It is really hard to watch the History channel these days

[Hunter]

First I want to say Lest we Forget, I have a bit of a rant, and I in no way want to offend any veteran, active member of any military, or family of those people.

I hate how the History Channel makes documentaries about the Second World War. It only seems to be a big hurrah for the US and leaves everything the other Allied countries did by the way side. I'm not saying that the Americans didn't pull their weight against the Axis, they pulled it and then some... but getting one of the docs I've watched recently to talk about Canada (which in one doc called a Colony, defiantly not a colony in the 1930's), Australia & New Zealand, heck even the resistance forces in occupied territories seems to be like pulling hens teeth. It seems that for them the Allies either needed saving or help moving supplies across an ocean and the resistance and civilians were just waiting patiently for the Americans to come.

Well that is off my chest. Once again I don't want to offend anyone, I understand without the American involvement in the war would mean that Western Europe would be speaking even more German than it does now, the Japanese would be enjoying the Australian surf, and the Crown would be based in Canada, most likely Victoria, British Columbia. Please no flaming or trolling, but I would like to know your thoughts on the topic.

Cheers,

PS I really hate Ancient Aliens and the rest of the shows they have programmed that aren't even history.

 

[fortcon]

Man, +1 on your last note for sure. I'm tired of not seeing history on the History Channel. I'm only 23, but even when I was younger the History Channel still had history on it.
As for your other point, I agree that the look at history on many TV channels, History Channel included, may be skewed to focus more on America's role in the greatest conflict in human history. I do understand why, though. In this day and age where history is often neglected in teaching, and it's near impossible to spark any kind of interest in it. Running programming that escapes anyone's interests, which are generally limited to American history, if any history at all, is a recipe for lost interest in your network. I lament your point also, some of the most fascinating stories from World War II come from other countries, Britain staring across the channel at an occupied France, Canada joining a conflict and making a massive sacrifice at Dunkirk, the Russians mustering a large, amateur army and beating back the organized and professional German Army, the Australians, New Zealanders, Indians and countless others fighting the Japanese, and so many more. All warrant our attention, but unfortunately all are neglected. An appreciation for history is lost on much of my generation, and unfortunately for ourselves and future generations, the only way to stop history from repeating itself is to learn from it. I'm not sure who said this, but I'm considering getting it tattooed on chest, but "everytime history repeats itself, the cost goes up."
There's my mini-rant to accompany your rant, I concur with you most definitely.

 

[Mick]

I have trouble watching it since I canceled cable and gone to air TV.....

Don't miss it at all.

 

[bhorsoft]

History is written by the winners, and here in the U.S. we consider ourselves the winners. Since the majority of the shows are written by Americans, produced by Americans for an American channel, of course it will be skewed toward the U.S. It ain't right, but it is the way it is. I try to counterbalance by watching films and reading books originating from outside the country. If you were in Russia, you would probably hear about how the Red Army and Soviet industrial might won WWII single-handedly - with no mention of Lend Lease or the Murmansk convoys. Of course, the Battle of Britain was both the U.K.s darkest hour and finest moment which turned the tide of the war - if you are from the U.K.

And yes, I preferred it when the History Channel was more about history, The Learning Channel was more about Learning and the Discovery channel was more about discovery. At least The Science Channel is still mostly about science.

 

[puros_bran]

The History Channel isn't ALL about America in WW2, it's also about the Germans. lol.. Around here we call it The Hitler Channel.

My bigger rant is the Discovery Channel.. The supposed science channel... GRRRRRRAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Amish Mafia, Moonshiners, Storage Wars, Cash Cab, American Chopper, Outlaw Garage? WTH? That's not science.

 

[_JP_]

PBS balances out this problem pretty well.

 

[ThePatrician]

Well, it's okay to call it history when the US won the whole of WW2 after we bailed out Britain, no foolin', we just strolled in and won the whole war.........

I've pretty much given up on the History Channel, especially now that they've started to move away from actual real history.

The History Channel isn't ALL about America in WW2, it's also about the Germans. lol.. Around here we call it The Hitler Channel.

My bigger rant is the Discovery Channel.. The supposed science channel... GRRRRRRAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Amish Mafia, Moonshiners, Storage Wars, Cash Cab, American Chopper, Outlaw Garage? WTH? That's not science.

Discovery Channel? How about how TLC doesn't show anything educational anymore? THATis the one that grinds my gears worse than anything else.

