Battle of Bannockburn

**James MacMillan** · 24th June 08, 03:03 PM

Please don't take offense Tod - BUT!

It is often said that those who don't learn from their mistakes are apt to repeat them..... or some such corruption. As one who has been interested in "History" for my entire life, what irks me is that one man's history is not another's!

Some say that history is written by the victor, but even that isn't true any more. Virtually every tome on "History" is written with some personal agenda of the author.

Take the Viet Nam War, for instance. We now have many definitive histories written to tell us just what happened, and I have yet to read one that accurately reflects what really happened there, as reflected from personal knowledge and from the perspective of my own two eyes and my own two ears. What I experienced is not what is in the current crop of "History" books.

Sadly, in my opinion, this is true of all things as regards "History." The spin-doctors always seem to write about things as they want them to be, not as they are or were.

Actual experience is very often, if not most times, very different from what is finally written in a book. Learning from books is great thing, BUT it is NOT as good as your own life experiences!

OK – Rant over!

**Panache** · 24th June 08, 03:42 PM

The leaf gathers the golden rays of the sun but knows nothing of the earth

The roots probe the deep dark soil and drink the water but know nothing of the sky

The Bark feels the heat and cold and shields the tree but is blind to all else

None of the parts see or knows the whole tree

Good Historians try to look from many perspectives and many vantage points to to see the totality of an event. When dealing with a huge experience, one that involves multiple viewpoints and many many people being able to look through all those different eyes to try to see things as a whole is of great value.

Books like a "A Day of Infamy" and "The Longest Day" illustrate this.

Respectfully

Jamie

**Freelancer** · 24th June 08, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Panache

The leaf gathers the golden rays of the sun but knows nothing of the earth

The roots probe the deep dark soil and drink the water but know nothing of the sky

The Bark feels the heat and cold and shields the tree but is blind to all else

None of the parts see or knows the whole tree

Good Historians try to look from many perspectives and many vantage points to to see the totality of an event. When dealing with a huge experience, one that involves multiple viewpoints and many many people being able to look through all those different eyes to try to see things as a whole is of great value.

Books like a "A Day of Infamy" and "The Longest Day" illustrate this.

Respectfully

Jamie

Well done....you've really summed it up...and quite beautifully (who authored that?)! Both views, cynical or romantic or any other, all speak to or add to a truth in some way

**ccga3359** · 24th June 08, 04:04 PM

With respect to Jock's honest and insightful views might I just pay respects to those that fought and died on the battlefield fighting for their beliefs and freedoms.

**Jock Scot** · 25th June 08, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by ccga3359

With respect to Jock's honest and insightful views might I just pay respects to those that fought and died on the battlefield fighting for their beliefs and freedoms.

I will always raise my glass to brave men and women.Oh,and happy birthday Todd.