Policymakers | General Education

These College Students Are Totally Clueless About World War II

HUFFINGTON POST   |  January 28, 2014 by Sarah Barness

When college students’ knowledge of World War II is put to the test, many are in the dark. Actually, some are entirely clueless.

You might think it wouldn’t be too hard to answer questions like, “What year did WWII begin?” or “Can you name one Axis power?”

You’d be wrong.

When asked to name three Allied powers, one hopeless girl answered “Alaska.” When asked to name one Allied leader, not one, but two people named Adolf Hitler. Seriously?? Oh, and just to clarify, WWII did not begin in 1847.

Oy vey.

The guys seem to have won this knowledge war, but perhaps the girls deserve a break. After all, the top 30 liberal arts colleges don’t require a U.S. history survey course.

Top notch schools like Amherst, Grinnell, Middlebury, Vassar, Oberlin, Smith, Swarthmore, Colgate and Harvey Mudd are just some of the colleges listed in the “Education or Reputation?” report by The American Council of Trustees and Alumni as not requiring an American history class.

Pretty shocking, don’t ya think?

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The ForumHistorical Literacy

Lexington and Concord: Courage That Forged a Nation

On the morning of April 19, 1775, British troops and colonial minutemen fired on each other at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Referred to eloquently in Emerson’s poem, “Concord Hymn,” as “the shot heard round the world,” this event officially started the American Revolutionary War and paved the way for independence. The minutemen in Massachusetts fought and died for liberty and self-governance, principles on which this country was founded. Sadly, many Americans, even those with a college education, are ignorant of their nation’s history and founding principles. This is not only disappointing but dangerous to national solidarity. It must be rectified to ensure the continued stability and success of the United States.
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