The 2ndcworld war is a major part of history, those who don't learn are condemned to repeat
no your just a sick fu- who likes death and suffering
Sorry bro....but you are absolutely WRONG.
Your speech is pretty bad.....difficult to follow and I have no idea what your point is.
Maya Lifton it’s because he’s white isn’t it
i thought the point was clear, people are obsessed with the second world war because other people can use everyone's perception of it as a propaganda tool to advance their own agenda
Britain is not a country! Britain did not defeat the Nazis on their own! Please, get your facts Mr. History! 😂🤣
Ike Jacobs did you watch the video he said that’s what BRITAIN WANTS TO BELIEVE
(I know this is from a long time ago)
This man is questioning WWII and it's usage. He sounds like an evul Nutzi!
Divine Voice ......
+Kiwi Bloke he's trolling m8
I'd like to hear about the proper use for a WWII?
killing nazis
Propaganda
Not much,but yeah you're right.
This guy just doesn't get it. He should become a window cleaner. Wwii
I think you don't get his point I'm a high school history teacher and I hate the way WWII is taught
Window cleaner huh?
you should go back to watching teletubbies
this might be the most boring WWII video on youtube...
ManCaveHQ Because you can't understand it. You just want to see blood..
Waking up to Terrorism from the Sky
God this is boring.
Is the truth boring you