 

[jkingrph]

As a US citizen, I agree. Without Britian, Canada, Australia, Russia, and others, I wonder if the US could have defeated both the Germans and Japanese.

 

[Hunter]

Thanks for your input guys!

 

[ouch]

On behalf of the millions of Americans who served in WWII, I'd like to extend my gratitude to Murray from Iceland, and I think there was a guy named Fred from Malta.

If anyone's participation is under-recognized, surely the Soviet Union would have to be near the top, with ~25 million dead. Along with China, who also took horrendous casualties, they represent almost half the dead of the entire conflict.

 

[JaggerDragger]

Dont get upset about it Hunter, Canada always plays second fiddle; that's what makes us Canadian! EH!

 

[the beav]

I didn't know that that the "History" Channel was showing WW2 stuff anymore.

Anyway, I suppose that the largest Canadian operation percentage-wise was the Dieppe disaster, which doesn't make for good TV. Likewise for the Australians and the Kokoda Trail, as there was little dramatic film taken, unfamiliar Generals (as far as US audiences are concerned), and no blazing battleships. In short, it's boring TV and will not translate into good ad revenue as well as shows like Ice Road Truckers and UFO Hunters.

 

[Toothpick]

And yes, I preferred it when the History Channel was more about history, The Learning Channel was more about Learning and the Discovery channel was more about discovery. At least The Science Channel is still mostly about science.

I'm pretty sure this channel did the biggest 180 i've ever seen for a TV channel. Honey boo boo, nuff said. TLC is a complete joke now days.

My bigger rant is the Discovery Channel.. The supposed science channel... GRRRRRRAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Amish Mafia, Moonshiners, Storage Wars, Cash Cab, American Chopper, Outlaw Garage? WTH? That's not science.

Storage Wars is aired on A&E. Amish Mafia.....just....why? It's all reenactments and fake. Discovery Channel lost some respect from me by producing that show. Moonshiners....."ok here's what we will do, you film the guys making the illegal moonshine, and you film the cops trying to catch them, then communicate back and forth secretly and then at the end of the season we will step back and film the cops catching the bad guys.....epic TV"

I miss Dirty Jobs. that was interesting.

 

[thatsilverguy]

Dont get upset about it Hunter, Canada always plays second fiddle; that's what makes us Canadian! EH!

Oh I dunno, there are LOTS of Americans that want to be you (but maybe that's just Portland?)

As far as the wars, I've heard/seen multiple documentaries that imply that Europe and/or Asia were turning the tide in both big wars before the U.S. entered. Maybe the cable shows you are watching are marketing to a different demograph than you.

BTW I'm with Turtle. I've been OTA all the way for the last 10 years

 

[Hunter]

I've been watching docs online, there are a few great sites for them, I've been happily without cable for a while now. Though if a person wants to find a good series on Canadian involvment in the First and Second World Wars look up For King and Empire and For King and Country. Very somber shows that give amazing accounts of life at war on many battlefields from Hong Kong to Germany.

 

[reboot]

The History Channel is now the pawn channel
A&E is now the law enforcement channel
HGTV is now the real estate channel
Discovery Channel is now the "dangerous jobs of all sorts" channel
etc etc

All of the channels have "drifted" off course and all they care about showing are stupid reality shows.
Mediocrity reigns supreme!

 

[Nick Danger]

I remember when Bravo showed operas. Now they show The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Pretty much every cable network of that ilk is a mere shadow of its former self. TV is getting dumber by the season.

Nick

 

[WesternModern]

Regarding Canadians in WWII, have you seen the film 49Th Parallel ? A very gripping film.

 

[mascarasnake21]

You'd think that a channel dedicated to history and only history would make an attempt to cover it in a way that doesn't just satisfy conventional wisdom.

seems like that bleeds into school, too...linked my TA to a long article that called Andrew Johnson a "near failure", and she shot a testy e-mail back telling me to not link her to revisionist history.

 

[Hunter]

You'd think that a channel dedicated to history and only history would make an attempt to cover it in a way that doesn't just satisfy conventional wisdom.

seems like that bleeds into school, too...linked my TA to a long article that called Andrew Johnson a "near failure", and she shot a testy e-mail back telling me to not link her to revisionist history.

Boo-urns, my buddy in the US has told me some good horror stories about his adventures in American Post Secondary Eduaction.