Ponderings
6 May 2005 11:25![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wyntir_knightWith the new War Museum opening, I have been been finding myself pondering.
Actually, I've been pondering for quite some time, but the Citizen coverage of the museum is bringing it to a head.
I know that history is written with the bias of the writer. After all, American textbooks make no mention of the fact that they had their asses handed to them in 1812, Russian textbooks deny the fact that they annexed the Baltics, and Japanese textbooks gloss over the fact that Japan invaded China in World War Two.
The fact that history is biased and a form of propoganda is fact. Just look at Nazi Germany. Goebels actually re-wrote history to prove that the Aryan race decended from the Greeks and not from northern 'barbarians'.
The funny thing is, that Canadians seem to think that they are above this. The new War Museum has even gone so far as to change their portrayal of war. The museum is supposed to have a display on the Japanese-Canadian internment camps of World War Two, and it has displays about battle fatigue/shell shock/PTSD (whatever they're calling it now). They are trying to de-glamourize war, to show the glories as well as the horrors. Personally, I think that this is an honourable thing to do. If we forget the sacrifice and the death we trivialize war. We trivialize those who sacrificed and those who died for no reason.
From what I can gather, this is what the museum directors and curators were thinking when they designed the exhibits. But now, there is anger from some of the veterans groups. They are angry at the fact that the museum is going to deal with the Airborn and the Somalia Inquiry. According to several letters written to the Citizen, the Somalia Inquiry and Kyle Brown should be forgotten. The the paintings about the events that lead to the inquiry should be removed from the museum.
But I ask this, by removing the art, by removing these exhibits from the museum, are we not trivializing Shidane Arone's death? Are we not forgetting him? ... I could go on about "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it", but that is such a cliche at this point.
I will say this. If we only focus on the glories of our past and forget the sins, then we are no better than the countries that we chastize for doing this exact thing.
As an amateur military historian, I'm glad that the War Museum seems to be getting it right.
Actually, I've been pondering for quite some time, but the Citizen coverage of the museum is bringing it to a head.
I know that history is written with the bias of the writer. After all, American textbooks make no mention of the fact that they had their asses handed to them in 1812, Russian textbooks deny the fact that they annexed the Baltics, and Japanese textbooks gloss over the fact that Japan invaded China in World War Two.
The fact that history is biased and a form of propoganda is fact. Just look at Nazi Germany. Goebels actually re-wrote history to prove that the Aryan race decended from the Greeks and not from northern 'barbarians'.
The funny thing is, that Canadians seem to think that they are above this. The new War Museum has even gone so far as to change their portrayal of war. The museum is supposed to have a display on the Japanese-Canadian internment camps of World War Two, and it has displays about battle fatigue/shell shock/PTSD (whatever they're calling it now). They are trying to de-glamourize war, to show the glories as well as the horrors. Personally, I think that this is an honourable thing to do. If we forget the sacrifice and the death we trivialize war. We trivialize those who sacrificed and those who died for no reason.
From what I can gather, this is what the museum directors and curators were thinking when they designed the exhibits. But now, there is anger from some of the veterans groups. They are angry at the fact that the museum is going to deal with the Airborn and the Somalia Inquiry. According to several letters written to the Citizen, the Somalia Inquiry and Kyle Brown should be forgotten. The the paintings about the events that lead to the inquiry should be removed from the museum.
But I ask this, by removing the art, by removing these exhibits from the museum, are we not trivializing Shidane Arone's death? Are we not forgetting him? ... I could go on about "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it", but that is such a cliche at this point.
I will say this. If we only focus on the glories of our past and forget the sins, then we are no better than the countries that we chastize for doing this exact thing.
As an amateur military historian, I'm glad that the War Museum seems to be getting it right.
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no subject
Date: 6 May 2005 16:26 (UTC)Just a note: The annexed the *Baltics*, and exercised satellite-state influence over the Balkans.
no subject
Date: 6 May 2005 16:42 (UTC)no subject
Date: 6 May 2005 17:55 (UTC)The only way I would be cool with that exhibit, is if it also out and out calls Chretien and the Liberal government spineless cowards for disbanding one of the greatest military units in Canadian history.
Regardless of that one incident (where the criminal personnel were not numerous), the contributions of the Airborne to worldwide humanitarian and military operations are countless. Many excellent soldiers just simply quit after the government screwed them around.
At military school, one of the staff members was former Sgt. Mark Boland (the duty NCO for the guys who committed the crime). He got fucked by the system, which wanted to assign accountability - even where it was not appropriate. It was a case of scapegoating for people like him.
As for the rest of the museum:
Canadians by and large don't like to think about the fact that the primary job of soldiers is to kill other human beings. I'm afraid that the museum will pander to this point of view, and work to use public opinion to further neuter the warrior spirit of our combat arms personnel.
I'm going to go and check it out, though. To see for myself how they handled things.
no subject
Date: 6 May 2005 18:42 (UTC)I remember my grandmother telling me stories of the Second World War. She was part of the Belgian Underground, and she was always so happy to see the Canadian Air Force overhead. She knew that they were professional, and could actually hit their targets. I am hoping that the Airborn get reinstated witht he next government. Changes had to be made and corruption had to be weeded out, but disbanding that incredible organization was not the way to go.
Of course, it may not happen until Canadians come to grip with the fact that soldiers sometimes kill. In war, people die, and pretending that our troops are baysitters will not change that fact. I saw the peacekeeper statue at Conferderation square the other day, and he *does* look like a babysitter!
no subject
Date: 7 May 2005 11:41 (UTC)After that, there was a weak attempt at a cover-up - before people came clean. Then the scapegoating began, to save face for the Liberals.
But yeah. For the peacekeeping thing, I agree. You'd be amazed at the number of people that I hear say things like 'our military doesn't even need guns, we're peacekeepers'. When I (frequently) hear stupid comments about the CF, I feel like slamming my head into a brick wall.